TASK: Digital and online translators
Can you trust your translator?
How good are electronic translators? Do this test.[A] Translate these sentences into your own language. Write them down.
1. I like chocolate.[B] Now use your translator or an online translator (see below for some options). Type in the sentences in your language and translate back to English. Write down the results.
2. I go to work by train every day.
3. The dead cat smells.
4. I read some interesting novels last month.
5. I used to go fishing with my dad when I was a child.
6. She freaked out when she saw the spider.
[C] Compare the results with the original sentences you wrote in [A].
[D] If there are any mistakes in the English sentences, correct them.
Discuss in class:
a. How accurate were the sentences translated into English?
b. Where were the differences?
c. What were the mistakes in the translations?
d. Were they mostly mistakes in vocabulary, spelling, grammar or word order?
[E] Think of some other sentences in your language and try them out.
Here are some popular online translators. But you can find others.
Try the above sentences on all of them. Are the results different?
