For this article, it’s worth considering how translations are done to recognize the advances and benefits that today make the process easier—not just the procedure itself, but also the advantages for people who, upon relocation, are exposed to quickly adapting to learning a new language.
- For this article, it’s worth considering how translations are done to recognize the advances and benefits that today make the process easier—not just the procedure itself, but also the advantages for people who, upon relocation, are exposed to quickly adapting to learning a new language.
- From there, starting in the 2010s, machine translation evolved with models based on neural networks and deep learning (NMT), which has drastically improved translation quality by allowing machines to better understand context.
- At first, it may have seemed impossible, but once someone showed them how, they knew how to communicate with their interlocutor—and vice versa—without any difficulty.
- Clearly, we had to figure out the case somehow, considering it’s an English course now with five Vietnamese students.
Translation does the work. Over time, translation systems have advanced not only for businesses but also for document production, for example, in schools, universities, churches, etc., where they used to manually program grammatical rules and dictionaries (RMBT).
Later came statistical translation, like Google Translate, calculating equivalent words and phrases based on the frequency of their combinations in different languages.
Then statistical machine translation (SMT), like Google Translate in its early years, which was used to calculate probabilities of equivalent words and phrases. It relied on the frequency of word combinations in different languages.
From there, starting in the 2010s, machine translation evolved with models based on neural networks and deep learning (NMT), which has drastically improved translation quality by allowing machines to better understand context.
Not long ago in Europe, we learned of a system that allowed people arriving in countries with different languages—who were unable to communicate with locals—to use a device through which the visitor or resident could communicate without difficulty.
This was surprising because the visitor would approach someone who could help them with what they needed. Through their “translator,” they would speak in their language, and the translator would respond politely—precisely in their language, in return.
In other words, there was no communication problem when using such a translator, as long as both parties activated it.
At first, it may have seemed impossible, but once someone showed them how, they knew how to communicate with their interlocutor—and vice versa—without any difficulty.
Let’s look at this case to see the efficiency. Since I’m in charge of the English course at the Morningside Library in Port St. Lucie, held Tuesdays from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., I must maintain and update the material to be covered in each class.
Something interesting happened. Without prior notice, four new Vietnamese students arrived. Almost nothing! For them, understanding what for us is as easy as *pan de bono* was impossible. Did you get that? If you go to Bravo, a local store in Port St. Lucie, they’ll gladly give it to you right away.
But that wasn’t what we expected. Even for me, this was like *almojábana* in Colombia. Well, let’s not complicate things. Let’s return to our students, who surely knew learning English would be difficult—but not to the point where they couldn’t understand a single word.
Of course, it wasn’t their language, and before the trip, they hadn’t been trained in some fundamental words upon arriving in the destination country. “Every man for himself”—what a problem. Nevertheless, it’s up to us to gladly solve it.
Clearly, we had to figure out the case somehow, considering it’s an English course now with five Vietnamese students.
Here, the teacher’s role is crucial in navigating the situation. Having ideas and complementing them with professional staff at the same institution where the course is held—Morningside Library, PSL—the systems engineer, Ms. Patty, played a key part.
Patty told me: “Take your cell phone and go to Google Translate. What’s the language: English, and the recipient’s language: Vietnamese. Now you have to read the topic to the student, and in turn, they’ll receive it translated on the right side.
After we did that, they would review the response and give their answer in English.
What a marvel! Now, as a teacher, I must adapt the topics to the system, considering the student’s level of knowledge or skill, to help them assimilate the material with certainty and enjoyment.
Soon, all ten students were satisfied and working together in English. It will take some time, but the problem is solved.
By. Nelson Merchán-Cely
Image: AV
