There is a website that I use quite frequently when I need help to read a Japanese web-page: www.rikai.com. You go to the Rikai website and enter the address of the web-page you want to view. It will then take you to that page, and when you roll the mouse over Japanese text, a small pop-up will appear with an English translation for that word. Like a regular dictionary, it gives several possibilities for each word, and you have to try and work out which is the appropriate one for the text you are reading. It's not perfect, but it's great for people who have some literacy skills in the language and just need occasional help.
One of the staff at school has a son who recently played baseball for Australia against Japan, with he game being held in Osaka. The only way they could follow the game was on a play-by-play website (where each ball in the game is described in writing by someone who is actually there watching) which, of course, was completely in Japanese. She rang me, and I gave her a rough translation of what was going on. I then suggested she try the Rikai website. She and her husband don't speak any Japanese, but by using the website they could follow the game.
Perhaps there are similar websites for other languages.
自己紹介
- Tate-Sensei
- Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- I teach Japanese to students in Kindergarten to Year 6 at a private, co-educational K-12 Anglican school in Perth, Western Australia.
Visitors
I think the point is that as advanced language learners we are able to recognise the weaknesses of on-line translators, and also have the know-how (and patience!) to work out the correct word... like regular dictionaries, students need to be taught how to use on-line translators, and not to rely on them. They definitely have a place though!
返信削除D