[Tdol's Blog] Blind Lunatic

[Tdol]

Blind Lunatic



The software developed during the Cold War to translate English to and from Russian is said to have turned the English phrase our of sight, out of mind into blind lunatic in Russian. The software is, however, used today in...

Click here to read the full article

[BobK]

The example of a translation like 'blind lunatic' that I've heard is 'the vodka is strong but the meat is raw' - the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. But any translation software I've ever been involved with requires (a varying amount of ) post-editing - so I don't see how a real-time device could work. I'm not holding my breath

b

[Tdol]

I'm not expecting them to do what the makers say, but I think they could be useful in certain circumstances, like tourism where single word translation may be enough. I also have read that the EU parliament uses the software and likes it, though it takes a bit of getting used to. I didn't know the 'vodka' example, but will dine off its raw meat in class.