Friday 14 May 2010

Google Translate Armenian dictionary kind of sucks… for now

So today’s main news is that Armenian language is now supported by Google Translate. Great news, of course. Or so it should be. I understand that it’s in ‘ALPHA’, meaning in early development stages. BUT… Who on earth is behind the Armenian dictionary for Google Translate?

When you try translating the acceptable Armenian word to refer to gays - “միասեռական”, it brings the right English equivalent - “gay”. That’s fine. They also translate “bisexual” as “երկսեռ”, which could be OK too, I suppose.

However… I tried translating “gay” (English to Armenian), and according to the ‘dictionary’ behind the Google Translate service, “gay” means “թեթեվաբարո” (‘immoral’ or something like that, a term in Armenian frequently used to refer to sex workers or those perceived as such). This is the main option. There is also a list of other ‘relevant’ options, including similar word “անառակ”. Interestingly, it only considers “gay” as an adjective.

adjective

1. անառակ

2. զվարթ

3. թեթեվաբարո

4. պայծառ

5. ուրախ

6. վառ

And if you try “թեթեվաբարո” in Armenian to Russian, you get it as “гей” - “gay” in Russian - too.

Is this a display of homophobia or blatant lack of knowledge of contemporary linguistics?

Funnily enough, for “lesbian” they have a Russian version of the word in Armenian “լեսբիանկա”. Btw, there is no Armenian equivalent of “transsexual” or “transgender” there, for now at least.

3 comments:

artmika said...

I've made few suggestions. Not sure how it works, but there is such option there. But the problem is I do not know how to suggest removing options. And I am very curious which dictionary they've used as a basis and who was behind it. Otherwise, of course, it's a great development, need to be supported in a right direction.

Armhayvah said...

Look what is given under "shit" (LOL), fuck, faggot, and what we get typing "fag hag" and "fag-hag" ...

... I wonder who's that "GAGIK" (check the first word)... LMAO

artmika said...

Haha! Could not stop laughing :)))