Accrington Web - View Single Post

WillowTheWhisp · 13-01-2006, 06:42

I'm now wondering why, if Babelfish can manage to translate into Chinese and Japanese, why it can't translate into Urdu. Mind you, I'd be wary of trusting in Babelfish having seen some of the French and German translations it comes up with!

Mani, do you think a time will come when all Asian women will be able to speak/read English or Urdu or do you think there'll always be a few first generation immigrants who can't?

What about the Eastern European immigrants Gayle? Do most of them learn English before they ever get here? I'm quite curious about this now. I know we had a lot of Polish people and others from neighbouring areas here after the war and we had a next door neighbour who came here as a child and when he grew up he married a woman from "back home" in the Ukraine. She couldn't speak a word of English when she first arrived and was very shy but gradually she learned more and more and by the time she had a daughter starting school she was able to read everything in English. I suppose having a similar alphabet helps though.

It always used to be regarded that the English were far too lazy (or maybe arrogant) to learn a foreign language. Are we getting any better at that do you thnk?

13-01-2006, 06:42	#34
WillowTheWhisp Resident Waffler Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Accrington, Hyndburn Posts: 18,142 Blog Entries: 14 Liked: 14 times Rep Power: 1062	Re: Translator please I'm now wondering why, if Babelfish can manage to translate into Chinese and Japanese, why it can't translate into Urdu. Mind you, I'd be wary of trusting in Babelfish having seen some of the French and German translations it comes up with! Mani, do you think a time will come when all Asian women will be able to speak/read English or Urdu or do you think there'll always be a few first generation immigrants who can't? What about the Eastern European immigrants Gayle? Do most of them learn English before they ever get here? I'm quite curious about this now. I know we had a lot of Polish people and others from neighbouring areas here after the war and we had a next door neighbour who came here as a child and when he grew up he married a woman from "back home" in the Ukraine. She couldn't speak a word of English when she first arrived and was very shy but gradually she learned more and more and by the time she had a daughter starting school she was able to read everything in English. I suppose having a similar alphabet helps though. It always used to be regarded that the English were far too lazy (or maybe arrogant) to learn a foreign language. Are we getting any better at that do you thnk? __________________