Google Lifts Free Translation to a New Level
October 1, 2009
Here in Harrod’s Creek, a foreign language is a person who speaks with a New York accent. For other folks, a foreign language means information on a Web site presented in a language other than the one mummy and daddy spoke. Google has announced on its corporate Web log that Google’s quite good translation system has flexed its muscles. You should read the Google’s own words in “Translate Your Web Site with Google: Expand Your Audience Globally”. The basic idea is simple, but the scale and scope are Googley. The statement revealed:
Today, we’re happy to announce a new Web site translator gadget powered by Google Translate that enables you to make your site’s content available in 51 languages. Now, when people visit your page, if their language (as determined by their browser settings) is different than the language of your page, they’ll be prompted to automatically translate the page into their own language. If the visitor’s language is the same as the language of your page, no translation banner will appear.
Nifty. Three comments:
- There may be some bugs in Google Apps that are getting hammered each day, but the Google is obviously prepared to direct some computational horsepower at translation of lots of stuff
- The Yahoo translation service looks like a 90 pound weakling and the for fee services are going to have to do some creating thinking. The Google can marginalize the market leaders in translation software with a bit flip in my opinion.
- The service unlocks content that has been mostly inaccessible to me. I am a happy goose.
The service is not perfect.
- Cnet points out that the service is a quick gist.
- Search Engine Journal reports that a user must paste a snippet of code in his / her Web site.
- Silicon Taps reveals that Google supports just 51 languages.
What about Microsoft? I suppose nifty graphics and more UX will be sufficient to close the gap between Bing.com and Google.com. Well, maybe not close the gap that much.
Stephen Arnold, October 1, 2009
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2 Responses to “Google Lifts Free Translation to a New Level”
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A quote is no longer a quote once translated, even when well translated. I would like to see Google provide optional links, whether in translation mode or not, to the original quote (in the original language), where available, exactly in the specific audio or video segment to save time and potentially enhance and possibly clarify the reader experience.
dear sir,
i am anand from pondicherry in india. i am doing my advertising business and this is not only business but i gave a detailed information about pondicherry in india.
this website is created by me itself. i dont know how my site can bring it to top
can u help me please…….
if u do this need for me……..
thank you