3 Tips How to Get the Most out of a Machine Translation

I understand that there are many people who rely on machine translations every day. Some of the translations services available even manage quite acceptable translations - if you just want to know what a text is about!

Here are some guidelines to help you get the most out of machine translations:

1) Use short and simple sentences!

The shorter and simpler the sentences are, the higher the probability that they will come out right. So if you need something you have written translated for others, stick with simple sentences without appositions, subordinate clauses etc. Use vocabulary with only one meaning whenever possible. Think of the machine translator as a learner of a foreign language who looks up every word in a dictionary and simply uses the first translation offered. So, the easier you make it for the machine, the better your chances that the translation is understandable and makes sense.

2) Use it for a general overview only!

As long as you only need a general overview, machine translations can be your friend. When you only want to read a blog in a foreign language, for example, machine translations may even make it funnier than it is. Believe me, some of the results you'll get are so weird that they are outright funny. As long as you keep in mind that the text you read is not necessarily the text the writer had intended, you'll be fine.

3) Never, ever use machine translations in important contexts!

Have you ever read the Terms of Use of a foreign company? Sometimes, they make you cringe. Sentences without proper verb, sentences without any sense at all, sentences which are sometimes just wrong. Whenever I see such Terms of Use, I know that the company hasn't spent a single buck on a proper translation. They have used a machine translation. And, honestly, if they don't have (or don't want to spend) the money for a proper translation, they should have simply done without a translation at all. People who visit their site and find such a poor translation may understandably doubt the seriousness of the company. I mean, if possible clients can't even read the Terms of Use, why should they go with that company at all? In worst case, such a poor translation in a business (law, ...) context can cause serious trouble. In best case, it "only" damages the company's reputation...

My conclusion: If you use machine translations wisely, they can be a great help. If you use them in the wrong contexts, however, they can cause severe damage.