Ask a Question

(Create a thread)
Go Back   Spanish language learning forums > Teaching & Learning > Teaching and Learning Techniques


Would anyone Recommend Online Translators to Assist in Learning?

 

Teaching methodology, learning techniques, linguistics-- any of the various aspect of learning or teaching a foreign language.


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old July 14, 2012, 10:15 PM
El Gato El Gato is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 27
Native Language: US English
El Gato is on a distinguished road
Would anyone Recommend Online Translators to Assist in Learning?

Would anyone recommend online translators for learning new phrases or do they not get the word order right?

If so are there any in particular that are especially good?
Reply With Quote
   
Get rid of these ads by registering for a free Tomísimo account.
  #2  
Old July 14, 2012, 11:09 PM
AngelicaDeAlquezar's Avatar
AngelicaDeAlquezar AngelicaDeAlquezar is online now
Obsidiana
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Mexico City
Posts: 9,038
Native Language: Mexican Spanish
AngelicaDeAlquezar is on a distinguished road
Noway. They work for very simple structures/meanings, and very few idioms, but their sentences normally turn out wrongly. Sometimes they help to understand the general idea expressed in another language into your own, but they often make it even more confusing or downright wrong.

In my opinion, translating is a wrong strategy for acquiring a language. There are many structures or words that can have many different meanings, and intentions that can be expressed in many different ways. That richness of a language can never be given by a translator, and hardly by a dictionary if you are a beginner.

A combination of a bilingual dictionary and a Spanish-spanish one might help, despite it's being rather effortful, but it's not likely to help in teaching you any grammar or syntax rules. ;(
__________________
Ain't it wonderful to be alive when the Rock'n'Roll plays...
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old July 14, 2012, 11:27 PM
chileno's Avatar
chileno chileno is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Posts: 7,863
Native Language: Castellano
chileno is on a distinguished road
Actually, an online translator is useful if you use it as a dictionary instead. I know it is tempting to write a whole phrase/paragraph etc.

The good thing about this, is that most electronic translators/dictionaries come with a way to hear the pronunciation.



I didn't have that feature with a paper dictionary back when I started to learn English and no electronic translator was easily available at that time.

Last edited by chileno; July 15, 2012 at 08:50 AM. Reason: added "it" and deleted "is that they "
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old July 15, 2012, 12:56 AM
Rusty's Avatar
Rusty Rusty is online now
Señor Speedy
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: USA
Posts: 11,299
Native Language: American English
Rusty has a spectacular aura aboutRusty has a spectacular aura about
I agree with AdA. Stay away from the online translators. They will often fail you.

I'm surprised chileno didn't tell you his strategy for learning. It's written elsewhere, but basically he suggests getting a novel written in Spanish (it may be a translation of an English novel you've already read), transcribing it and then translating it into English.

You'll be using online dictionaries and other tools to get the job done, but it'll help you learn how Spanish works (grammar/syntax intact and correct).

In order to learn how to understand the spoken language, you'll need to watch movies/clips and television. Listen to the radio.
To become conversant, you'll need to open your mouth and speak. Befriend native speakers.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old July 15, 2012, 01:52 PM
pjt33's Avatar
pjt33 pjt33 is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Valencia, España
Posts: 2,600
Native Language: Inglés (en-gb)
pjt33 is on a distinguished road
I did come across a "phrase translator" a few weeks ago which works by finding bilingual websites and displaying the English and Spanish versions of the text. So you can search for an English phrase and it will show you examples of the phrase in context in both languages, highlighting the Spanish words which it thinks correspond. That could be a useful tool, provided the translations it finds are reasonably competent. And since it shows a few dozen matches you can assess how confident you are that a phrase is a good fit.

It's certainly not perfect, as a simple example will show: http://www.linguee.com/english-spani...n+the+way+here

Last edited by pjt33; July 15, 2012 at 01:57 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old July 15, 2012, 04:45 PM
chileno's Avatar
chileno chileno is offline
Diamond
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Las Vegas, USA
Posts: 7,863
Native Language: Castellano
chileno is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by pjt33 View Post
I did come across a "phrase translator" a few weeks ago which works by finding bilingual websites and displaying the English and Spanish versions of the text. So you can search for an English phrase and it will show you examples of the phrase in context in both languages, highlighting the Spanish words which it thinks correspond. That could be a useful tool, provided the translations it finds are reasonably competent. And since it shows a few dozen matches you can assess how confident you are that a phrase is a good fit.

It's certainly not perfect, as a simple example will show: http://www.linguee.com/english-spani...n+the+way+here

This is where I say no. Simply because we have to allow our mind to do the work of the translation. In this case you see several translations and still have to choose from something is still faulty.

By using one or several dictionaries, you do the work in your mind and still arrive at the same possible faulty translation, but the whole work was done inside you and not outside.

You can watch thousands of people exercising but that is not going to make you any bulkier.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old July 17, 2012, 10:46 AM
Raindog Raindog is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 6
Raindog is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by El Gato View Post
Would anyone recommend online translators for learning new phrases or do they not get the word order right?

If so are there any in particular that are especially good?
What I use when reading online material in Spanish is the WordReference add on for Firefox. If I come across an unfamiliar word I just highlight it and WordReference gives the translation.

Last edited by AngelicaDeAlquezar; July 17, 2012 at 04:28 PM. Reason: Removed link
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old July 24, 2012, 04:05 PM
bryanilee bryanilee is offline
Opal
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 1
bryanilee is on a distinguished road
Yes, I'm also surprised at how bad the online translators seem to be. Especially since one has a Google name on it. I suspect no one is working too seriously on them.

One thing you can try is to do is use the translator to come up with a probably-faulty phrase. Then Google that phrase, and sometimes if it's not uncommon you can actually find a correct version of what the phrase should be on sites that are using that language natively. It's kind of painstaking though.
Reply With Quote
Reply

 

Link to this thread
URL: 
HTML Link: 
BB Code: 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Site Rules

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Anyone recommend any total immersion residentials suitable for beginners? Eddie Jones General Chat 4 April 05, 2012 08:50 AM
Electronic translators HAOLE BOY Teaching and Learning Techniques 9 November 15, 2006 10:44 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 02:39 PM.

Forum powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.

X