Translation is a super-growth industry. Data from the US Department of Labour shows a 100 percent increase in the number of people employed in the translation industry over the past seven years, and 24 percent more translation companies.
And wherever you find growth, you inevitably find Google in the middle of it. Last week on a conference call, Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that Google Translate translates a staggering 143 billion words every day — for free.
But free comes with a price — and in the case of Google Translate, that price is inaccuracy.
Yes, you can get the gist of something with Google Translate, which is why it’s great for regular folks. But businesses that need quality translation should be steering clear of the Googs.
To demonstrate this, we thought we’d have a bit of fun with Google Translate. If we took famous song lyrics, translated them through Google into a different language and then translated that result back into English, what would we get?
Let’s see…
Filipino
Didn’t I make you feel like you were the only man?
Didn’t I give you nearly everything that a woman possibly can?
Hindi ba ginawa ko sa tingin mo na ikaw lang ang tao?
Hindi ko ba ibinigay sa iyo ang halos lahat ng bagay na maaari ng isang babae?
Do not you think you’re the only person?
Did not I give you almost everything a woman can do?
Turkish
When the truth is found
To be lies
And all the joy
Within you dies
Don’t you want somebody to love
Don’t you need somebody to love
Gerçek bulunduğunda
Yalan olmak
Ve tüm sevinç
İçinde ölür
Birinin seni sevmesini istemiyorsun
Sevecek birine ihtiyacın yok
When it is real
Lie
And all the joy
It will die inside
You do not want someone to love you
You do not need anybody to love
Latvian
I am the eggman.
We are the eggmen.
I am the Walrus.
Es esmu olu saimnieks.
Mēs esam ērģeles.
ES esmu valzirgs.
I am the owner of eggs.
We are an organ.
The EU is a waltz.
Tamil
You gotta fight for your right to party.
நீங்கள்கட்சிக்குஉங்கள்உரிமைக்காகபோராடுகிறீர்கள்
You are fighting for your rights to the party.
Urdu
It was cold and lonely in the deep dark night.
یہگہریاندھیرےراتمیںسردیاورواحدتھی
It was dark and cold in the dark in the dark.
Sundanese
You’re the meaning in my life. You’re my inspiration.
Anjeun hartina hirup abdi. Anjeun inspirasi abdi.
You mean my life. You inspire me.
Azerbaijani
Come on baby, light my fire.
Körpə işığına çıxmağımla yanma
Do not burn with my baby’s light.
Hungarian
Oh, Pretty Woman
Ó csinos nő
Oh handsome woman.
Punjabi
With the lights out, it’s less dangerous.
Here we are now, entertain us.
I feel stupid and contagious.
Here we are now, entertain us.
ਰੋਸ਼ਨੀਦੇਨਾਲ, ਇਹਘੱਟਖ਼ਤਰਨਾਕਹੈ
ਇੱਥੇਅਸੀਂਹੁਣਹਾਂ, ਸਾਡਾਮਨੋਰੰਜਨਕਰਰਹੇਹਾਂ
ਮੈਨੂੰਬੇਵਕੂਫਅਤੇਛੂਤਕਾਰੀਲੱਗਦਾਹੈ
ਇੱਥੇਅਸੀਂਹੁਣਹਾਂ, ਸਾਡਾਮਨੋਰੰਜਨਕਰਰਹੇਹਾਂ
Along with lighting, this is less dangerous.
Here we are, we are entertaining ourselves.
I find stupid and contagious.
Here we are, we are entertaining ourselves.