Risks of Machine Translation

Machine translation is the application of computers to the task of translating texts from one natural language to another.

On a basic level, Machine translation performs simple substitution of words in one natural language for words in another, but that alone usually cannot produce a good translation of a text, because recognition of whole phrases and their closest counterparts in the target language is needed.

As machine translation is characterized by low cost or even cost-free, it is being used to promote one’s business all over the world. However, machine translation remains as a highly risky way that could damage your business because it can cause misunderstanding easily.

Language is ambiguous in nature both at lexical level and at syntactic level.

On a lexical level, same word can have different meaning. The specific meaning of a word depends on the context. However, machine fails to translate it properly according to the context. For example, tear means the “byproduct of crying” and “rip” as well

On a syntactic level, same sentence can mean differently as being illustrated in the following example,

Flying plane can be dangerous.

In the google translation, we could see the translated result is

飞行的飞机可能是危险的。(A plane that is flying can be dangerous.)

http://translate.google.com/?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=Pit&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=time+flies+like+an+arrow+translation&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.&biw=1280&bih=852&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wT#auto/zh-CN/flying%20plane%20can%20be%20dangerous

Indeed, this sentence can also mean

开飞机可能是危险的。（It can be dangerous to drive a plane.）

Once more complex sentences are put into the machine or google, it can even cause more serious mistranslation.

Mistranslation can cause minor cost to deadly cost, but they can be avoided by professional translators. We hope you will take this into consideration when planning your entry into a foreign market.

We would like to be contacted about your translation project.

We have Chinese translators and interpreters in Los Angeles, CA;Orange County, CA; New York, NY; Chicago, IL; San Francisco, CA; Miami, FL; Atlanta, GA; South Pasadena, CA; Washington D.C.; Dallas, TX, Houston, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Newark, NJ; New Haven, CT; San Diego, CA; Seattle, WA; Phoenix, AZ; San Antonio, TX; San Jose, CA; Jacksonville, FL; Indianapolis, IN; Austin, TX; Columbus, OH; Fort Worth, TX; Charlotte, NC; Detroit, MI; El Paso, TX; Memphis, TN; Baltimore, MD; Boston, MA; Nashville-Davidson, TN,; Denver, CO; Louisville-Jefferson County, KY; Milwaukee, WI; Portland, OR; Oklahoma City, OK; Tucson, AZ; Fresno, CA; Sacramento, CA; Long Beach, CA; Kansas City, MO; Mesa, AZ; Virginia Beach, VA; Colorado Springs, CO; Raleigh, NC; Cleveland, OH; Tulsa, OK; Oakland, CA; Minneapolis, MN; Arlington, TX; Vancouver BC, Canada;Seoul, Korea; Beijing, China; Shanghai, China; Jiangsu, China; Shandong, China; Shenzhen, China; Kunming, China; Taipei, Taiwan, Hong Kong,China; Tokyo, Japan; Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; Hanoi, Vietnam; Ulan Bator, Mongolia; Manila, Philippines; Jakarta, Indonesia; New Delhi, India; Bagdad, Iraq; Jerusalem, Israel; Casablanca, Morocco; Kiev, Ukraine; Rome, Italy; Berlin, Germany; London, United Kingdom; Mexico City, Mexico; Brasilia, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Tunis, Tunisia; Cairo, Egypt; Bogota, Columbia; Dhaka, Bangladesh; Moscow, Russia; Lima, Peru; Sydney Australia; Havana, Cuba; Tirana, Albania; Algiers, Algeria; Yerevan, Armenia; Vienna, Austria; Sofia, Bulgaria, and in many more cities all over the world.