Just for fun, since my last two posts complained a bit about automatic translation (which is better than nothing for maybe making sense of an otherwise impenetrable Web site, but still regarded as no good), I tried running some sample text through AltaVista’s notorious Babelfish.

Not content with mere technical text that Babelfish could butcher perhaps semi-accurately (although all those instruction manuals argue otherwise…) I decided to put a haiku through it and see how it would do with that.

It bombed out on a few words in the first few haiku–and strangely these were all Japanese words like keitai, aikidoka, ukemi. I think it must have been working from an English dictionary (duh…)–which is worth remembering, since what should be the easiest terms for Babelfish will be the most impossible for it.

I know there are linguists, translators, and interpreters out there, as well as bilingual types. So, how well do you think it did with this one about capsule hotels:

Saving your money
Buried in a living grave
Missed the train again.

The Japanese becomes:

あなたのお金を救うこと

生きている墓で埋められる

列車を再度逃した。

Running that through Babelfish again to get an English translation of the Japanese it comes up with something I find rather superior to the original–or at least intriguing anyway (although except for the first line the syllables are way off):

Rescue your money

It is buried with the grave which has lived

The train was let escape for the second time.

That is all my original research for today. Although I did run the English haiku through Babelfish once again for the benefit of those of you interested in Hangul. Is the following Korean any good or way off the enlightened and elegant sensibility of the poet’s original?

너의 돈을 저축함

살아있는 무덤안에 매장하는

기차를 다시 놓쳤다.

Disclaimer: It should be emphasized that I am not a lawyer, not a medical doctor, and have no knowledge of the Japanese language. Japundit readers experiencing their unique issues should consult with their own professional translator or interpreter.

* Note:  Title changed from “Le traducteur est un traître” on the advice of Chas. The Italian is shorter and altogether better. Thanks Chas!