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Can teachers REALLY tell when you've used Google translate?

Reply 60

Dusty12

13

Original post by xmarilynx

Unfortunately I wasn't there, the teacher just told us about it as a warning not to use online translators! :p:

I imagine the reaction was priceless though :giggle:

Would've been hilarious. :lol:

Don't worry about it, OP. Since you say you've already handed it in, there's nothing you can do anyway. She might notice, she might not. I'm betting on the latter. Even if she does, I'm sure you're not the first one to do it.

Reply 61

Dude Where's My Username

15

You actually handed in work that was 100% translated by Google? :lolwut:

Enjoy your -F

Reply 62

hannah_dru

2

I really don't see point in using them. They're crap. They sound nothing like native level and it's very obvious to anyone with a high level of knowledge of the language when you've used one, or at least it should be obvious. If you can't be bothered with your essay then there's not really any point in doing languages is there? It's not exactly demonstrating what you can do yourself.

Reply 63

Linguist-Z

Google Translate is ridiculous... Seriously if you're learning a language at GCSE you shouldn't be using it - it's just for lazy students who don't pay attention in class.

Granted Google Translate has improved - someone uses it in my French class and he manages to get As - it just shows how over 4-5 years of French lessons have been for nothing, which is a shame really as you should know more French than you did as a Y7. :tongue:

Think of it this way: You use Google Translate for your oral exams, so you don't revise the vocab from your books... and then what happens in the actual GCSE exam? I don't think you'll have Google Translate then... :wink:

Reply 64

_Shanice_

15

Original post by Bslforever

...

I'm loving the L4D reference in your sig!! :biggrin:

OP, judging by what everyone has said, yes they can tell lol. When I was doing my GCSEs everyone used online translators, including myself, and the teachers always said they could tell and I'm pretty sure I got better marks for work I'd written using a French to English dictionary than work I did using a translator.

Reply 65

screenager2004

14

Original post by QuantumOverlord

Google translator is RUBBISH

http://www.conveythis.com/translation.php

This translates english into a language and back to english 56 times! See what comes out the other end. I think It translated "This is Sparta" into "The industrial state does poodle"

"Welcome to The Student Room."

...56 translations later we get:

"Student Loans.

Reply 66

69Crazyfists

13

Original post by LoveIsInTheAir.

Ok, so I used Google translate cos I couldn't be bothered with my French essay. Today my French teacher said that she can really easily tell when someone has used text translation - is this true??

Yes, for the reasons which have already been explained.

If you're clever, you'll learn all the necessary grammar structures and just use WordReference.com

Reply 67

MeanMachine

15

just translate the french essay you translated back into english and see if it makes sense? :colone:

Reply 68

innerhollow

18

Original post by Simplicity

This thread is funny.

Translators are good. If you use a translator, then correct the obvious mistakes then it's not bad.

A maths analogy. If I put a arithmetic calculation in a calculator and not know bodmas I will get something stupid. Like if I put 4/3-1, then might get wrong anwser. Same is with a translator. But, if you correct the anwser you get, then you get a pretty good translation.

Saying, that in a few years technology will make translators and people who can speak multiple languages redundant.

If that ever happens the redundancy of learning multiple languages would be a very minor issue (and wouldn't happen for several years from thereon as technology, once developed, takes time to become accessible). Language has such a strong human element to it, that creating a computer which could master a language would essentially mean you'd created something which had some of the capacities of the human brain.

That doesn't prove translation sites are crap. Again, if I use a calculator wrongly I will get the wrong anwser, doesn't prove calculators are crap. Also, doing 1 translation isn't doing ten in different languages.

I used translators to read pages in French. Most of it is okay. Unless you are some sort of grammar nazi.

Nah French teachers don't care about your grammar at all

(... :lolwut:

)

Reply 69

Lizia

2

Original post by Simplicity

Saying, that in a few years technology will make translators and people who can speak multiple languages redundant.

This just proves what an idiot you are. We are light years away from having translators that can write a language anywhere close to fluency, nevermind produce a simultaneous interpretation for conversation or conference.

Sure, we have managed to make technology do science and maths for us, but languages aren't just a case of logic, and "this thing, and this thing cause this result", context, idiom and tone are things that can't be artificially reproduced to anywhere near the standard you seem to think. You might as well say that in a few years, talking in general will be redundant, which is moronic.

You're essentially saying that in a few years, we'll have replaced humanity with robots.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 70

wes

10

Generally it's easier to translate the text yourself than to correct all the mistakes that Google has made.

Reply 71

Ellastar

1

Original post by Hudzy

It depends how good you are at French. I used to use google translate sometimes and then read through it to check word order, tenses etc. to make sure it was all correct. Though I suppose on the other hand if you were bad at French (and your teacher was aware of this) then incorrect grammar wouldn't be out of place.

I used to do this too! Translate it then change it so it sounds more natural. I don't see how they know the difference between Google badly translating it and you badly translating it, though.

Reply 72

Ellastar

1

Original post by innerhollow

Apparently my course choice's name translates poorly-

ORIGINAL: "I am planning to study Chemical Engineering at University, due to my ability and passion for Maths and Science subjects"

CONVEYTHIS: "I know that the thought of Mathematical physics and chemistry of the week"

:lolwut:

When people use Google translate, they don't translate it 50 times into 50 different languages though.

I translated "El ritmo de la recuperación económica mundial se ha visto frenado desde principios de año, de forma más importante que lo previsto." and Google said that "the pace of global economic recovery has slowed since early this year, more considerably than expected".

I think that's a pretty good translation and it wouldn't look wrong in an essay. I presume it works similarly the other way.

Reply 73

senator88

14

I used it all the time during spanish GCSE, don't know how I would have passed without it to be honest...

Reply 74

innerhollow

18

Original post by Ellastar

When people use Google translate, they don't translate it 50 times into 50 different languages though.

I translated "El ritmo de la recuperación económica mundial se ha visto frenado desde principios de año, de forma más importante que lo previsto." and Google said that "the pace of global economic recovery has slowed since early this year, more considerably than expected".

I think that's a pretty good translation and it wouldn't look wrong in an essay. I presume it works similarly the other way.

Sorry I didn't actually mean to neg you there, I was trying to press quote- blame my small phone screen!

I know that ConveyThis is really exaggerated, but it's just a bit of humour.

However, mistakes do arise in single translations (See HobNob's posts), so really it's just not a good idea to run such huge chunks of text through a translator when you're being marked on accuracy.

Reply 75

Ellastar

1

Original post by innerhollow

Sorry I didn't actually mean to neg you there, I was trying to press quote- blame my small phone screen!

I know that ConveyThis is really exaggerated, but it's just a bit of humour.

However, mistakes do arise in single translations (See HobNob's posts), so really it's just not a good idea to run such huge chunks of text through a translator when you're being marked on accuracy.

It's alright.

I know, I love it (I believe it can see the future...)

They do arise, yeah, but it's not the most evil thing in the world like people say it is.

Reply 76

barrze

15

Ha I once did a whole french essay and translated it. I got a really good mark for it, even though there were some ridiculous mistakes, like I'd mispelt a word in english so it was stillt here as an english typo.

Reply 77

areyousure?

13

I tutor english and sometimes my students decide to use a word translator for their essay and its really obvious when they have because most of the time it does not say what the students want it to mean and in other cases it may be wrong!

I always avoided using translators when I did languages

Reply 78

ElMoro

18

"I really want to do computer science, law or aeronautical engineering at university."
Turns into:
"For example, information technology law, and Hong Kong, Chiang Mai University, such as Fizz."

Need I say any more?

Reply 79

hobnob

14

Original post by Ellastar

They do arise, yeah, but it's not the most evil thing in the world like people say it is.

I don't think anyone's seriously trying to claim translators are evil per se. They have their uses, and sometimes they do produce adequate results, but using them because you're too lazy to do your homework still isn't a terribly good idea, because that's a context in which you normally want to make sure the translation is accurate, and with a translator there's always a risk of ending up with a flawed translation which is actually worse than what you could have produced yourself. Of course you can go over the translation afterwards and fix all the things which are slightly wrong, but as has already been pointed out, if you're going to do that, you might as well just do the translation yourself... :dontknow:

Can teachers REALLY tell when you've used Google translate?

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