1 min read
03/11/2009
If Urdu/English machine translation combination is accurate up to 85%, what is stopping the development into other, more common pairs? In our opinion, it is not just "the service", online or otherwise, but the "application".
New startups like Tradukka may mimic the way Google Translator works, better or worse, and claim to be faster. As it was discussed and learnt during the recent TAUS Summit in Portland, what we need is ways of integrating machine-translation into existing workflows, from TMS to community/crowdsourcing projects.
Whilst these efforts are admirable, language output also requires integration with current CAT systems in order to leverage as much legacy as possible. And that is what we do a PangeaMT - integrate statistical machine-translation in an open source TMX format to leverage both.
Quoting the article from The Nation
"ISLAMABAD (APP) - ‘English is no more a barrier to learn and use computer’ as National Language Authority (NLA) has introduced the first-ever Urdu computer software for the users. The software was developed by Center of Excellence for Urdu Informatics of NLA with the help of Microsoft mainly to preserve Urdu language. Through this system, one can follow the instructions of computer in Urdu language and work in Microsoft Windows. A single keyboard and font will be usable for Urdu as well as other Pakistani languages. NLA’s efforts to make Urdu language a part of the computer, internet and informatics, like other world languages, will definitely serve the country and future generations, said Chairman National Language Authority (NLA) Iftikhar Arif in an interview with the agency. The future of Urdu language is linked with the modern technology of computer and Internet. Languages can only be survived if they adopt changes according to the latest developments and modern trends, he remarked. It is not an achievement but an effort to further maintain the status of Urdu as national language, he said. Besides, "Machine Translation software" (MTs) has also been developed to perform the automatic translation from English to Urdu which is a step towards availing all the information in Urdu. The software has stored Urdu Lughat (Dictionary) which help translate the material from English to Urdu language ensuring correct translation upto 85 percent, he said. "
