Translators

A phone translator--how does this work? Do you say something to the foreign person, then your phone listens to their response and the phone responds to them? Do they listen to you, or do they listen to your phone. Do you get involved in the response?

I usually only use my translator app to decipher things on the menu, or written in other contexts, that I am not familiar with. I would never try to use one in conversation.

Yes,Kent the new translators are designed to be a seamless form of translation. You lay the phone down talk to the other person. They then speak back in French and it translates to English. I am little worried using this technology could be considered very rude. But never traveling in a country where English is not the dominate language makes me a newbie.

Merci

Doug

Hi Anita,
I think I would agree, but ultimately technology will determine etiquette.
Thanks Doug

Hi Anita,
I think I would agree, but ultimately technology will determine etiquette.
Thanks Doug

"I am little worried using this technology could be considered very rude"

Listen to that voice in your head. Learn a few key words and phrases and you'll be fine, much more so than if you elect to foist your technology on them.

"I think I would agree, but ultimately technology will determine etiquette"

I disagree. Humans shall determine etiquette. Seriously, put yourself in their shoes; a few words and some gestures, along with a friendly smile-not too friendly-will get it done nicely.

Doug,

I have no idea whether using an electronic translator is considered poor etiquette. If that's the only method available in a particular situation, I'd use it anyway.

I've tested a few of the "talking translators" with native speakers in both French and German. In both cases, I was told that the devices "somewhat get the meaning across", but they're not grammatically perfect. I've used a translator once or twice in Spain just to try it out, and it had the desired result but got a bit of a "smirk" from the people I was dealing with. I try to avoid "advertising" my iPhone so don't use the translators too often.

I tend to prefer learning a few of the polite words in the local language of whatever country I'm visiting - good morning/afternoon/evening, hello, please, thank you, etc. The reality is that many of the people you'll be dealing with will be able to function in English to some extent. Therefore a translator usually isn't of much use.

Doug,

I find that learning some of the common words as mentioned previously helps and i believe i was better for trying. So far in every country i have visited, if i tried, the locals were i felt appreciative.

Sometimes i had more of an issue since their english wasnt as good as others, but eventually i was able to comprehend what was spoken.

I think that those translators will be common place and probably be like a UT (Universal Translator) as on Star Trek, but its a few years off. Until then, I'm going to have some fun trying to learn some simple words in all the countries i visit.

as a personal comment. While you're on your travels, why not do some testing and see how they like it? Just do what you plan or want to do and then try to ask them how they feel.

happy trails.

I'd try it out on someone who knows both languages to tell you if the translation is okay! This after using google-translate and getting some very strange results in various languages.

I look at it from perspective of what it would look like here in US to me. If it is a transaction or conversation where it is in the interests of both parties to have accurate communciation, maybe its OK. But if someone walks up and points their phone at me and wants me to have a conversation with their phone, I say its rude. Especially if its a basic tourist thing - "good morning, where is the train station?" then I would consider it rude that no attempt would have been made to learn the polite phrases.

He means he doesn't want to flaunt it making it susceptible to theft.

I don't speak French beyond the usual tourist phrases, and I spent a month in France last year without incident. People do appreciate the effort to speak a few phrases, and if they know English, they will respond in English. I think etiquette would place eye-to-eye contact above eye-to-phone.

And as Chani said, some translations can make life a little too interesting.