Automatic translations can introduce errors in the meaning of texts due to the complexity of languages, contextual and cultural nuances, as well as grammatical subtleties that are not always correctly interpreted by algorithms.
One word can have multiple meanings: this is called polysemy. Take the word lawyer. For you, it's clear right away, but for an automatic translation software, how does it know if you're talking about a fruit or a legal professional? The same goes for the phrase: "He is at the wheel." The automatic translator is confused: do you mean he is driving a car or that he is literally standing in front of any wheel? Ambiguity is everywhere, language is full of nuances, and as a result, automatic translation easily stumbles over these linguistic subtleties. Consequently, it can easily slip in small errors of meaning that go under the radar but completely muddle the final message.
Automatic tools, like Google Translate, often misinterpret the overall context of a sentence or text. They generally treat each sentence separately, without considering the whole. For example, the word avocat can refer to a fruit or a person practicing a legal profession. It is impossible for the automatic translator to guess which meaning fits without understanding the specific context being discussed. The same sentence can express humor, be serious, or even sarcastic, but the translation tool does not detect these subtle intentions. One quickly ends up with clumsy translations or awkward misunderstandings simply because the intention of the original text has escaped a too superficial automatic understanding.
Every language has its own grammar rules and sentence structures unique to it. Machine translators often struggle to accurately reproduce these particularities, especially for sentences with a slightly more complex syntax. As a result, they sometimes create strange mixes in verb tenses, word order, or agreements. This can completely change the original meaning of the text or make it confusing to read. In short, these tools have not yet fully mastered the subtleties of grammar or less obvious situations.
Automatic translation tools often stumble over the subtleties unique to each culture. They typically translate idiomatic expressions word-for-word, which sometimes results in absurd or humorous phrases. For example, the English expression "it's raining cats and dogs" obviously doesn't mean that it's raining cats and dogs, but simply that it's pouring. These programs overlook the cultural or historical references hidden behind certain phrases. They also fail to capture the subtle, positive or negative connotations of certain words or expressions. This "cultural ignorance" can therefore easily distort or completely misrepresent the meaning of a text that is translated automatically.
Google Translate now uses neural networks to improve its automatic translations; however, even these advanced tools can be misled by subtle context or the typical humor of a country.
In 2017, a machine translation error caused Facebook to misinterpret the Burmese language, leading to the unjust reporting of several innocent posts.
The French expression "poser un lapin" often leads to incorrect or unusual automatic translations, as this idiomatic expression has no direct equivalent in most other languages.
Some languages, such as Japanese, can intentionally remain vague or imprecise to maintain politeness or decorum, which poses a real challenge for machine translators that prioritize accuracy.
To improve the quality of machine translation, you can use short and clear sentences, avoid complex idiomatic expressions, specify the contexts of ambiguous terms as much as possible, and conduct careful human proofreading after translation.
The most commonly spoken languages that have a wealth of available linguistic data, such as English, Spanish, French, or German, tend to be better translated by automatic tools. In contrast, some less represented languages may experience more errors or approximations.
A word that appears simple can have different meanings depending on its context of use. Without a specific context, the automatic tool may incorrectly interpret the meaning, thus leading to a poor lexical choice in the final translation.
Incorrect translations can lead to significant misunderstandings, administrative errors, economic losses, and even serious legal consequences, especially in specific medical, legal, or technical contexts.
No, it is not advisable to rely solely on machine translation tools in a professional context, as they may lack nuance or introduce significant meaning errors. It is better to use a human translator or have the content carefully reviewed by someone proficient in the target language.
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