随时说各种语言
Speak any language instantly
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English: the programme in which we talk about a story in the news and learn some vocabulary while we’re doing it. I’m Neil and joining me today is Jen. Hi there, Jen.
大家好，欢迎来到BBC英语学习的六分钟英语，我们讨论的是新闻中的故事，同时学习一些词汇，我是Neil，今天和我一起的是Jen。你好，Jen。
Hi Neil.
你好Neil。
Now, this sounds like every struggling language student’s dream...
这个故事听起来像是每一个为语言学习苦苦挣扎的学生的梦...
A piece of technology which could put an end to hours and hours of study…
一种科技可以结束数以小时计的研究...
It sounds like something from science fiction…
听起来像科幻小说。
A machine which allows you to speak any language in the world… instantly!
一台可以让你说世界上任何一种语言的机器...并且是立刻！
OK, well not quite, but we are talking about an app – a piece of software common on smartphones - developed in Japan.
好的，也不完全是这样，但是我们正在谈论的关于应用程序app——一种日本开发的在智能手机上很常见的软件。
This app allows you to have conversations with another person speaking in a different language translated in real time – in other words, instantly.
这个应用程序允许您和说其他语言的人对话，并且即时翻译，换句话说，同时的。
This could put us out of a job, Neil! Now come on, it must be time for a language-related quiz.
这可能会使我们丢了工作，Neil！好了，现在肯定是和语言相关的小测试时间。
Yes, that’s exactly what we’ll do now. I want to know, how many languages are there in the world? Is it:
是的，这确实就是我们现在将要做的事。我想知道，世界上有多少种语言，
a) about 100
大约100种
b) about 1,000
大约1000种
c) about 6,000
大约6000种
Well, I think there are a lot but maybe not 6,000, so I’ll go for b) about 1,000.
嗯，我觉得会有很多种，我选B。
OK, well we will find out, as ever, at the end of the programme. Back now to our app.
好的，节目最后我们看是否是正确的。回到我们正在讨论的应用程序这个话题上。
This, of course, isn’t the only instant translation technology in the world.
它不是当今世界上唯一的即时翻译技术。
No, Google have something similar, though it’s less advanced than this Japanese app. Listen to the first part of a report from the BBC’s correspondent, Richard Taylor. How does the Google technology work?
是的，谷歌有相似技术，虽然没有日本的这个应用程序智能。来听一段来自BBC记者Richard Taylor的报告，看谷歌技术如何起作用的？
You simply talk into your smartphone. That’s then sent to the server from Google, which does real-time voice recognition and then machine translation on it and then that data is sent back to your phone either as a script or, if you pay a little bit extra in terms of data charges, as a voice file.
你只是和智能手机对话。然后手机将对话内容传送给来自谷歌的服务器，这个服务器带有实时语音识别和机器翻译，之后数据被发送到你的手机上或者以文本的方式或者以声音文件的方式传送给你，前提是你根据数据大小多少付点费用。
He says when you talk into your smartphone, it’s sent to the server – a central computer which other computers get their information from.
他说，当你对着智能手机讲话，内容被发送到服务器——它是一台中心计算机，其他计算机从它处获得信息。
The server does real-time translation and then sends back a text or voice file.
这个服务器进行实时翻译，然后将文本或声音文件传回去。
So you read the translation or, if you pay a little bit more, listen to a translation sent as an audio recording.
所以你阅读到翻译内容，或你付费听取以语音形式发送的翻译的谈话内容。
Amazing stuff!
真是令人惊奇的东西！
Indeed, but this new app in Japan, developed by the company NTT Docomo, goes even further.
的确，日本的这个新型应用程序，由NTT Docomo公司开发，更加先进。
That’s right. With this technology, you can have an actual conversation with someone on the other side of the world, speaking a different language to the one which is coming out of your mouth!
没错。因为这项技术，你可以和世界上另一边的人进行交谈，说着两种不同的语言！
Incredible! Now listen to the second part of the report from the BBC’s Richard Taylor.
令人难以置信！听来自Richard Taylor的第二段报告。
But they’ve actually taken the concept and applied it to normal phone calls. So, you’re making a phone call to somebody from Japan in Japanese, on the other side of the world, for example in Britain.
但事实上他们采用了这个概念，将它用于普通手机。所以，如果你在日本给世界另一边的人们，比如英国，打电话。
It will take that Japanese voice, do the real-time machine translation on the server, couple of seconds later it would bring it back down to you in English. Or at least that’s the idea.
它将来自日本的声音，通过服务器上实时的机器翻译，在随后的几秒钟，将翻译好的英语返回给用户。至少，谷歌是这样的想法。
So, the difference is that this app allows people to speak to foreigners in real time – with a slight pause while the real-time translation takes place.
因此，不同点在于这款应用程序通过实时翻译的方式，帮助人们实现用稍微停顿的方式随时和外国人对话。
So, which languages does it convert?
那么，它转换的是哪种语言？
At the moment, Japanese to English, Mandarin and Korean. But more are to follow.
在这一刻，日语到英语，普通话和朝鲜语。还有更多的语言互换。
I suppose the big question is “How accurate is the translation?”
我想我最大的问题是“翻译的准确率如何？”
Yes, that is the big question. The BBC’s Richard Taylor tried it out with the help of a Japanese translator. What did he ask and how good does the translator think the app is?
的确，这是个大问题。BBC的Richard Taylor试着通过一位日语翻译来检验这一点。关于这个应用程序，他问了哪些问题，以及性能如何？
Reporter: Hello, how are you? Are there any good restaurants around here?
记者：你好！这附近有好的餐厅吗？
Smartphone: [Japanese reply]
智能手机：日语回复
Reporter: How well did that do as a translation, first of all?
记者：翻译的如何？
Japanese translator: Well, it’s understandable but it’s not perfect.
日语翻译：嗯，翻译的内容可以理解，但是不够完美。
The reporter asked if there is a good restaurant nearby.
记者问附近是否有不错的餐馆。
And the Japanese translator says the app was understandable but not perfect.
日语翻译说这款应用软件翻译的语言是可以理解的，但是并不完美。
Is this technology going to sweep the world, I wonder?
这项技术风靡全球，我想？
Well, there are some other companies hot on the heels of the Japanese company NTT Docomo.
嗯，其他一些公司紧跟日本的NTTDocomo公司的步伐。
For example, France’s Alcatel-Lucent is developing a rival product which will operate on landlines.
例如，法国的Alcatel-Lucent正在开发一种竞争产品，将针对固话用户。
And Microsoft is working on something it’s calling the Translating Telephone.
微软正在研制叫做翻译电话的产品。
Now the question I want to ask you Jen is, “Do you think this will put an end to language learning forever?”
我现在想问你的问题是，“你认为这会导致语言学习的终结吗？”
Well, I hope not. I think these types of technologies are always helpful but nothing will ever replace learning a language.
我希望不会。我想这些技术总是有用的但是没有东西会取代外语学习。
I know I’m biased but speaking a foreign language is one of life’s great pleasures!
我知道我有偏见了，但是说外语是人生中的一大乐趣！
And I agree with you but, of course, I would because it’s my job.
我同意，当然，我觉得是乐趣因为它是我的工作。
Before we go, Neil, aren’t you going give the answer to the quiz?
在我们结束之前，Neil，你是否要告诉我小测试的答案？
OK, yes. I wanted to know how many languages there are in the world. Is it:
好的，我想知道世界上有多少种语言。
a) about 100
大约100种
b) about 1,000
大约1000种
c) about 6,000
大约6000种
And I said b) about 1,000.
我觉得有1000种
And you are wrong. I know you speak about 1,000 languages, Jen, but the answer is about 6,000.
答错了，我知道你觉得是1000种，但是答案是大约6000种。
Wow!
哇哦！
Now, time for a recap of some of the words we heard in today’s programme.
现在，回顾一下今天听到的词汇。
They are: app, smartphone, in real time, server, hot on the heels.
这些词是：应用程序、智能手机、实时、服务器、紧跟时代。
Join us again soon for more 6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com.
欢迎再次加入更多的六分钟英语。
And don’t forget to find us on Facebook and Twitter.
不要忘记在脸书和推特上找到我们。
Bye for now.
拜拜！
Bye.
拜拜！