I Hope That Google Books Does This

[tsellis]

You know what would be nice--if Google integrated Google Books and Google Translate?

That would be so amazing.


Then, language would no longer be a barrier. Hence, a foreigner could read books written in English, and I could read books written a foreign language.

 

[Crono]

I agree. There needs to be a new open book format to do this rather than just a Google app, though. On-the-fly translation option.

We're already at the point where people are using their phones for translating, which just a few decades ago was the stuff of science fiction.

 

[uhohs]

google translations readable or understandable. lol good one.

 

[Crono]

google translations readable or understandable. lol good one.

I don't know, their web translations aren't bad for what they are. Still not anywhere near approaching a competent human translation, but enough to get the gist of things like news articles.

 

[tsellis]

I don't know, their web translations aren't bad for what they are. Still not anywhere near approaching a competent human translation, but enough to get the gist of things like news articles.

Theirs is one of the best automatic translation programs around.

I'm usually able to understand most of what is said. Another plus is that, if something doesn't sound entirely right, Google allows you to make changes to it.

 

[Phoenix86]

google translations readable or understandable. lol good one.

I can conduct simple business with it, I let people know I'm using it and everyone has been very understanding of what I'm sure is bad translations. Last time I used it to troubleshoot some blocked mail issues that was fairly technical.

 

[isawthedevil]

google translate syntax is bad but babylon's is even worse....

 

[redgtxdi]

All your base are belong to us.

 

[mmntech]

Google Translate wouldn't work very well for books. While electronic translation has improved, it still struggles since language doesn't fit into a neat box. There are differences in grammar, slang, idioms, words that don't exist in other languages. Even with languages that have similar grammar to English, like German and Mandarin, don't always produce the best of results. Sometimes you can get the gist of what they're saying, other times its just gibberish. Good enough for a web page but try reading a novel like that.

 

[tsellis]

Google Translate wouldn't work very well for books. While electronic translation has improved, it still struggles since language doesn't fit into a neat box. There are differences in grammar, slang, idioms, words that don't exist in other languages. Even with languages that have similar grammar to English, like German and Mandarin, don't always produce the best of results. Sometimes you can get the gist of what they're saying, other times its just gibberish. Good enough for a web page but try reading a novel like that.

Seems like Google is already in the process of integrating translation into Google Books--but only for public domain books at this time. For example, see the book below:

Random Reminiscences of Men and Events

Toward the top is a feature that looks like a pair of scissors. You can use that feature to cut out a portion of text. Afterward, a box will emerge with a "Translate" button inside. If you click the translate button, it will take you directly to Google Translate, and the selected text (what you cut out) will be there.

It's seems like the integration is still in the early stages, and it is far from ideal. Here's hoping that Google will see this and decide to improve it.