G'day All,
I think we need a new thread so I can easily see anyone who responds to my original post, which has certainly set off some discussion here. There is a translation of "The Beginners Guide to Biogas" on the biogas wiki that I had a multilingual person look at and he thought the quality was good (except for one more technical area that I can't remember just now). I guess one approach is for individuals to use website translators to look at the archives to get an idea of what is going on, so that it then becomes their task/responsibility to chase up bits that don't translate (hopefully interesting bits, and possibly translation problems, would be transferred across). This raises the question about differences between translation tools? I, like David, am monolingual so my test would be to start with something in English, translate to Spanish (or whatever) then translate back again to see how it compared to the original using the various translation options (I guess I can try it on "The Beginners Guide" above!). Happy digesting, HOOROO Mr. Paul Harris, Room S116b, Waite Main Building Faculty of Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, PMB 1, Glen Osmond SA 5064 Ph : +61 8 8303 7880 Fax : +61 8 8303 4386 <mailto:[email protected]> mailto:[email protected] <http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/paul.harris> http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/paul.harris CRICOS Provider Number 00123M This email message is intended only for the addressee(s) and contains information that may be confidential and/or copyright. If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender by reply email and immediately delete this email. Use, disclosure or reproduction of this email by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) is strictly prohibited. No representation is made that this email or any attachments are free of viruses. Virus scanning is recommended and is the responsibility of the recipient. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of David Sent: Wednesday, 1 December 2010 9:25 AM To: For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion Subject: Re: [Digestion] Biogas Groups There is as well, the point on which both of you agree, which is that automated translation is inadequate to the task. Artificial intelligence is actually very little like the real thing. But consider: translation done by a human would be prohibitively expensive, and thus without the poor shadow that could be provided by automated translation, these lists we are discussing (thanks to the spark provided by Paul) would remain islands, largely isolated excepting to the few (I speak as someone born in the US) who speak more than one language with sufficient fluency that they can partake in the original ("foreign") language. Whereas, if automation is used, at least some portion of the discussion can be transmitted more widely. This would, I think, be novel and of wider interest-- perhaps even somewhat pioneering, or visionary, a glimpse into a future unified world. Further, if, for example, those joining the discussion in Spanish knew their words were being translated and seen by a wider audience, it might encourage not only more, but more earnest and thoughtful participation. (Based on what you say, the Germans need no such catalyst!) There could as well be other advantages. Some of the issues you mention above could be addressed (although perhaps awkwardly) if the translation were two-way. As far as agreement from the participants to have their words translated, that could be resolved when they signed up by asking them not to agree, but to disagree, to actively say they did not want to be translated. If an existing list were "converted" to translation, the issue could be handled similarly: open the discussion, and if it were a comfortable thought for "enough" of the participants, allow opting out, rather than seeking active agreement. The core difficulty would be the expense of setting something up a list or software system which could accommodate the implied options: tracking and not translating those who had opted out, handling individual-to-individual translated responses, and of course selecting and integrating an automated-- free!-- translation service (Babelfish/Yahoo? Translate.Google?). No doubt my list of problems is anemic, but the point remains that there would be challenges. Alex indicates that some funds are available, but they may be inadequate to the task, excepting if further sponsorship could be found. Could one gain interest from one of the services that do automated translation? It might be newsworthy and therefore of some value to them for the PR... Mind you, I have no idea whether the litany of problems might be addressed and overcome, but I thought an alternative look at the issue might be of interest. d. -- David William House "The Complete Biogas Handbook" www.completebiogas.com Vahid Biogas, an alternative energy consultancy www.vahidbiogas.com "Make no search for water. But find thirst, And water from the very ground will burst." (Rumi, a Persian mystic poet, quoted in Delight of Hearts, p. 77) http://bahai.us/
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