But they aren't reliable when it comes to translating phrases. Why? Because they do not look at the context. They don't know idioms, and they often fail to notice when two words should be combined together to create an entirely different meaning. It's crucial to understand that although you shouldn't rule out an online translator entirely, it should be used with caution as it can cause serious repercussions that can cost you more in the long run.
An awareness of the disadvantages posed by using an online translator can help you to prevent any issues arising with the quality of your translations. First of all, an online translator is unable to pick up on the nuances of human speech in the same way a person can. Complicated turns of phrase, word play, metaphors - these are just a few linguistic complexities that can easily trick a machine into providing false translations.
Secondly, because it tends toward the literal, an online translator often delivers convoluted results, spitting out phrases that no human being would ever actually say or sentences that are practically gibberish. Because of this, an online translator has the potential to hamper understanding and lead to confusion.
In a case such as in the translation of safety manuals or medical materials, there is really no room for error. A poorly translated manual can have dangerous implications, especially with regards to safety. In the worst case, you could end up with an end-user who gets hurt and potentially files a lawsuit. Or at the very least, and no more ideal, your agency could face losing a client, and being pinned with a bad reputation.
While an online translator has its purposes - many of them aimed at just getting the general meaning out of a block of text - a human translator is more reliable. Human translators simply have a better knowledge of how a phrase or sentence should realistically be expressed. They can take a complex phrase or idiom and make it understandable in another language - which an automatic translation is unlikely to do. At the end of the day, that human touch can make all the difference in deterring the dangers sometimes accrued by an online translator.
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