Build an automatic translation mechanism into instance message system (and other Internet communication system), as if a simultaneous interpreter were there.
It would be exciting if you master three languages. However, one could not master all languages. Even if such an interpreter exists, hiring him/her would be expensive. Internet helps people communicate easily from every corner around the world, and if it were an even probability to talk to anyone on earth, the chance a talker speaks foreign language is much higher. If we have such an automatic translation system, as if a simultaneous interpreter is ready, negotiation should be much simpler.
The problem currently is that a machine could not translate as good as an average interpreter. Languages are not one-to-one mapping, and machines are not good at analyzing and choosing which words to use and in what order. And this is why interpret is still a career.
Whenever a computer is not good at something, we could try to train it in hope that it will eventually learns and masters it. The source of training material would be from thousands of millions of people. As in image recognition, tags from Internet users helps classify and recognize pictures a lot. If, in one day, computers could seamlessly translate one language into another, we would be happy that we no longer need to learn a second language, and we would be equally sad that we will never drive to learn other than native language.
Currently, machine translation in instance message system should be more than experimental, but at least it could provide some information which might be helpful to international talkers. And, have fun to laugh at silly computers.
The problem currently is that a machine could not translate as good as an average interpreter. Languages are not one-to-one mapping, and machines are not good at analyzing and choosing which words to use and in what order. And this is why interpret is still a career.
Whenever a computer is not good at something, we could try to train it in hope that it will eventually learns and masters it. The source of training material would be from thousands of millions of people. As in image recognition, tags from Internet users helps classify and recognize pictures a lot. If, in one day, computers could seamlessly translate one language into another, we would be happy that we no longer need to learn a second language, and we would be equally sad that we will never drive to learn other than native language.
Currently, machine translation in instance message system should be more than experimental, but at least it could provide some information which might be helpful to international talkers. And, have fun to laugh at silly computers.