Google AR glasses

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tungemål
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Google AR glasses

Postby tungemål » Tue Jun 28, 2022 4:51 pm

Google AR glasses, bringing "subtitles for the world", and live translating.
After a few years, when this works well for a number of languages, language learning will become obsolete, and interpreters superfluous. Or what do you think?

https://youtu.be/SQd394a4qEo
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Re: Google AR glasses

Postby daegga » Tue Jun 28, 2022 5:09 pm

tungemål wrote:After a few years


Didn't we have this discussion here already back in 2016/2017? It's always "in a few years"...

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Re: Google AR glasses

Postby Le Baron » Tue Jun 28, 2022 5:20 pm

He said "That moment of speaking naturally to someone.", but that's not what it is. It's through the medium of text translation. Lacking nuance, tone-of-voice, shared understanding of nuances.

I can see it as a real gift for a deaf/hard-of-hearing person. For an ordinary user though, what happens if your glasses fall into the toilet just before a meeting? 8-) Or the translation is wrong?
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Re: Google AR glasses

Postby leosmith » Wed Jun 29, 2022 3:34 am

tungemål wrote:Or what do you think?

If that ever becomes the state of the art in "language cheating" devices, it won't reign for very long. Audio is much more convenient, and the technology already exists, so I can't see people settling for subtitles for very long. My non-Spanish speaking friends I met in Colombia in December seemed to prefer using Google translate audio only over using text, for example.
Of course it's a different story for the deaf.
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Re: Google AR glasses

Postby Cainntear » Wed Jun 29, 2022 7:54 am

Ideal job for these: showing prerecorded subtitles for films in the cinema in Singapore airport.

Imagine people from all over the world waiting for their transfers walking up, picking up a set of glasses and being able to watch the same film with completely different language subtitles.
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Re: Google AR glasses

Postby tungemål » Wed Jun 29, 2022 11:56 am

daegga wrote:
tungemål wrote:After a few years


Didn't we have this discussion here already back in 2016/2017? It's always "in a few years"...

https://forum.language-learners.org/vie ... lation+app

That seems to have been a non-existant product.
Le Baron wrote:He said "That moment of speaking naturally to someone.", but that's not what it is. It's through the medium of text translation. Lacking nuance, tone-of-voice, shared understanding of nuances.

That's true. However, it would be the same way that all non-natives watch english-language movies - with subtitles. One still perceives the tone of voice.
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Re: Google AR glasses

Postby Le Baron » Wed Jun 29, 2022 1:59 pm

What I'd like are a pair of glasses that translate marketing and management junk jargon into normal language. These are 'languages' I have absolutely no intention of studying. Or even glasses which convert irony or double-talk into truth:

"I think if we pursue all options we can reach an agreement".

Truth Glasses translation: "I have no intention of reaching an agreement, I want my own way, but I'll pretend as much until you come round to my way of thinking".

Thanks truth glasses!
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Re: Google AR glasses

Postby zenmonkey » Wed Jun 29, 2022 2:57 pm

tungemål wrote:Google AR glasses, bringing "subtitles for the world", and live translating.
After a few years, when this works well for a number of languages, language learning will become obsolete, and interpreters superfluous. Or what do you think?

https://youtu.be/SQd394a4qEo


Language translators already exist
https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-digital- ... rs-4154191

Overall the tech is still very basic. And it will always be weaker than you or I just learning the language due to the Law of Interfaces™ - (the larger the number of technical interfaces that you add between humans, the less effective the communication becomes). It will impact the dilettante traveler and learner.

But they are already good enough to order a beer in China.

So no, language learning will not be obsolete.
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