80 two countries - speaking the MS Translator

[GoodTaste]

And which is scarier? MS Translator getting or not getting the name right?

I don't get you. I read "Microsoft Translator" and it got it correctly. When I read "MS Translator", it spelt it correctly first, then automatically changed it into "Ms Translator."

 

[GoesStation]

The AI logic of the Translator should be factored in - because it always gets me correctly when I say "I'm fine. Thank you very much", which means I get the I in finest correctly.

That doesn't follow. The speech-to-text engine could hear something like "imm fin" and set it aside while it looks at the rest of the sequence. When it decodes "Thank you very much", it looks up two-syllable phrases that precede that sentence and look like "Xm fXn", where X is a vowel. It will quickly discover that "I'm fine" fits the pattern.

 

[GoodTaste]

That doesn't follow. The speech-to-text engine could hear something like "imm fin" and set it aside while it looks at the rest of the sequence. When it decodes "Thank you very much", it looks up two-syllable phrases that precede that sentence and look like "Xm fXn", where X is a vowel. It will quickly discover that "I'm fine" fits the pattern.

OK. How do you explain the Translator got me correctly when I read "The price is high"? Both "i"s in "price" and "high" are pronounced /ai/ as in "finest". AI could assume that you've misread something and offer possible "correct" words.

 

[GoesStation]

OK. How do you explain the Translator got me correctly when I read "The price is high"? Both "i"s in "price" and "high" are pronounced /ai/ as in "finest".

It guesses what was said, compares its guess with a database of real phrases, and looks for the best match. Try saying single words like "ship" and "sheep". If it gets them right, you're pronouncing the vowels comprehensibly. If it only gets them right when they're part of a sentence, it's using context to correct its initial guess.

 

[Tdol]

I don't get you. I read "Microsoft Translator" and it got it correctly. When I read "MS Translator", it spelt it correctly first, then automatically changed it into "Ms Translator."

I was referring to the variations you gave about QAnon- is it scarier that the conspiracy theory is recognised or not?

 

[GoodTaste]

It guesses what was said, compares its guess with a database of real phrases, and looks for the best match. Try saying single words like "ship" and "sheep". If it gets them right, you're pronouncing the vowels comprehensibly. If it only gets them right when they're part of a sentence, it's using context to correct its initial guess.

That's correct. It mimics human brain trying to figure out everything based on context.

 

[GoodTaste]

Can you direct the Translator to type out a colon ":"?

I read "The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiotherapy services in England, UK: a population-based study", everything is okay except ": a", which becomes "are" because the translator is not directed or doesn't know how to offer it.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiotherapy services in England, UK are population-based study (Source: The Lancet)

If I only read "a population-based study", the translator would get it correctly. But in the headline, it failed.

 

[jutfrank]

I assume the software was designed to translate speech (spoken language, not written).

 

[GoesStation]

Google's text transcriber recognizes a number of punctuation marks. I'm not sure whether a colon is one of them. I'll test here: and sure enough, it worked.

The previous was dictated. I'm hand-typing now. Notice that Google correctly interpreted "colon" as a word the first time I said it and a punctuation mark the second time.

 

[GoodTaste]

If you read the phrase "The Lancet Infectious Diseases", does the Translator get you correctly?

To me, the problem is the Lancet, which is not a problem when I read something like "Do you like the medical journal The Lancet?" But when I read the phrase, it is not stably showed. I wonder how many times do you need to get a stable "The Lancet" on your screen.

The Lancet Infectious Diseases
In this issue, we are honoured to publish the profile of Rani Bang, a key figure to research and promote women's reproductive health

 

[GoodTaste]

How to pronounce "POTUS's "?

Context: Housing and food insecurity are growing and more small businesses are closing their doors. POTUS’s plan will deliver direct relief to Americans and help us #BuildBackBetter than ever before. (The Democrats tweeted)

 

[emsr2d2]

How [STRIKE]to[/STRIKE] should I pronounce "POTUS's"?

I am absolutely certain you have been on the forum long enough to know that we don't start a question with "How to".

 

[GoodTaste]

Oxford University professor Richard Dawkins.

 

[emsr2d2]

Oxford University professor Richard Dawkins.

I have no idea what this post refers to.

 

[GoesStation]

In American English, poh-dusses.

 

[GoodTaste]

In American English, poh-dusses.

Could Microsoft Translator recognize you correctly when you read poh-dusses in a proper context?

POTUS’s plan will deliver direct relief to Americans

POTUS - Presidents of the United States

On This Date In POTUS History 1796 Washington's nominee to the Supreme Court, Samuel Chase, confirmed by the Senate.

 

[GoesStation]

Could Microsoft Translator recognize you correctly when you read poh-dusses in a proper context?

POTUS’s plan will deliver direct relief to Americans

POTUS - Presidents of the United States

On This Date In POTUS History 1796 Washington's nominee to the Supreme Court, Samuel Chase, confirmed by the Senate.

The question isn't worth pursuing. Speech recognition is an extremely challenging technology that works amazingly well in major languages. It gets a lot of things wrong but can usually produce understandable texts. There's little to be gained by focusing on errors in specific words.

 

[emsr2d2]

I think 6 pages is enough. We're all now aware of the limitations of speech recognition software. It's a matter of trial and error by both the speaker and the software.

Thread closed.