Google Translate

[queenofmean]

is it very accurate when it Translates?

[Flyhalf]

Not wonderfully so, they seem to use translators from the source language rather than the target, and it can be rather stilted at times.

[queenofmean]

Its just I have a lot of 'Dutch' to translate, but my boss's brothers partner is Dutch and is over for a visit and I was going to use it to translate what I have and just see if she could amend the bits that are maybe a bit iffy. Unless you can recommend anyone that speaks Dutch or even another translation page

[Flyhalf]

I use the app Free Translator, which tackles whole phrases as well as individual words.

[jno]

they've yet to invent a machine that can translate as well as a human can. Most Google translation is just about okay word for word but overall it can be hilariously wrong. I tried to get it to translate an Edith Piaf love song once and got back some nonsense about irrigation canals. (Well, I hope it was nonsense.)

[netibiza]

No, but it does the job!

[queenofmean]

I have a few translator app's on my Ipod might see if I can get anywhere with them.
Oh dear Jno that's not very good.
I guess Netibiza - as long as I have the jist I'm ok lol

[erin-x]

I know Dutch for table!!!

Tafel... Tafel tafel tafel!!!! :D

[Buenchico]

Google Translation is reasonably accurate but, as with any other translation website, you should always 'reverse translate' everything. If translating from English to Dutch, and then back again, gives exactly the same phrase or sentence that you started with, then there's quite a good chance that you've found an accurate translation. However if you get something very different it would be best to assume that the first part of the translation is at fault.

The first search engine to introduce translations (as well as the first to have image searches and lots of other innovations) was the mighty AltaVista. [Google simply copied all of AltaVista's ideas). Alas, AltaVista is no more; it was taken over by Yahoo! However the translation site is still there, and still one of the best, as Babelfish:
http://www.babelfish.com/

Babylon is also surprisingly accurate:
http://www.babelfish.com/

Imtranslator is handy because it can automatically 'back translate':
http://imtranslator.net/translation/english/to-dutch/translation/

[RATTER15]

I have quite a few foreign friends on FB, I often use Google to translate to understand what they are saying, more often that not I'm left none the wiser.

[queenofmean]

LOL @ erin

Thanks Buenchico - I shall investigate further :)

Oh dear ratter