Why Human Translation Experts are better than Machine Translators

Human vs. Machine Translators: The Rise of Machine Translation

In the debate of Human vs. Machine Translators, it’s clear that human expertise is crucial for accurate and culturally nuanced translations. While machine tools are growing, they can’t replicate the depth of understanding that human translators provide.

The trend of using machine translations has made its mark in recent times. It’s a service that is free and available online anytime.  Nothing really compares when you need a quick reference right there and then for a few phrases or sentences.

Its efficiency has led most businesses to believe that machine translations are a reliable and cost effective solution, not just for simple sentence translation but for voluminous documents as well. This assumption however, is a simplistic view on how the translation process works. It overlooks the reality of how languages behave and how the environments they operate in influence them.

Cultural Nuance: A Human Strength

Languages are dynamic, evolving ecosystems, shaped by historical periods, intent, and audience. The usage of a language today differs significantly from its past forms, even though its core structure remains the same. Linguistic styles evolve, and within a single language, there are various layers of meaning—business communication, for example, differs from creative writing, and everyday speech may incorporate slang or regional variations.

Current machine translation tools focus on translating in the context of modern language use, often missing the subtle nuances and variations found in older texts or specialized fields. In contrast, human translators consider multiple factors, including context, target audience, communication style, and, when necessary, historical period. This allows them to deliver translations with greater accuracy, cultural sensitivity, and integrity, preserving the full depth and meaning of the original message.

Human Translators: The Gold Standard in Accuracy

A case study is a German translation project we undertook. It was a series of diplomatic telegrams in the 1900s that documented critical communication across several countries in Europe. Had a machine been used, the machine’s reference point would be modern German instead of the way German was used and spoken in the 1900s. The machine would also have produced a politically correct translation.  Both factors thereby would have resulted in the loss of message authenticity.

To this end, the project translators relied on the context and German language structures almost a century old resulting in a translation, which preserved the integrity of the communication. The translation was rich – not just because it provided an understanding on what was said at that time, it also conveyed the emotional intent and undertone.  Having captured the cadence and rhythm of the period, the properly referenced translation was a snapshot into the intrigue and veiled communication of a diplomatic circle of a century past.

Translation fidelity therefore, is the ultimate factor in evaluating the success of a project. It is critical that your choice of service provider has a proven track record in this regard. While translation machines are effective to a certain degree, none of them currently are programmed to analyse the multiple factors and nuances that professional translators work with on a daily basis. As of this time, clearly, the human factor still soundly defeats the machine.

Rosetta Translation is the premiere provider of global business translations. We specialise in legal, executive, financial, pharmaceutical, scientific and academic translations. With a global network of sector practicing translators, the quality of our translations, speed of response and our customer service remains second to none.

About the Author

Rossella Mastropietro

Rossella is our Head of Office and Operations. She brings over 10 years of experience in the translation industry, helping our customers communicate seamlessly across cultural and linguistic boundaries. Rossella joined Rosetta in 2014 after completing an MSc in Translation Technology at Imperial College London… Read Full Bio