In most instances, people translate text using human translators. However, the industry has switched to machine translation software (MT software) because of the increased demand for translation services.
The translation option is done using the artificial intelligence-based tool. The automated translation of a text is done between multiple languages. Initially, machine translation software had a low accuracy score; however, this option has significantly improved after technological improvements. The software is now doing a pretty accurate job.
Further, the software is integrated into the computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools. Businesses with international projects can now use machine translation software to localize their web page and translate contractual and collateral documents necessary for successful international business relationships.
This article will tell you how machine translation is transforming businesses and the best machine translations solutions in the market.
How Machine Translation Has Evolved
Rules-Based Machine Translation
Machine translation was not what translators and companies expected when it was launched. The initial version received in the 1970s used rules-based machine translation (RBMT). The technology translated used a set of grammatical rules and relevant language pair dictionary to translate text word-for-word. The outcome was stilted translations that were not readable or usable.
People dismissed machine translation because of its poor accuracy. The human translator dismissed the machine translation.
Statistical Machine Translation
With the evolution of technology, developers began shedding the negative image of machine translation. This led to statistical machine translation (SMT), which translated text using bilingual text corpora and applied prediction algorithms to come up with the best way to translate the text in every situation.
Although SMT was superior to RBMT, its accuracy was still below the industry expectation. Thus developers continued to use technology to improve it.
Neural Machine Translation
Neural machine translation (NMT) produces high-quality translations using sophisticated language translation algorithms. Its translations are more accurate and natural than those produced through RMBT and SMT technologies.
NMT has been developed to the point that critics of machine translation have been silenced. The use of advanced machine translation tools has made it possible to translate text into PowerPoint slides and images.
Reasons Why You Should Use Machine Translation Software
Since machine translation has received huge acceptance in the market, your business can start using this option. International businesses need consistently accurate translations done using efficient methods. Indeed professional translators have also adopted automated translation technology to accelerate and streamline their translation process.
The following are the benefits of the machine translation software to your business:
- Easy to Use
Users find it easy to use machine translation software because even those without a tech background can operate it like a pro. You simply need to copy and paste your text from the source to the machine. Next, set the target language, and then your document is translated in real-time.
2. Faster
Human translators take several hours or days to complete translating a document based on the volume of text to be translated. On the other hand, machine translation software translates volumes of documents in seconds irrespective of the text that should be translated.
3. Reliable
The translation accuracy of different machine translation software varies. However, the translated document is reliable because expert translators and native speakers vet the software before it’s released on the market.
4. Seamless Operation
Most translation software integrates well with other tools or platforms, thus smooth translation workflows. There is no copying and pasting text between software and platform, thus a seamless operation even between integrated tools.
5. Great Value for Money
Investing in machine translation software is less costly compared to hiring professional translators. This is particularly so when working on documents that are needed within a short time or on uncommon language pairs.
Top 5 Machine Translation Software Options
There is no single machine translation software in the market that perfectly meets all users’ needs. In fact, all translation software has its own pros and cons. In other words, one software may meet target language translation objectives but fail in another. The same may apply when it comes to content formats, translation quality, and much more.
Machine translation software can’t completely eliminate human translators. Actually, you need them to check translated documents because there is no single software that is perfect for this work. However, human translators can fine-tune the work in order to meet the expectations.
The following are some of the best machine translation software options for 2022 and beyond.
Amazon Translate
Amazon is one of the leading eCommerce marketplaces. The brand provides machine translation using its amazon Translate tool. The brand created the NMT service to provide affordable prices and has been enhancing its datasets in order to deliver high-quality translations despite the source text length. Further, the Active Custom Translation feature for Amazon Translate permits users to import their translation data and customize them based on their preferences.
Bing Microsoft Translator
The machine translation software is founded on Microsoft’s proprietary machine translation system that depends on the latest NMT technology. Microsoft focuses its research efforts on providing smarter machine translations matching the natural language use, just like other machine translation software developers. The tool uses an attention algorithm to study the order and provide more accurate translation results.
DeepL Translator
Linguee GmbH, a German business, developed this NMT service, currently known as DeepL GmbH in 2017. The company uses deep learning to develop machine translation technology. It does extensive studies on reliable linguistic sources when learning the best translation options.
The use of AI has enabled DeepL Translator to deliver more precise ad nuanced translations than its competitors. In fact, this machine translation software has kept its promise of being “the world’s most accurate translator.”
Google Translate
This is a popular machine translation software that Google launched in 2006. Initial Google Translate used SMT to generate word-for-word translations. Later Google abandoned SMT and switched to NMT because it guarantees more accurate results and enhanced translation quality. Google’s proprietary machine translation technology, Dubbed Google Neural Machine Translation (GNMT), applies recurrent neural networks when translating an entire sentence and tries to retain its context as much as possible.
SYSTRAN Translate
The machine translation software was founded in 1968; thus, it has a long, rich history. SYSTRAN Translate is the first-ever business to provide commercial machine translation services. It updates its machine translation software with cutting-edge technologies and features. In fact, the company’s latest pure neural machine translation (PNMT) engine molds the entire machine translation process using an artificial neural network in order to provide highly accurate translations.
Conclusion
Businesses use machine translation software with advanced features to fulfill their translation needs. There’s no one-size-fits-all machine translation service. Therefore you have to shop around and test different translation tools to see whether they meet the specific business needs before you make a financial commitment.
While MT tools are fast, reliable, easy to use, offers seamless operation, and much more, the software can’t completely replace human translators. In other words, you need professional translators to review translated scripts and fine-tune them in order to ensure they’re fit for purpose.
The 5 mentioned MT software are among the best in the industry. You can share your experience using any of them or any other machine translation software in the market.
