Have you ever wanted to communicate with foreign language speakers or encountered interesting web pages that you’d like to visit but were reluctant to do so because you felt your language skills were inadequate? Transparent Language’s Easy Translator can help. It lets you translate web pages, email, memos, short reports, and other documents using software programs you already have on your computer, such as Notepad or your favorite word processor. It also supports several web browsers, such as Netscape, Internet Explorer 3.0, NCSA Mosaic 2.0, and Spyglas Mosaic.
While Easy Translator comes on a CD‐ROM, the program installs all the necessary files to the hard disk; so operation of the program does not require the CD in the drive. The program itself requires about 3 MB of disk space and an additional 3.5‐4 MB for each language dictionary installed. The installation program offers the option to choose an English, French, German, or Spanish interface. It also lets you choose the source and target language modules to install. Selecting an English language interface, the program group will contain icons for English grammar basics in each of the foreign languages selected as well as the basics of the corresponding languages in English. You can then translate to or from any of the other three languages.
Easy Translator consists of a very simple tool bar that lets you select the dictionary to use (only the options you installed for the source and target languages will appear here) and whether you want to translate a web page or a document saved to the Clipboard. As most programs, like Internet browsers, email readers, word processors, and presentation software let you move or copy text to the Clipboard, it’s easy to get material to translate.
After copying text to the Clipboard, you invoke Easy Translator and select the output language. The program immediately begins translating the text on the Clipboard and replaces it with the translation. You can then paste the translated text from the Clipboard into the same document, another document, or a window in another program.
Another option lets you translate pages that you view in your web browser. In this case, Easy Translator should retain the format, pictures, and links of the original web page and display the translation in the web browser. However, we could not get this option to work. The program never began to translate the web page; so we had to use the Clipboard option.
Easy Translator doesn’t just substitute words as an elementary translator might do. It breaks down complex sentence structures, identifies parts of speech, and synthesizes the information into the components and structure of the target language. We expected to encounter problems with idioms; but we were astounded at how well it performed and how it tried to render the translation in proper syntax. Translations from English produced better results than the inverse, however.
Computers can’t always produce perfect translations. Sometimes the translations are awkward or even humorous. Like a language student, the program will search the dictionary and may have to “guess” at which word to choose. For example, the Louvre web page speaks about the Marly and Puget courtyards; but, as the plural word “cours” has no distinction of gender, Easy Translator selected the word “courses”. A bit further in the same paragraph, however, it selected the correct word for the Khorsabad courtyard because the feminine article distinguished it from the masculine noun for a course.
The classic error encountered in other translation programs did not occur with Easy Translator. When converting “the spirit is willing; but the flesh is weak,” some programs render it as “good wine; rotten meat.” Easy Translator provided a good rendition.
The producers of the software estimate that users can expect 60‐70 percent accuracy, depending on the complexity of the document being translated. When Easy Translator does not recognize a word, it leaves the original word in the translation, much as a person might mix words in various languages when the proper word does not come to mind immediately. It would be nice to have a feature to add words to the dictionary or to be able to teach Easy Translator as it operates. Transparent Language does sell products that let you create your own dictionaries that can then be used with Easy Translator.
Because computers don’t always produce perfect translations, you may want to include both the original text and the translation in the document to help the reader understand any awkward sentences. The translation will usually provide the gist of the text; but it’s always good to have the original as a reference. After translating portions of this review into French, we encountered some ambiguities. Referring back to the English, we discovered grammatical errors.
Easy Translator includes Grammar Basics of the four languages to explain the grammatical concepts and terminology you may encounter while working with the program. You can use this file to learn how nouns, adjectives, verbs, and other parts of speech function in the language you’re working with. This knowledge can be handy when you review the translations.
Grammar Basics lets you “point and click” on any grammar topic to display it instantly. Many grammar topics also contain “hot spots” that give you immediate access to related topics and definitions. Clicking on an underlined word or phrase displays the appropriate grammar topic. The online help feature operates the same way and serves as the program’s only documentation. It is quite thorough and easy to use. The package also contains URLs for foreign language web sites to get started. Transparent Language’s web site offers other suggestions.
Easy Translator does not produce perfect translations by any means and cannot be relied upon for important or sensitive work, like business transactions or diplomatic communications. However, it performed better than our expectations. It will encounter some problems with idioms, as can be expected; but it does better than its competitors. It performs best with simple, non‐specialized text and will convey the gist of the passages if not a perfect translation.
Language students might find Easy Translator helpful for their assignments; but they would need to check its accuracy. Easy Translator is most helpful for people who have little skill in a foreign language or who have forgotten much of what they learned and still desire to communicate.
