5 ms·

Google (translate) is stupid - NOT

13 points by mrpixel 15y ago

mrpixel 15y ago
For you non-German speakers out there "google ist doof" actually says that Google IS stupid. It doesn't happen with a capital G, though.
- cobrausn 15y ago
  If you go the opposite direction (English -> German), the translation doesn't exhibit the negation that the German -> English translation does. http://translate.google.com/#en|de|google%20is%20stupid%0A http://translate.google.com/#en|de|google%20is%20stupid%0A
dangrossman 15y ago
I've seen other examples of obviously wrong translations a machine wouldn't come up with -- there must be a feedback mechanism somewhere that people (non-employees) can provide a translation, and some people abusing it.
- th0ma5 15y ago
  Yes in the Stanford AI class they talked about the feedback mechanisms, and it is mixed with the automatic translations that come from comparative analysis of documents on the web that are already translated.
- bjxrn 15y ago
  I thought this was widely known but when you hover over translated text, whether this is on the Google Translate page, or at a translated site, you get the option to correct the translated text if you want. I don't know if this has always been the case, but I'm pretty sure it's been around for a few years.
achompas 15y ago
Spanish is fine: http://translate.google.com/#es|en|google%20es%20estupido http://translate.google.com/#es|en|google%20es%20estupido http://translate.google.com/#es|en|google%20es%20un%20estupido http://translate.google.com/#es|en|google%20es%20un%20estupi... (the former translates to correct english, the latter is correct spanish)
cleverjake 15y ago
In case one is unaware, google's translation service is built upon 'high grade' translations - originally from UN translation logs. So, if you actually get a few hundred sites to provide incorrect translations for a specific phrase, you could theoretically game google translate in this manner.
eslachance 15y ago
French has the same error, "Google n'est pas stupide". Funny: "ist doof" translates to english as "sucks", not "is stupid".
wleahcim 15y ago
But naive... http://translate.google.com/#de%7Cen%7Cgoogle%20ist%20wirklich%20doof http://translate.google.com/#de%7Cen%7Cgoogle%20ist%20wirkli...

13 points by mrpixel 15y ago

For you non-German speakers out there "google ist doof" actually says that Google IS stupid. It doesn't happen with a capital G, though.

cobrausn 15y ago
If you go the opposite direction (English -> German), the translation doesn't exhibit the negation that the German -> English translation does. http://translate.google.com/#en|de|google%20is%20stupid%0A http://translate.google.com/#en|de|google%20is%20stupid%0A

dangrossman 15y ago

I've seen other examples of obviously wrong translations a machine wouldn't come up with -- there must be a feedback mechanism somewhere that people (non-employees) can provide a translation, and some people abusing it.

th0ma5 15y ago
Yes in the Stanford AI class they talked about the feedback mechanisms, and it is mixed with the automatic translations that come from comparative analysis of documents on the web that are already translated.
bjxrn 15y ago
I thought this was widely known but when you hover over translated text, whether this is on the Google Translate page, or at a translated site, you get the option to correct the translated text if you want. I don't know if this has always been the case, but I'm pretty sure it's been around for a few years.

achompas 15y ago

Spanish is fine: http://translate.google.com/#es|en|google%20es%20estupido http://translate.google.com/#es|en|google%20es%20estupido http://translate.google.com/#es|en|google%20es%20un%20estupido http://translate.google.com/#es|en|google%20es%20un%20estupi... (the former translates to correct english, the latter is correct spanish)

cleverjake 15y ago

In case one is unaware, google's translation service is built upon 'high grade' translations - originally from UN translation logs. So, if you actually get a few hundred sites to provide incorrect translations for a specific phrase, you could theoretically game google translate in this manner.

eslachance 15y ago

French has the same error, "Google n'est pas stupide". Funny: "ist doof" translates to english as "sucks", not "is stupid".

wleahcim 15y ago

But naive... http://translate.google.com/#de%7Cen%7Cgoogle%20ist%20wirklich%20doof http://translate.google.com/#de%7Cen%7Cgoogle%20ist%20wirkli...