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Google Translate adds 24 new languages

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Google Translate - Level 4

Google added 24 languages to its translation service. Google Translate now has 133 languages. It is a valuable and convenient tool. The 24 new languages are spoken by more than 300 million people. Among them are many indigenous languages. Google started its translation service in 2006. It has added to it ever since. Google said it still has a way to go. There are 7,000 languages worldwide that are not on Translate.

Translate needs lots of linguistic data to support a language. It said: "Up until a couple of years ago, it simply was not technologically possible to add languages like these [new ones], which are what we call a low resource – meaning that there are not very many text resources…for them." Google hopes to support languages that many people speak. It also wants to focus on indigenous languages that are often overlooked by technology.

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Google Translate - Level 5

Google added 24 languages to its translation service, bringing the total number to 133. Google Translate is an indispensable tool. It conveniently and quickly translates vocabulary and texts into other languages. The 24 new languages are spoken by more than 300 million people. Among them are indigenous languages of the Americas. Google started its first translation service in 2006. It has continually added to the number of languages. Google said it still has a way to go. There are 7,000 languages worldwide that Translate doesn't translate.

Translate needs a large amount of linguistic data to support a language. Google explained how new technology helped to add the new languages. It said: "Up until a couple of years ago, it simply was not technologically possible to add languages like these, which are what we call a low resource – meaning that there are not very many text resources…for them." Google hopes to support languages used by large populations. It also wants to provide assistance for indigenous languages that are often overlooked by technology.

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11 online activities    |    8-page printable   (PDF)

Google Translate - Level 6

Google Translate has added 24 languages to its translation service, bringing the total number to 133. For many of us, Translate is an indispensable tool. It provides a convenient, accurate and quick way of comprehending vocabulary and texts in other languages. The 24 new languages are spoken by more than 300 million people worldwide. Among them are the indigenous Aymara, Guarani and Quechua languages of the Americas. Google rolled out its first translation service in 2006 and has continually added to its repository. Google said it still has a way to go to be more comprehensive. There are around 7,000 languages worldwide that Translate doesn't provide support for.

Translate needs to analyze a large range of linguistic data to be able to support a language. Isaac Caswell, a Google Translate scientist, told journalists about how advances in technology have facilitated adding the new languages. He said: "Up until a couple of years ago, it simply was not technologically possible to add languages like these, which are what we call a low resource – meaning that there are not very many text resources out there for them." He explained that Google aspires to support languages used by large populations. One of these is Lingala, spoken by 45 million people across Central Africa. It also wants to render assistance for indigenous languages that are often overlooked by technology.

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25 online activities    |    27-page printable    |    2-page mini-lesson

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