Translation software

[Matman]

Just looking for suggestions, I have Dr. eye 6.0...Good software, but will not work with outlook express, and I don't have MS office outlook. It will work with yahoo IM but yahoo mail doesn't support chinese characters. Any suggestions for email that will accept chinese characters. I guess I could just use yahoo IM Like email, because It does archive.

 

Mat

[Randy W]

We use Outlook Express (Chinese characters and all) without any problem. We translate by cutting and pasting into babelfish.altavista.com.

 

Input is by the Microsoft IME (pinyin or handwriting recognition) or her Ruier tablet w/software that she brought with her.

 

To use the Microsoft handwriting recognition, you must also install the Japanese IME (via Control Panel, Regional and Language Options), but she prefers the Ruier software.

Edited January 7, 2006 by Randy W (see edit history)

[yuehan123]

Do you want to translate? We use MS Word 2002 which has a link to Wordlingo.

 

If you want to read or input Chinese characters in Yahoo, Hotmail or any other place try this link from the Links and Resources:

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13211

 

Basically you tell your computer to use Chinese (we use PRC and input keyboard QuanPin) for language options and text services.

[Matman]

Do you want to translate?  We use MS Word 2002 which has a link to Wordlingo.

 

If you want to read or input Chinese characters in Yahoo, Hotmail or any other place try this link from the Links and Resources:

 

http://candleforlove.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=13211

 

Basically you tell your computer to use Chinese (we use PRC and input keyboard QuanPin) for language options and text services.

180647[/snapback]

Thank you! I made the setting changes and Dr. eye wil now cut and paste into yahoo and outlook express!

 

Mat

[Zingaro]

Just looking for suggestions, I have Dr. eye 6.0...Good software, but will not work with outlook express, and I don't have MS office outlook. It will work with yahoo IM but yahoo mail doesn't support chinese characters. Any suggestions for email that will accept chinese characters. I guess I could just use yahoo IM Like email, because It does archive.

 

Mat

180608[/snapback]

The best, least expensive, and easiest translation software I've found is Systran. You can buy the Systran Personal version with one language pair (English/Chinese) for about $49.00. You highlight the word, phrase, sentence, paragraph, page you want to translate, copy it, click translate, then you can paste the translation anywhere you want. It works in Word, Outlook, and other MS software as well as other programs.

 

What my SO and I did is to write our letters in our native languages, translate one paragraph at a time, and paste the translation below the original paragraph. This not only helps with language skills, it also gives the original text to cross check when there are the inevitable translator errors. Systran Personal also allows you to store up to 100 words in a user dictionary. I use this for words that absolutely won't translate, such as person names and other proper nouns. Once they're in the user dictionary, Systran routinely will translate them in context.

 

Systran has other higher end options - Professional, Enterprise, etc. - but the Personal version is plenty adequate for letters and such.

 

BTW, Babelfish uses the Systran engine for its translations.

 

No machine translator is perfect, but Systran seems to make fewer mistakes than other translation software I've tried.

 

You can add to your toolbox with Kingsoft's Chiniese-English computer dictionary. It is a VERY complete dictionary (not a translator) but you can mouse-over an English word to display and hear a pronunciation of the Chinese. You can mouse-over a Chinese word to display and hear a pronunciation of the English. It works across virtually all Windows-based applications. Powerword 2006 is the latest, and it is excellent.

 

One additional resource is the MDBG free online Chinese dictionary. You can translate like Babelfish, look up words, Chinese characters, input Pinyin, Chinese, English -- it's really a marvelous website. There's plenty there for anyone studying or translating Chinese-English. The URL is: http://www.xuezhongwen.net/chindict/chindi...%2Fchindict.php . I highly recommend it.

Edited January 8, 2006 by Zingaro (see edit history)