Translating inquiries/responses/forms into other languages

[MyVRZone]

If you often have to translate inquiries and/or want to provide your (potential) guests with a version of your emails and online forms in a different language then you may be interested in what I've just written up regarding Google Translate.

http://www.myvrzone.com/blog/foreign-la ... inquiries/

Although I've integrated this into the MyVRZone management software for dealing with emails you can add translation to your own website content quite easily. If you want to do that then I'd be happy to offer assistance/recommendations if needed.

Neil

[Mountain Goat]

Thanks for this, Neil.

One irritating feature of Google Translate is the target language is in some ludicrous type, which is not easy to convert back in one's email system. A workaround is to paste the target content back in the source field (English?) and it converts back to a reasonably handled typeface.

I'm sure there's a better way.

MG

[MyVRZone]

Thanks for this, Neil.

One irritating feature of Google Translate is the target language is in some ludicrous type, which is not easy to convert back in one's email system. A workaround is to paste the target content back in the source field (English?) and it converts back to a reasonably handled typeface.

I'm sure there's a better way.

MG

I had that formatting issue as well so it's good to be able to work around that too. Now we don't need to include any translation in the response email.

I realized that hadn't provided an example of an email that we now send out so you can see how that works for the recipient. I've added one at the linked page under Benefits for the Owner.

Neil

[Paul Carmel]

MG, Have a look at ifinger.com.

[Richard51]

I would caution against wholesale reliance on Google. While some of it's translations are reasonable it also produces meaningless twaddle as well. A good double check is to translate to the language you need then translate back to English to see if it still makes sense.

[Don Ciccio]

I would caution against wholesale reliance on Google. While some of it's translations are reasonable it also produces meaningless twaddle as well. A good double check is to translate to the language you need then translate back to English to see if it still makes sense.

And it's always good to make sure that your basic English text contains no words that have multiple meanings in English or are plurals, as often Google will use the wrong meaning in the translation.

We try to simplify down anything we translate via these mediums.

[e-richard]

One irritating feature of Google Translate is the target language is in some ludicrous type, which is not easy to convert back in one's email system. A workaround is to paste the target content back in the source field (English?) and it converts back to a reasonably handled typeface.

I'm sure there's a better way.

MG

Copy/paste into NOTEPAD. That strips all formatting from anything.
Then copy/paste into your email or wherever. "Simples!"

[MyVRZone]

I would caution against wholesale reliance on Google. While some of it's translations are reasonable it also produces meaningless twaddle as well. A good double check is to translate to the language you need then translate back to English to see if it still makes sense.

This reliance concern would extend to any automated translation tools. Keeping the language simple is key. Running your emails and other standard content through the translator and back again is an ideal way to see how "normal" it is.

For languages you don't know you would have to respond in English and rely on a translation tool. For guests that wrote in English as a second language you may not know the native language and have to respond in English.

Adding the auto translation just makes it easier for them and allows the owner to respond more quickly.

Having a way to get the original (English) text is also important. They will usually know when something has not translated very well and can look at the English version (if they read English) and/or put that through their preferred translation tool.

Cheers, Neil

[Don Ciccio]

Adding the auto translation just makes it easier for them and allows the owner to respond more quickly.

Having a way to get the original (English) text is also important. They will usually know when something has not translated very well and can look at the English version (if they read English) and/or put that through their preferred translation tool.

Cheers, Neil

Neil,

I think you make some fair points. This email translation tool, is it available only as part of your main packages?

Think I'd better have a shufty around your site to see what the whole package is about...

Ciccio

[MyVRZone]

Adding the auto translation just makes it easier for them and allows the owner to respond more quickly.

Having a way to get the original (English) text is also important. They will usually know when something has not translated very well and can look at the English version (if they read English) and/or put that through their preferred translation tool.

Cheers, Neil

Neil,

I think you make some fair points. This email translation tool, is it available only as part of your main packages?

Think I'd better have a shufty around your site to see what the whole package is about...

Ciccio

The email translation part requires that I add a link at the top and store the email so that it can be viewed online and translated. This means the system needs to be involved with the creation of the email and is thus integrated with the automatic inquiry response/quoting tools and the reservation management emails. This applies to the Gold and Platinum level plans.

The Platinum plan gives you everything - quoting and reminders with customizable templates and stationery: http://www.myvrzone.com/Marketing/Plans/?plan=4
There's a 60 day free trial so you can easily see what it can do for you.

Neil

[Richard51]

I would caution against wholesale reliance on Google. While some of it's translations are reasonable it also produces meaningless twaddle as well. A good double check is to translate to the language you need then translate back to English to see if it still makes sense.

And it's always good to make sure that your basic English text contains no words that have multiple meanings in English or are plurals, as often Google will use the wrong meaning in the translation.

We try to simplify down anything we translate via these mediums.

Exactly. Using French / English as an example: charge (in English) could be translated as either a tariff or a detonation / explosive. In French le livre is a book, la livre is a pound, les livres could be either - depending on the context. Bizarrely (and incorrectly) Google translates both as book.