Although the number of people who speak the English language is constantly growing, it is never going to be completely universal. As such, when you are travelling to a foreign country, it is useful to take precautions to allow local people to understand you and vice versa. In the past, the communication barrier was eliminated using grammar and vocabulary books, or relying on a friend who spoke the language. However, with the technological explosion in the modern era, the world has become smaller, and along with it communication has become easier and more mobile. In particular, smartphones can now download translation apps, many of them offered free of charge. The question is, are these apps as useful as they claim?
Firstly, it is important to establish why, when travelling, one should opt for a free app rather than a paid one. The simplest response to this query is that with so many free applications out there, why pay for one! Additionally, the everyday person travels for short intervals, approximately a week or two, and as such, does not require long time use of translation applications. In the case of a person relocating to a region where they do not know the language, a translation app will not suffice.
Firstly, it is important to establish why, when travelling, one should opt for a free app rather than a paid one. The simplest response to this query is that with so many free applications out there, why pay for one! Additionally, the everyday person travels for short intervals, approximately a week or two, and as such, does not require long time use of translation applications. In the case of a person relocating to a region where they do not know the language, a translation app will not suffice.
Nonetheless, let us say we have booked our trip abroad for a few weeks and are now looking for a free translation app. From browsing through the most popular options, one stands out among the rest- the Google Translate app. This application is at the forefront of its niche, providing every service an individual could possibly require of a translation application. If we look at the basics, there is the classic manual input function, where one can type the word or phrase they would like translated and see it in the language of their choice. However, if the characters are unfamiliar, or one is unsure of the pronunciation, two options are available. Either the smartphone can read out the phrase or it can spell out the phonation in English (and the traveler can begin to attempt their own mastery of the language's pronunciation!).
A flaw of most translation services is that they are usually catered to unidirectional communication. That is to say, a translation app can tell you what to say, but it cannot enlighten you about what others are trying to communicate back. Consequently, they do not facilitate dialogue so much as they create a monologue. Yet the engineers at Google seem to have tackled this dilemma by allowing for voice activated translation. With the Google Translate app, you can allow a person to speak into your phone in their language, and it will recite the statement back to you in your own language. This feature can be used anywhere from hearing the specials at a restaurant in Spain, to ordering a train ticket in China.
With the recent advances in translation technology as well as its increased mobility, the ability to communicate with others has reached unprecedented heights. Moreover, this extremely useful service is available completely free of charge, opening the world to exploration and increased interconnectedness.
A flaw of most translation services is that they are usually catered to unidirectional communication. That is to say, a translation app can tell you what to say, but it cannot enlighten you about what others are trying to communicate back. Consequently, they do not facilitate dialogue so much as they create a monologue. Yet the engineers at Google seem to have tackled this dilemma by allowing for voice activated translation. With the Google Translate app, you can allow a person to speak into your phone in their language, and it will recite the statement back to you in your own language. This feature can be used anywhere from hearing the specials at a restaurant in Spain, to ordering a train ticket in China.
With the recent advances in translation technology as well as its increased mobility, the ability to communicate with others has reached unprecedented heights. Moreover, this extremely useful service is available completely free of charge, opening the world to exploration and increased interconnectedness.
RSS Feed