Comments on Hofstadter

    The inevitable issue we have to discuss when on the topic of machine translation is the concern surrounding AI advancement. With the worry surrounding robots eventually taking over human jobs, perhaps the same worry is present in AI translating in place of humans. However, in my opinion, AI translation can never replace that done by humans.

    In the article, Hofstadter brings up the idea of the possibility of doing translation without understanding the original. Can it be good despite the lack of understanding? At least now, AI translation cannot, as the article demonstrates. All the various aspects of translation we discussed in class and read in our readings – omitting words, rewording sentences, and more – AI currently lack the ability to consider. It’s difficult for a machine to translate the nuances in people’s words, and their speech styles. On the contrary, an AI strives to decode as directly as possible, without any creativity and imagination present in human translation.

    Machine translation is still a powerful tool, and its technology has improved immensely over the past few years, but will it ever surpass human translation? If that day ever comes, it certainly isn’t anytime soon.


Machine Translation Example:


Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

これらは誰の森か私は知っていると思います。
彼の家は村にあります。
彼は私がここで止まるのを見ないでしょう
彼の森が雪でいっぱいになるのを見る。

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

私の小さな馬はそれが奇妙だと思わなければなりません
近くの農家なしで立ち寄る
森と凍った湖の間
一年で最も暗い夜。

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

彼はハーネスのベルを振る
何か間違いがないか尋ねる。
他の唯一の音はスイープです
やさしい風と綿毛のようなフレーク。

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

森は美しく、暗く、深く、
しかし、私には守る約束があります、
そして、私が寝る前に何マイルも行く、
そして、私が寝る前に何マイルも行く。

Alex