[Air-l] AoIR in Latin-America - Translating Software

[Charlie Balch]

I'd be very interested in hearing opinions about language translating
software in the context of academic writing.  Free online examples include:
http://babelfish.altavista.com/
And
http://www.google.com/language_tools

I tried the Babelfish translator on my homepage (http://charlie.balch.org).
If you follow the link you'll see a control in the top right hand corner
that allows translation of my page into a variety of languages.

I know the translations are crude.  In example, I've given students an
assignment to write a message, translate it into another language, then
round trip it back into English.  The results are still readable if
humorous.  

In example, here is the message above round-tripped through Spanish and
Google:

-- Message Round Tripped through Spanish --

Very it would be interested in opinions of the hearing on language that
translates software in the context of the academic writing.  The in line
free examples include:  
http://babelfish.altavista.com

http://www.google.com/language_tools 

I tried the translator of Babelfish in my homepage
(http://charlie.balch.org).  If you follow the connection you you will see a
control in the superior right corner that allows the translation of my page
in a variety of languages.  

I know that the translations are crude.  

In example, I have given to students an allocation to write a message, I
translate it to another language, then around the trip he again within
English.  The results continue being legible if they are chistosos.  

In example, it is here with the message arrives round-shooting Spanish and
Google