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Traditionally, an English speaking person operating in a Spanish speaking area of the world required the services of a human who knew both languages to translate Spanish to English. Thanks to technology, a Spanish to English translation app can allow the same freedom without the expense of hiring a Spanish to English translator. That said, some care should be taken to get the most out of the technology. In the world of computer programming, there is a phrase: Garbage in, garbage out (usually abbreviated as GIGO). This phrase is based on the concept that a computer cannot really make decisions. Its choices are based on the inherent programming and the data that is input. When dealing with a Spanish to English translation app, good data means phrases that cannot be misinterpreted. Bad data would be phrases that could confuse the Spanish to English translator program. With GIGO in mind, how does one ensure that good data is being input? Be as Direct as Possible Imagine a woman is walking through the shopping district in a small Mexican town when she realizes she needs to find a bathroom. Walking up to ask someone, she inputs 'Where is the little girls' room?" into her handy translator. Depending on the specific programming of the app she is using, it could output a question that asks where a bathroom is, or it could output a question that asks where children sleep. If, on the other hand, she inputs "Where is the toilet?", there is a one hundred percent chance that the resulting translation will be one that leads to a bathroom. Humans use euphemism and colloquial expression so commonly that we often forget that what the expression means is far different from what the actual words themselves mean. Avoid euphemism and stick to using literal expressions. Be as Specific as Possible When striving to give good data to the computer that translates Spanish to English, avoid words that have multiple meanings. For example, the word 'promise' could mean either a vow or potential. If the computer chooses the wrong meaning, it will destroy the message. When feeding the computer data to translate, take a moment to decide whether any of the words could have multiple meaning. If so, it would be a good idea to use different words that cannot confuse the program. The freedom offered by today's translation technology is something the world has never seen. The drawback though, is that a computer cannot second guess the person operating it. If the person using the translator is not careful, the first clue that something has gone wrong will be the crazy looks the person receives. Avoiding misunderstanding is as simple as taking the time to input simple and specific words and phrases into the translator device. You can use apps to help you translate Spanish to English and English to Spanish.
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