Translation Services in Amman

Why Humans Beat Machines

When it comes to the evolution of Translation Services in Amman, will machine translations ever beat professional human translation services?

A History of Translation Services in Amman
Understanding the history of translation can help us to appreciate the value of translation services in Amman today. Historians and scholars alike have long debated the history of translation. It is accepted widely that translation services pre-date even the oldest of texts, such as the Bible. Indeed, this old text refers to multiple languages within it and gives an insight into how people interacted from different areas.
In The Beginning
The word ‘translation’ stems from Latin, meaning ‘to carry or bring across’. As far back as the second millennium BC, there is evidence of people translating different texts. Later, Roman emperors such as Horace and Cicero also used translation services as newer methods were developed.

Of course, none of this means that there have always been formal translation services in Amman. However, it is certain that the need for such a service has been there right from the earliest days of culture and society. Whether for trade, survival, or for our emotions, humans have always needed to cross barriers and communicate.
Modern Translation Services in Amman
As the Industrial Revolution dawned, translation services across the world became even more important. The new machinery meant that there was a quicker production of both materials and texts. The global demand for both grew exponentially and, as such, so did the need for translation. The boom meant that there was now also an explosion into foreign markets.

Formal translators and translation services have existed since the 18th Century. However, the modern practices of translation have only recently blossomed, thanks to the creation of the Internet.
Translation Services in Amman Today
Nowadays, translation services are in worldwide demand. The need to communicate and cross barriers is now even more crucial than ever before. Given the explosion of widespread internet, translation services can also now work remotely.

The reasons for translation, however, largely remain the same as they did since time immemorial. Without translation services in Amman, Jordan, or in any other place, businesses face restrictions as to how far they can grow or how successful they can be in foreign markets. But the dawn of the internet has also brought along other problems: people’s beliefs that machine translation is just as good and is often quicker than human translation.

Here at Dar ibn Khaldun for Translation, we know better than most that this is simply not the case.
Human Translation vs. Machine Translation Services in Amman, Jordan
Humans have been trying for years to get machines to do their dirty work. It has even been discussed above on a large scale: The Industrial Revolution. However, for certain roles and jobs, machinery cannot possibly out-wit humans. The translation is once such a role.

There is a crucial side to any translation that machine translations often overlook or fail to compensate for. Understanding of the origin country’s culture, as well as that of the target language, is essential. There is only so much a machine can do.

Many machine translations offer metaphase translation – word-for-word translation. This often gives results that are not only inaccurate but that are also out of context. There exist many languages that have peculiarities, homophones, and homonyms, and these can trip up even the best of internet translation services. But there are others that can translate whilst maintain some relevance to the culture of the target language.
Google Translate
In April 2006, Google Translate was launched. It was primarily used in the European Parliament and the United Nations to gain linguistic data. The software sought patterns within the documents translated to help it decide the correct translation. It first started by translating between English and Arabic. Today, Google Translate has over 100 languages.

It can be a great tool to translate a holiday food menu visually or spoken, as well as typed. However, the situation becomes altogether different when you need to translate a confidential business document that needs specific nuances and a thorough understanding of the source language. Legal contracts, compliance-related documents, medical drug trials, or financial reports, all necessitate human interaction. Errors in such documents could prove costly in more ways than one.
Businesses Staying Clear of Machine Translation
Many companies have made the mistake of opting for internet translation services and then asking native speakers to check to avoid translation service fees. However, what they do not realize is that internet translation services such as Google Translate collect all data entered into their system. As such, this is effectively a huge breach of confidentiality if documents are classed as classified. The text entered effectively becomes Google’s property.

Additionally, the level of translation is not specific enough to each business’s needs. The last thing you want is for your business website’s text to look sloppy or slapdash. It will send out the wrong idea and compromise your entire business.

As alluded to above, errors in your translations can compromise the finances and safety of your business and even lead to legal disputes. Although the translations are automatic, there could be some interference somewhere from someone purposefully altering a translation just for the fun of it. If you do not notice, your business could be in for a whole heap of trouble.

Google state that they have reduced their errors by 60% compared to when it launched. However, it is far from perfect and cannot replace translation services such as those provided by Dar Ibn Khaldun for Translation. Generally, the conclusion is that free software, such as Google Translate, cannot beat professional translation services. Indeed, they can impact a business negatively right from the outset.
The Alternatives
Despite machine translations improving, a language’s subtleties and nuances are difficult for any machine to grasp. Machines do not find things funny or understand emotions and, as a result, the true meaning of a text is lost on them. Sure, enhanced technologies are changing the approach to translating, the professional translation services industry remains safe at present. Companies who are serious about their message and serious about reaching the right audience still want to do so in the most natural and best way possible.

Dar Ibn Khaldun for Translation is an example of professional translation services in Amman, Jordan. There are some things that machines cannot and will never do. Replacing the need for a humanization and human interaction is definitely up there. Professional translation services use their socio-cultural awareness, idiomatic language, and expressions, in both source and target languages.

A machine could effectively translate a whole document but miss the whole point. Business customers need to be able to see the whole picture, not just the intricate details.
To Sum Up
Translation services have come a long way from when translation first came about millennia ago. Their evolution has spanned centuries, different techniques, and a plethora of languages that would outcompete Google’s selection in a flash.

However, the needs for wanting translation services in Amman are primarily still the same: trade, communication, and human interaction. People make a much bigger difference to your text than any kind of software could, no matter the language. In this case, there is no competition to be had. Humans beat machines hands down!