📻 Have you ever used an instant translation app? Jen and Neil discuss smartphone translation technology, while you improve your English vocabulary knowledge AND practise your English listening with this archive episode of 6 Minute English. Do translation apps help you improve your English? Tell us in the comments 👇👇👇
Useful vocabulary:
✔️ app - a piece of software with a specific purpose that you can add to your smartphone
✔️ smartphone - a mobile phone which is also a small computer
✔️ in real time - instantly
✔️ server - a central computer which gives information to other computers
✔️ hot on the heels (of something) - very soon after (something)
Image: Getty
English Rewind is a collection of programmes from the BBC Learning English archive. This episode of 6 Minute English was first published on the BBC Learning English website in October 2012.
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Hello, Catherine here
from BBC Learning English. Just so you know, this programme is from
the BBC Learning English archive. It was originally broadcast
in October 2012 on our website. We hope you enjoy it. This is 6 Minute English
from BBC Learning English dot com. Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English
from BBC Learning English, the programme in which we talk about
a story in the news and learn some vocabulary
while we're doing it. I'm Neil and joining me today is Jen. — Hi there, Jen.
— Hi, Nei
l. Now, this sounds like every
struggling language student's dream. A piece of technology which could
put an end to hours and hours of study. It sounds like
something from science fiction. A machine which allows you to speak
any language in the world, instantly. OK, well, not quite,
but we are talking about an app, a piece of software common on smartphones,
developed in Japan. This app allows you to have conversations
with another person, speaking in a different language,
translated in real time
, in other words, instantly. This could put us out of a job, Neil! Now, come on, it must be time
for a language-related quiz. Yes, that's exactly what we will do now. I want to know how many languages
there are in the world. Is it a) about 100? b) about 1,000?
Or c) about 6,000? Well, I think there are a lot, but maybe
not 6,000, so I'll go for b) about 1,000. OK, well, we will find out, as ever,
at the end of the programme. Back now to our app. Now, this, of course, isn't the only instant trans
lation
technology in the world. No, Google have something similar, though
it's less advanced than this Japanese app. Listen to the first part of a report from
the BBC's correspondent, Richard Taylor. How does the Google technology work? You simply talk into your smartphone. That's then sent to the server
from Google, which does real-time voice recognition
and then machine translation on it and then that data
is sent back to your phone, either as a script, or if you pay a little
bit extra, in ter
ms of data charges, as a voice file. He says when you talk into
your smartphone, it's sent to the server, a central computer which other computers
get their information from. The server does real-time translation
and then sends back a text or voice file. So you read the translation
or, if you pay a little bit more, listen to a translation
sent as an audio recording. — Amazing stuff!
— Indeed. But this new app in Japan,
developed by the company NTT Docomo, — goes even further.
— That's right. Wit
h this technology,
you can have an actual conversation with someone
on the other side of the world, speaking a different language to the one
which is coming out of your mouth. Incredible! Now, listen to the second part of
the report from the BBC's Richard Taylor. But they've actually taken the concept
and applied it to normal voice calls. So, you're making a phone call to somebody
from Japan, in Japanese, the other side of the world,
for example, in Britain, it will take that Japanese voice, do
the real-time machine translation
on the server, couple of seconds later, it will bring it back down to you
in English, or at least that's the idea. So the difference is that this app allows
people to speak to foreigners in real time with a slight pause while
the real-time translation takes place. So which languages does it convert? At the moment, Japanese to English,
Mandarin and Korean, but more are to follow. I suppose the big question
is how accurate is the translation? Yes, that is the big
question. The BBC's Richard Taylor tried it out
with the help of a Japanese translator. What did he ask and how good
does the translator think the app is? Hello, how are you? Are there any good restaurants
around here? How well did that do as a translation,
first of all? Well, it's understandable,
but it's not perfect. The reporter asked
if there is a good restaurant nearby. And the Japanese translator says the app
was understandable, but not perfect. Is this technology
going to sweep the world,
I wonder? Well, there are some other companies hot on the heels of the Japanese company,
NTT Docomo. For example, France's Alcatel-Lucent
is developing a rival product which will operate on landlines. And Microsoft is working on something
it's calling the Translating Telephone. Now, the question I want to ask you, Jen, is do you think this will put an end
to language learning forever? Well, I hope not! I think these types of technologies
are always helpful, but nothing will ever replace
learnin
g a language. Now, I know I'm biased, but speaking a foreign language
is one of life's great pleasures. And I agree with you, but, of course,
I would, because it's my job. Before we go, Neil, aren't you going to
give the answer to the quiz? OK, yes. I wanted to know how many languages
there are in the world. Is it a) about 100? b) about 1,000?
Or c) about 6,000? And I said b) about 1,000. And you are wrong. I know you speak about 1,000 languages,
Jen, but the answer is about 6,000. Wow! Now time
for a recap of some of the words
we heard in today's programme. They are: app, smartphone, in real time, server, hot on the heels. Join us again soon for more 6 Minute
English from BBC Learning English dot com. And don't forget to find us
on Facebook and Twitter. — Bye for now.
— Bye. That was 6 Minute English
from BBC Learning English dot com.
Comments
Now this is an interesting topic, technology! If you could create any kind of app to help you with something, what would you create? 🤔Be creative and let us know in the comments!✏😁
BBC'S the best channel for learning vocabularies in English and improve your spoken English skills
Thank you for giving this opportunity to BBC 🎉
That is interesting to have an app which translates in real time . However, I believe learning language in natural way is much more helpful in order to improve your memory , also to introduce with the culture , mentality and so on . I love the topics of BBC’s
Thank you BBC. Gretings from Mexico.
I love this website, BBC, and I hope I can understand whatever they speak one day
I have been studing English and this chanell help me training my ears
I am new . But I am understanding whatever I hear. Thank you 6:37 P. M.
I just love your podcast ❤️ 😍 damn good.
So fine learning thanks bbc english
Thanks a lot BBC learning English. I'm into studying English on your channel.❤
I love BBS learning english 🎉❤
❤Great Program❤ from ❤Great Channel❤
Thx a lot for perfect videos❤❤
I love BBC learning English!
Thank y'all for this podcast. I glad to know that my vocabulary is enough for understanding you. But I want to underline the word which you left without attention. This is sweep in the phrase sweep the world. I guess lot's of people know a meaning "to clean something with brush" only. But anyway it is very useful podcast. Thank you very much
❤ Thanks a lot. It is like a time mashine, to drop into more than ten years ago and know ideas about development of the technology.
When I'll speak just like you? Beautiful language
If I had created a brand-new app, I would have created something interactivly international and beneficial with the easiest instructions to users for improving our imagination and reaching wishing goals. Probably some data in educational formats or something against procrastination like the 5 seconds rule.
Thanks