Ever wondered how a Google translation compares with a translation done by a human being? I have. So much so that I decided to compare the two side by side, using a real-life example from a GiteWise client site. Here’s what I found.
Menu / Navigation
As you’d expect, there are quite a few differences – even in the few words that make up the menu.
Original English
Personal translation
Google translation
Main text
As for the main text, the French version was written by a fluent French speaker and checked by a French national. It isn’t a line-by-line translation, as the writer felt some things were better expressed in a slightly different way or order. But the French translation is as close as the gite-owner felt she could get to the original English. The Google version is on the other hand a literal line-by-line translation. Overall, Google does a pretty good job. But as you can see there are differences in the language and choice of words throughout. Only a competent reader of French will be able to elaborate on these subtle differences.
English original
French translation
Google translation
Of course this is a fairly basic exercise, but it does demonstrate that for a human touch and precise communication, you can’t beat a personal translation.
For more about how GiteWise sets up foreign language versions, see The SEO-friendly way to a French language version of your gite website For prices, see Translation setup costs
