Operating a business in Quebec means sometimes having to write documents in both English and French. Since most people are usually native speakers in only one language (in my case, English), writing in their second language can sometimes be problematic. I usually have friends double check my French documents (e.g. emails) before sending them out. However, this whole review process can be time consuming.
Enter a new feature from Google Docs. At the click of a button, you can translate your text into your choice of 42 languages. All have to do is select the text in your Google document, click ‘Translate Document’ and then select your language.
I haven’t tried all 42 languages, but I can definitely vouch for the English to French and French to English translators. I remember how not too long ago, the quality of online translators was extremely poor, sometimes even comical. Since then, however, there has been some major improvements.
I still wouldn’t rely on this tool as my sole translator. In other words, it is still necessary for a native speaker to proofread the translation. However, it is much better than starting a translation from scratch. From my experience, It also reduces the time needed for proofreading by at least 50%.
A thumbs up once again to Google for thinking of another cool way to make our lives easier.
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