English Rewind - 6 Minute English: Instant language

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, Neil.

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 translation 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 terms 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.

With 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 learning 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.

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— Bye for now. — Bye.

That was 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English dot com.