Re: Russian to English Machine Translators

["ruth_weiner" <ruth_weiner@email.msn.com>]

I have to back up Nick's suggestion.  I am bilingual (German and English)
and I used to work for a translating service, translating Russian scientific
papers.  So when a colleague has a German text, I just read it aloud,
translating as I go.  I cannot imagine a computer program that can catch the
idioms and nuances, especially with a specialized vocabulary (e.g., the
German word for hydrogen translates, literally, to "water substance").
Also, using a program that does a partial job is not particularly helpful to
a competent human translator.  I usually have to read the whole sentence,
and sometimes several sentences, before I can translate competently.

I am sure that with the relatively recent influx of Russian-speakers into
the U. S., you could find someone who would be happy to translate for pay
(that's why I used to do it).  One of my daughters has a number of contacts
in the Russian-speaking community in Seattle, and if you write me privately,
I can perhaps find some translators.

Ruth Weiner
ruth_weiner@msn.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Tsurikov, Nick <nick.tsurikov@iluka.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Saturday, December 23, 2000 12:37 AM
Subject: RE: Russian to English Machine Translators


>Dear Jim,
>As a person speaking both languages fluently I would like to suggest that
>you stick with human translators.  I've seen these packages (don't remember
>names but there were about three or four).  All of them were very nice for
>only one thing - creating a roaring laughter when I read the translation
>from Russian to English to my friends here (the 'other way around', English
>to Russian is even worse, believe me).  And when the laughter stops and
>people try to understand what it all actually meant - there is simply no
way
>to do it.  Even simple 'personal' things I tried came up as total
gibberish,
>and when you try to put through something like description of a
>technological process - forget it.
>This is, of course, my personal experience.  Maybe someone had a better
>luck.
>Merry Christmas from the middle of summer!
>Kind regards
>Nick Tsurikov
>Eneabba, Western Australia
>http://eneabba.net/ <http://eneabba.net/>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: james.g.barnes@att.net
>[mailto:james.g.barnes@att.net]
> Sent: Saturday, 23 December 2000 2:44
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: Russian to English Machine Translators
>
> Good morning, all.
>
> I am interested if anyone has used one of the Russian to
> English machine translation software packages.  I
> volunteer for a foundation that works a Russian
> institute, and we are looking for an easier way to
> surmount the language barrier.
>
> I know that MT will not solve all problems, but would be
> interested in the experiences that any of you have with
> such packages.
>
> I am particularly interested in how well the software
> has performed for technical/medical communications.
>
> We have access to skilled human translators.  We are
> looking at this software as a screening method so that
> we can utilize the people translators more effectively.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Jim Barnes, CHP
> Radiation Safety Officer
> Rocketdyne/Boeing
> james.g.barnes@att.net
>
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