Source: https://www.pexels.com/ru-ru/photo/7710141/
More and more people are turning to online translation services to make the world more accessible to them. From business communications with overseas partners to individuals learning another language, these valuable tools became crucial to many people.
In 2022, the service industry has adapted to meet clients’ needs and expectations with new features and options for businesses and individual users alike. Here are eight types of online translation services we will be using in 2022 that you might not even know exist today! We will cover different services for various purposes. Thus you understand what will meet your needs better.
Table of Contents
1) Translation by Humans
One of the most traditional ways to get work done is to hire a team that will help you to translate your documents and websites. If you are giving professional services, it’s essential to have good quality content. Unfortunately, machine translation is still not perfect, that’s why many businesses choose to have a team of translators or translation services online that have teams of translators who speak a variety of languages. Also, they may get not only native speakers translators but also proofreading services. When a company uses, for example, machine tools to translate their materials, they use such services to proofread everything after, and sometimes it may be cheaper.
2) Translator Apps
There are dozens of translator apps and browser extensions for smartphones, laptops, and tablets. These apps allow users to scan foreign text and instantly translate it into their native language using optical character recognition (OCR) technology.
As with traditional OCR, translation accuracy varies depending on factors like font type, clarity of print, etc., but there is a high likelihood that your first attempt at translation will be accurate enough to get you out of a pinch when you are out traveling abroad.
3) Audio Translation
The majority of all translations are done by people, either manually or via machine translation. Those who do not speak other languages rely on full-time or freelance translators for work. This type of service will be handy for those who need to translate something at the moment.
It is hard to imagine that translating from one language to another will ever become fully automated. The gap is too big, and translations require cultural knowledge, whether you need to translate technical documents, legal documents, or novels. If you need these materials for your business, it is better to proofread them not to make mistakes that may bring trouble.
However, listening and speaking can be automated easily, thanks to technology like voice recognition software. Therefore we can expect more translation services in 2022 as people began to rely more on virtual assistants than real-life human translators.
4) Translation by Scanning Text
Smartphones will automatically scan text by taking a picture of it and providing translations. These translation services will be as accurate as online translation services are today (because they are based on AI algorithms).
Your device will do it for you. But to get the most accurate translation, your device will still need to be connected to the internet.
For example, some software apps translate text through augmented reality technology using a phone or tablet’s camera and display screen.
5) Neural Machine Translation
This year we will likely use neural machine translation (NMT) more. It attempts to recreate how our brains translate one language into another. Instead of using rules or codebook-like systems to break down entire sentences into parts, NMT looks at a word or phrase and compares it to similar words or phrases in other languages, teaching itself how to do so.
The result? Faster translations that retain meaning more accurately than ever before. This approach will come with some trade-offs. Though it may be less accurate, that is why do not expect it to replace human translators entirely just yet.
6) Language Learning Tools
The products that are used for language learning will be far more immersive, varied, and intuitive. The overall trend toward gamification of language training will increase tenfold, with new tools allowing users to learn through controlled yet-entertaining environments.
There will also be more integration with other media (think Mavis Beacon’s nontraditional approach to teaching typing). Language learning tools will not simply be a matter of finding single words or sentences anymore. They will be more like receiving the full translations tailored to your specific speaking style and personality.
7) Human Translator Reviews on eCommerce Sites/Services (like Amazon)
Accurate human translation is a big deal for websites that facilitate eCommerce (like Amazon) and cannot afford to get things wrong -regardless of whether it’s pricing, product descriptions, or promotional content. And with technology becoming more advanced and affordable, we’re starting to see sites implement human translator reviews on their websites.
It will enable users to quickly check if a translation is accurate before buying products or services from foreign-language sellers. In 2022, we predict 10% of all online stores will be using such a service as standard; 50% will integrate it in some way. We also predict that by 2026 such services will be used across all industries and not just eCommerce.
8) Virtual Reality Translation
The future of online translation services is still being written as new technology emerges. We may find ourselves communicating with AI assistants through a combination of text, vocal commands, and virtual reality.
They will one day be more than capable of translating languages for their user base through headsets and earbuds that feed information to a chip implanted inside our brains-all within seconds. As some say, imagine a business world where customers speak one language and employees speak another; needless to say, those types of services will be in high demand.
Since there are an infinite number of combinations that make up language itself, it’s only a matter of time before humanity relies on these types of services daily.
Conclusion
Machine translation will become so commonplace that it’ll be accepted, even expected. Many experts claim they’re already at a point where they can create accurate translations equal to less than 100 hours of human labor.
That number is sure to decrease as machine learning improves, and we’re sure to see online translation competitions popping up around language pairs that would otherwise take years for humans to learn-which is incredibly exciting! The profession isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It’s just about to get a whole lot more interesting.
Machine translation will improve our communication with people from all over the world but for those who want to add serious nuance and color to their work (like journalists, for instance), translation software will be a large help shortly.