In the context of globalization, the need for communication between people has increased dramatically. The ability to communicate in a language other than your native one is an advantage, especially in business. English is the second (after Chinese) most widely spoken language on the planet. About 1.2 billion people in 85 countries speak English.
What if you could communicate in any language you are comfortable with, but at the same time speak the language of the listener? Microsoft Corporation and its Skype company have solved this problem. Now you can translate messages.
In October 2015, Skype announced a new free tool for simultaneous translation of live speech and instant messages in real time - Skype Translator, which can interpret live speech. The translator currently offers online translation in eight languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese (Mandarin), Italian, Portuguese and Arabic (the list is updated periodically). Another 50 languages are available for translation via instant messages.
Previously, to use a translator, interlocutors had to download and install a separate application - Skype translator preview. Now you can activate the translation service in a few mouse clicks.
How to enable auto translation feature
In order to use the translator, you must ensure that you have the latest version of Skype installed. How to enable auto-translator? The sequence of actions is as follows:
- Select the contact you are interested in.
- Click on the globe icon in the upper right corner of the conversation panel and enable the function.
- Then select your contact's current language under their name, and from the drop-down list, select the translation language for instant messaging or telephone conversation.
The main task of a Skype translator is to facilitate communication between business partners located in different countries all over the world.
According to the Skype team, to better understand the translation, you need to wear headphones. In a conversation, do not forget to express your thoughts more clearly, without complex participial phrases.
How does this work?
ATTENTION! Skype Translator records conversations when you use the translation feature.
The program's algorithm is designed in such a way that the more people use it, the smarter it becomes. With every use of the translator, it learns and improves its language recognition by comparing audio data against millions of sounds and correcting colloquial expressions. Machine learning protocols for preparing and optimizing Skype Translator speech recognition and the Bing automatic machine translation system underlie the functioning of the software.
Program error rates have dropped with the advent of deep neural networks (DNNS) for speech recognition, pioneered by Microsoft Research. This method is not new; the same technology is also used in computer vision technology, machine translation, image recognition and automatic subtitle output.
Translating telephone conversations in real time is a big step forward for machine translation technology.
The way Skype works is very complex. First, the software must recognize what we are saying. Then it must figure out the meaning of what was said and convey it in another language. Finally, he must pronounce the resulting translation out loud in a way that a native speaker can understand. Failure to complete any of these steps renders the translation ineffective.
Understanding what someone is saying is very different from understanding the subtle nuances of a person's speech. While researchers are improving our understanding of language, they are also working on a more subtle problem: helping a computer understand when a person shouts enthusiastically, or rumbles sarcastically, or abruptly instructs: “Right!”, “Correct?”, “Write!”
The speech recognition tool is not very good in noisy and crowded places where there is echo. It is also sensitive to poor hardware such as low-quality microphones. Autotranslator becomes difficult when people speak quickly or quietly, or with an accent.
If your interlocutor decides to speak English even though their spoken language is set to Spanish, the transcript will be comical. The automatic translator is not smart enough to notice that your partner has started speaking a different language, so you will listen spanish words in spoken English and their translation into English. Surprisingly, the program identifies many correct words, but of course it will be complete nonsense.
Once your call is completed, you can download the voice transcript as an HTML file.
Of course, Skype Translator won't be perfect anytime soon, but it is a useful tool for those who need it.
A translator will open up endless possibilities for people around the world, their communication and interaction no longer limited by language differences and geographical location.
Russian has become the ninth language that Skype Translator understands for voice calls. Before the innovation, the translator spoke English, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Italian, Portuguese and Arabic, and also translated text messages from 50 languages.
“Russian is one of the most popular, and at the same time, the most complex and poetic languages. Thanks to the Skype translator, millions of Russian-speaking people around the world will be able to communicate in their native language with residents of other countries without experiencing difficulties in understanding each other,” the director of the technology policy department at Microsoft in Russia is quoted as saying. on the website companies.
PC users running the operating system (OS) Windows 7 and higher will be able to evaluate the new feature. For owners of devices running Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the translation will be available automatically in the “preview” version of the application.
Currently, the innovation is not available to MacOS users and owners of smartphones based on iOS or Android. The developers have not announced when the option will appear on other platforms.
The thing about Skype Translator is that it improves itself the more people use it. The program is based on machine learning technology, and the more users communicate using this function, the better the translation becomes.
Reception as heard
Before using the service, you must install the latest Skype update. For a conversation, it is best to choose a quiet place without extraneous noise. It is also advisable to connect headphones with a microphone to minimize echo and avoid distracting sounds.
For Skype Translator to work, you need to activate the translation function in the settings by checking the corresponding box. Then select the contact you are interested in and activate the translator by clicking on the globe icon at the top of the message window. For each interlocutor, a different translation language is configured. With the Skype Translator option enabled, a black rectangle will appear in the conversation window where real-time subtitles are displayed during the conversation. At the same time, the speech of the “translator” will sound in the headphones in a male or female voice, respectively.
It's better to speak in turns simple sentences, slowly and clearly, as if using a walkie-talkie. Be sure to pause to allow the program to process the data. It is optimal if the phrase consists of seven to 10 words and contains a verb. Between the spoken phrase and the finished translation can take from 20 to 30 seconds. An interpreter will help you maintain a conversation with a foreigner about the weather, business, family and everyday things. The program even recognizes some profanity.
But when having a heart-to-heart conversation or on philosophical topics, when long sentences with numerous complex phrases are used, the program gets lost and begins to go astray.
Just like some people.
Pushkin is no longer everything
Skype Translator cannot perceive intonation. A soulless machine will not notice joy or sadness in a voice, but asked question will translate in a smooth sentence.
Simple phrases like “Hi, how are you?” Skype Translator translates perfectly - not a single word is missing and everything is grammatically correct. With a more complex sentence, the statement “The thoughts of a philosopher are like stars, they do not give light because they are too sublime,” the program only half coped, getting confused on the second part of the phrase. “Thoughts of philosopher like stars. They don"t give the color, because it is too sublime." Although the meaning can be understood.
When the first lines of Pushkin’s poem “Winter Morning” were read to the translator, it turned out ridiculous.
“Frost and sun, a wonderful day! You are still dozing, adorable friend...” turned into “Frost and Sun day wonderful this game is closer to each adorable.”
But Skype Translator, surprisingly, translated the slang well. The function coped with the phrase “This is a really cool feature, but it’s a little buggy” without any problems.
In general, translation from Russian into English works fine, but the reverse is not always accurate, although you can still understand the interlocutor.
The developers promise that the program will be constantly improved, the main thing is to use it as often as possible so that the quality of the translation increases.
Skype Translator is more suitable for home use, communicating with friends and situations when you urgently need to quickly translate something, and there is no person nearby who knows the language. In the near future, the program will definitely not compete with professional simultaneous interpreters.
The new feature will allow us to convey the general meaning of phrases, but it will still be a long time before we can call a Chinese relative and greet him in our native language.
With feeling, with sense, with arrangement
To rid the text of verbal garbage, TrueText technology is used, which corrects incorrect phrases and removes stuttering. You can configure the function to “beep” profanity.
The developers note that the translation algorithm is written taking into account the specifics of live speech. “Skype Translator and Microsoft Translator master languages themselves. They are offered an initial course based on existing human translations, and then the system will continue to replenish the database, “participating” in the process of live communication. As a result, it receives many translation options for various words and expressions depending on the context,” Microsoft developers say.
Lost in translation
Speech recognition technology in 2016 will no longer surprise anyone. You can recall Siri assistants in the iPhone and Cortana in Windows devices, “Okay”, “Alexa” and developments for the “smart” home from Echo, IVR systems with voice control in call centers and developments.
meme "Cunning translator"
Working with foreign languages available thanks to the products of PROMT, ABBYY, Google and several companies that produce smartphones with the function of a pocket speech translator, for example the Russian Companion. They are available to every user; there are free and paid versions with advanced features.
The Google service can recognize and translate voice (speech-to-text), the PROMT translator is available offline, and ABBYY dictionaries have a text-to-speech function.
There are more and more technologies every day, but they are still far from ideal. However, people with the profession of translator still face a lack of context, “false friends” and the pressure “you’re a translator.”
The language barrier on the Internet interferes with communication significantly less than in real life. Online translators allow you to instantly adapt a phrase or word to the desired language. In one of the Skype updates, such a function was integrated into the program. It is now possible to translate incoming and outgoing messages in a specific dialogue in accordance with the configured settings.
Enabling the feature
From the program settings menu Skype The translator cannot be activated. To do this, you need to enter a special command. Open a conversation with any user and insert the following line there: /setupkey UI/Ecs/Features/Translator/Enabled 1
In this case, the message will not reach the user; it will be visible only to you. The function will only turn on after restarting the program. In the tray, right-click on the Skype icon and select exit. Then launch it again.
Now in the main settings section it will appear new item- "Skype Translator". It contains only one option to enable or disable this feature. 
Settings
Setting up a Skype translator carried out for each dialogue separately. Open any correspondence, under its name or the name of the contact there is a horizontal bar, closer to the right end of which there is a miniature globe. This is a special button that opens the options menu, press it. 
First comes the translator activation and deactivation slider, set it to the “On” position. In the next step you need to set your native language. The latter contains the language into which your messages will be translated. And if the user sends you text from it, then it can be transformed into the desired form. In the correspondence window, a button “View original” or “View translation” will appear under each phrase. 
Shutdown
If you plan to completely remove the built-in translator, and not just disable the function in a specific correspondence, then you need to enter the following line into any chat: /setupkey UI/Ecs/Features/Translator/Enabled 0
Then close and relaunch Skype. The corresponding item will disappear from the settings menu. The same applies to the globe in the dialog window.
Russian-speaking users of the popular Skype program have the opportunity to communicate with foreign friends without hindrance. Now language barriers have been broken down. The Skype Translator function, which supports eight languages of the world, is capable of translating the interlocutor’s speech in real time. You no longer need to hire a translator or sit with a dictionary. It is enough to activate the Skype Translator function and enjoy live communication with a native speaker of another language.
Features of setting up and using Skype Translator
Initially, the developers of the Skype program planned to adapt the simultaneous translation function for the Windows 10 operating system. However, Skype Translator has become available for all versions of Windows (except XP).
8 world languages are available for simultaneous translation: English, German, French, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, Italian. However, if you need to translate a written message, then the capabilities of Skype Translator increase significantly. 50 world languages become available.
It is worth noting that Skype Translator is equipped with a machine learning function. This means that the more users use Skype Translator, the more words it translates correctly. You shouldn't expect perfect translation from Skype Translator. The program works best with media English language who pronounce words clearly.
To set up Skype Translator on your PC, you need to follow a number of simple steps:
- Let's launch the program. We choose an interlocutor. A globe will appear below the call and video call icon. Click on it. The choice of language for the interlocutor will appear.
IMPORTANT! If you will answer in Russian, the English translation function must be included in the interlocutor.
- Choose your language and the language of your interlocutor. Click "Video call". To hear the translation better, you can use headphones. The translation text will also be displayed at the bottom of the screen.
You can find out how Skype simultaneous translation works in practice from the video:
The latest innovation from Skype erases language barriers - now you can communicate with a native speaker of another language without speaking it yourself. How to enable a translator on Skype, how to use it, and most importantly, how it works - we will tell you about all this today.
Find out how and where in the next article.
How to enable
How to enable Skype Translator? There is nothing simpler:
- Select a contact with whom you would like to chat on Skype, but need a translation from English into Russian, for example
- Right click on it
- A menu will open in which you need to select “View Profile”
- Now select "Launch"
- A new chat will open between you and the selected user
- The function is enabled, now when you communicate on Skype there will be instant translation from English into Russian and vice versa. This applies to messages, calls, video and voice.
How to set up
Here's how to set up a translator in Skype:
- After you have created a separate chat for communication using the service, you need to make the necessary settings
- Your language will be set by default, depending on the country of residence specified during registration
- However, you can change the automatic settings and choose the language from which the translation will be carried out. 12 languages available.
- Now you need to indicate what language your interlocutor will speak in
- Done, the settings have been accepted by the system, you can start communicating
- By the way, the instant translator for Skype can also change your voice from male to female, and vice versa
- In order to change the settings, you need to write the following phrase in the chat: “@Skype Translator help”
How to use
You will be surprised at how easily you can now overcome the language barrier. Here's how to use Skype Translator:
- If chatting is meant, just write any message in Russian - the service will instantly type it in the language of the interlocutor
- If you need to make a call, press the call button in the upper right part of the screen
- In this case, a voice translator will turn on, which will almost simultaneously translate your speech to a native speaker of another language.
How to disable
It is unlikely that anyone will need instructions on how to disable the translator in Skype - this function is extremely convenient. But, especially for polyglots, we will still tell you how to turn off the translator:
- The translator appears in your contact list
- To remove a function, right-click on it and, in the menu that opens, select “Delete”
How does this work
Of course, it’s worth talking about how this feature from Microsoft works. Moreover, this is really interesting - the service algorithm is designed in such a way that the more people use it, the more perfect it becomes. As you use it, the program improves both language recognition and understanding of spoken language and its subtlest nuances.
Instant translation of text messages is not a new technology and has been used for quite some time. But simultaneous translation during live communication is truly a breakthrough that deserves applause.
There are also some nuances when using a translator:
- In noisy and crowded places, as well as when recognizing quiet speech, it may not perform very well
- Problems may arise if a person speaks with an accent
- And most importantly, all conversations conducted with the help of an interpreter are recorded. But rest assured, this was not done to monitor you, but to improve the service.
- You can download Skype with a translator and use it completely free of charge. The service is integrated into the latest version of the program. You don't need to install it either.
Alternative options
What other Russian version of Skype Translator can I download for free? Here are the programs you can use for translation:
- Skype Translator. This program can translate online oral speech from eight languages and written speech from fifty. Available for Windows and other operating systems
- – an application that supports translation of text messages from more than 50 languages. Works with Google Translate, Microsoft Live, Babylon translation, SysTran, PROMT and Yandex.
It’s simply wonderful to be able to communicate with absolutely anyone, regardless of the language barrier. The built-in translation service is an excellent practice that many modern instant messengers should adopt.
You can easily find advice on this on our website.
Loading...
