Language-translating devices

In years past, beyond pointing at objects and pantomiming, travelers who did not speak the national language in another country but wanted to communicate would use a foreign-language phrasebook or dictionary to point out words or they would find someone to interpret for them. The electronics age has brought amazing new options.

Some handheld electronic devices allow you to look up words in a stored foreign-language dictionary, to type words or even phrases to be translated or to use an audio function to listen to the proper pronunciations. Travelers with smartphones and handheld computer devices have access to text-to-text, text-to-voice and even speech-to-speech translation. Usually, these units offer additional functions, such as e-readers, currency exchange capability, games, a calendar, notepads and other useful items. 

Electronic devices have both assets and liabilities. The dictionary capacity is large, the word lists can be updated, and you can carry programs of multiple languages on one unit. While speech-translation functions can be helpful, the translations are not always correct or they can come out garbled. Computerized devices can be expensive, and they need batteries or recharging. Some programs require being connected to a cell phone network or WiFi in order to function, which can be both inconvenient and costly. Prices for electronic devices vary widely, and used devices at  discounted prices are frequently available.

Let’s take a look at the various communication-assisting options that are available today, starting at the low-tech end and working our way up in both complexity and price. For each, we are providing examples, some of which have been drawn from articles in newspapers and on travel websites (USA Today, Slate.com, SmarterTravel.com, BootsnAll.com and TopTenReviews.com) that have published reviews on translation devices and apps/programs that they think are useful. 

Laminated pictograph cards or small books display plain pictures or drawings grouped by topic (food, transportation, safety, etc.). Showing the card to someone, you point at a picture and hope your request is understood. Examples follow.

Kwikpoint Visual Language Translators  — International Translator, wallet sized, $7.99; International Translator, brochure size, $12.99, and International Travel Translator, book-size foldout, $16.49. 

“Point it: Traveller’s Language Kit — The Original Picture Dictionary” (Graf Editions) — pocket-sized paperback book, 72 pgs., $5.99.

Phrase books offer selected phrases and words commonly used by travelers. The words are usually grouped by topic, with phonetic spellings to the side to help you pronounce the words in the second language. Examples follow.

“Central Europe Phrasebook” (Lonely Planet) — six languages. Pocket-sized, $8.99. 

“Japanese Phrase Book” (DK Adult) — pocket-sized paperback, 128 pgs., $8.

“Eating and Drinking in Paris: French Menu Translator & Restaurant Guide” (Open Road) — pocket-sized, 128 pgs., $19.68.

Foreign-language dictionaries offer side-by-side translations of hundreds of thousands of words from one language to another. These usually offer vastly more words and more in-depth definitions than phrase books do. Some are in the traditional paper format and others are now sold as e-books that you can carry along on your computer or smartphone. Examples follow.

“Webster’s New World Italian Dictionary: Italian/English, English/Italian” (Webster’s New World) — 6"x8" paperback, 1,032 pgs., $12.95.

“Pocket Tagalog Dictionary: Tagalog-English, English-Tagalog” (Periplus Pocket Dictionaries) — pocket-sized paperback, 96 pgs., $6.95.

“Japanese-English Dictionary,” edited by Roger Hausermann — e-book for Kindle or smartphone readers. $2.99.

“Merriam-Webster’s: Italian-English Translation Dictionary” — e-book for Kindle or smartphone readers. $7.95.

Electronic dictionaries are used in handheld devices with viewing screens. You type in a word, and the foreign translation is displayed, which you can sound out or show to someone. Most devices can be loaded with several languages or e-books. Some include periodic updates of the software. Examples follow.

Lingo TR4400 World Traveler dictionary — preloaded with 44 languages. Has a clock, calculator, metric converter and currency converter. About $86.

Ectaco Multilanguage Universal Translator — 10 languages. Has a clock, calculator, contact organizer, metric converter and currency converter. About $99

Text-to-speech translators offer typed-text translation plus an audio recording of each word. More advanced units allow you type in a phrase or sentence to be read back aloud in the other language. Some units allow typing in words in the other language to be translated back into yours. 

For example, a Spanish man tries to tell you how to get to the ferry. He types in “El ferry se encuentra junto a la estación de policía en la parte inferior de la colina” and you hear, “The ferry is next to the police station at the bottom of the hill.” Examples follow.

Ectaco XL-1500 Partner Multilingual Talking Dictionary — 15 languages, 31,000 phrases, over three million words. Text-to-speech translation. $240.

Lingo Voyager 5 (Direct TTV-5) — 20 languages, 46,000 phrases, 400,000 words. Text-to-speech translation. Clock, calendar, music, games, etc. $220.

Speech-to-speech translators are powerful minicomputer units that, in addition to the text translations, provide audio translation using speech-recognition software. These units record a phrase or word spoken by one user, and, after translating it to the second language, you are shown a written text and/or provided with a spoken translation. 

For example, you could record, in English, “Where is the bathroom?” and the machine will play back an audio translation in Spanish: “¿Dónde está el baño?”

However, speech-to-speech translators are notorious for being glitchy. Poor pronunciation, an unusual accent or unfamiliar words can throw the software off and bring out gobbledegook. Fortunately, the programs are becoming more and more sophisticated and for some languages are actually useful. Examples follow.

Franklin 14 Language Speaking Global Translator — 2.5 million words. Audio recorder and translator. Dictionary. Clock, calendar, etc. $220.

Ectaco Partner Multilingual devices — up to 183 languages. Voice-activated audio phrase book, audio recorder and translator. Full electronic text and touch-screen translation. Text dictionary. Visual dictionary that uses a color screen. Has a scanning “pen” to scan, upload and translate text. Games, clock, e-reader, music, etc. From $500 to $900, depending on the number of languages preloaded.

Web-based translation services and dictionaries usually are not downloaded onto your phone, although several can be. These allow you to translate blocks of text or entire webpages from one language to another. While the results may not be linguistically perfect, you can usually get across the basic meaning of what you are trying to communicate. Examples follow.

Google Translate website — 71 languages. Text-to-text and voice-to-voice translation, as well as webpage translation on screen. App (see below) may be used offline on Android phones and tablets. Free.

Bing — 44 languages (including Klingon). Text-to-text and webpage translation on screen. Requires Internet connection. Free.

Oxford Language Dictionaries Online — six languages. Full dictionaries. Full use by subscription only (annual, $70; monthly, $8). 

Applications, or apps, are software programs that you can download to your smartphone (iPhone, Android, Windows phone, Blackberry, etc.) and/or computer. Keep in mind that these often require access to a cell phone network or WiFi while they are functioning. If you are connected to the Internet, be aware that you may incur additional roaming charges or extra data-plan charges from your cell service. 

These apps range from simple foreign-language dictionaries to all-inclusive translation programs with text-to-text, text-to-speech and speech-to-speech translation options. 

Several apps come with the option of paying a fee for a certain number of phone-call minutes in which a live person will help translate what someone is trying to tell you. Examples follow.

Ultralingua links to a foreign-language dictionary and to Google. 290,000 translations are included in the Spanish/English app. Unusual in that it provides translations of numbers plus verb-conjugation rules. No Internet connection required. Free, but upgrades cost $4.99 to $19.99.

Google Translate app offers text-to-text translation on screen and speech-recognition function. Text for 70 languages; audio input and speech translation for some languages. On Android-based phones and tablets, languages can be downloaded onto the device for use without an Internet connection. Free.

Jibbigo Translator translates via text or by speech recognition. Free online and also works offline with purchased language sets; $4.99 per language set. 

MyLanguage Translator Pro allows typed input and display of 59 languages. 24 are capable of text-into-speech translation. $4.99.

iSpeak handles five languages. Translates text into speech with native accent. $1.99.

Word Lens uses the cell phone camera/video to translate printed words on pages and even signs. Six languages. Each language is downloaded separately. (Glitchy but cool). Free. 

Real-time translation services with live translators. Example follows.

Interpretravel, an app for smartphones, allows you to connect to a live interpreter via cell phone. 24 languages (including some unusual ones). Select a pay-as-you-go rate of $2.89 per minute or buy credits ahead of time for $2.50 per minute. Requires cell service. 

Real-time-chat and instant-messaging translation programs are secondary programs that you can use in conjunction with your Facebook, MSN Messenger, Google Talk and other social media messaging services. It translates your posts and the foreign-language responses you receive. Example follows.

SpeechTrans handles 11 languages. Facebook chat with non-English-speaking friends. $19.99.