BUNNIK, 20080114 -- Google recently launched a Dutch version of its free online translation service. Translation agency L&L sees the increasing emergence of such translation services as worrisome (cf. an earlier L&L press release of 20 September 2007). These services are often misleadingly introduced as tools that deliver accurate and reliable translations. However, nothing could be further from the truth.
Bert Bourgonje, Director of L&L: "Not everyone shares our concerns about these free online translation services. It is sometimes claimed that it is a good thing that these services offer the user a general impression of a text that is written in a language that they do not know. We entirely agree with this. But our daily practice paints an entirely different picture: Internet users think that they can use these services to produce accurate and reliable translations. We are often asked why we charge so much when there are suppliers who apparently offer the same services for free. And since these suppliers are quite well-known, people assume that the quality will be alright."
A case in point is the recent "diplomatic incident" between Israel and the Netherlands. The incident was sparked off by an English e-mail message received by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This e-mail message repeatedly referred to Foreign Minister Verhagen's mother. Its opening lines read as follows:
"Helloh Bud, Enclosed five of the questions in honor of the foreign minister: The mother your visit in Israel is a sleep to the favor or to the bed your mind on the conflict are Israeli Palestinian, and on relational Israel Holland".
The e-mail had been sent by a party of Israeli journalists who had been invited to attend a seminar on the Dutch political system. Preceding their visit to the Netherlands, they had e-mailed a number of questions to the minister. These questions had been `translated' from Hebrew into English with the aid of a free online translation service. Amongst other things, the service confused the Hebrew word ha'im (or) with the word ha'ima (mother). The resulting e-mail undoubtedly knitted the minister's brows en caused the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs a fair amount of embarrassment.
The affair soon blew over, but it shows that the name translation service can be misleading in that it suggests that you can actually translate texts with it. Bourgonje: "We do not shy away from the competition of these free services. We are, however, worried that these services often create unrealistic impressions. This is why a few months ago, we warned against deception of the public."
About L&L Languages & Localization:
L&L is an international text-writing and translation agency with headquarters in the Netherlands (Bunnik). As one of the first ISO-certified translation agencies, L&L advises organizations through the entire writing and translation process of technical texts and software in some thirty-five languages. L&L works for various industries, e.g. IT, telecommunications, automotive, finance, education/e-learning, cartography and maritime communications.
For further information please contact Mr. Bourgonje: +31 (0)30 6592213 (
bbourgonje@landl.com), or go to the L&L website at:
www.LandL.com Noot voor redacties:
For further information please contact Mr. Bourgonje: +31 (0)30 6592213 (
bbourgonje@landl.com), or go to the L&L website at:
www.LandL.com