How technology is playing its role in establishing new networks by breaking the language barrier!
Knowing an additional language can be awesome. There are so many more people to reach out to! What if we could achieve the same benefits without having to really learn a new language? Reading about Skype Translator and looking at how it has already started changing lives thrills me to no end!
Imagine being able to speak in 6 languages (Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, German, English, and French) and type/chat in another 50 (called messaging languages) – you can reach out to almost anyone in the world! And Skype is going to make sure that people understand you and are able to express themselves well. Simply superb.
I am excited and while making it obvious, share some areas where I believe disruptions are going to be common because of real-time Language translation, that is readily accessible:
- Reduction of the emotion conundrum:
LOL, ROFL, HA HA – they really don’t express the underlying emotions! You can have a poker-faced person typing out these in the chat window on the other side and yet come away thinking you just cracked a great joke! Similarly, in a conversation, where the importance of emotions is often underplayed, the conversing parties can actually see each other utter the words, and follow the emotions – helps to reduce the confusion and also promotes better understanding!
In languages such as French and Chinese, where a minor difference in the accents can make a world of difference, the parties will understand the real intent and act accordingly rather getting culturally sensitive about a misplaced accent!
Now, you can emote in your language and still ensure that the person on the other side understands you and is able to feel the passion….completely!
- Connect more:
What prevents one from approaching another from a different country/culture? The language! Our folks on the USS Enterprise (StarTrek) had these fancy language synthesizers and converters that helped them carry on a conversion, talk peace and even plan war with Alien races. Skype translator is similar, though restricted to earthlings at the moment!
Doesn’t it feel wonderful that the entire population (~7.4 Billion) can now be reached out to and engaged in a conversation!
There is a phrase in Sanskrit – ‘Vasudeva Kutumbakam’ ( वसुधैवकुटुम्बकम् ), which means – “The World is one family”. We shall now connect with our other members, in the language that they prefer!
- Reach out more:
A Tourist asking for directions, a student of theology wishing to connect to great teachers from around the world, an academician willing share and get his work reviewed by the eminent in his field – they will all be now able to reach out better than what has been happening now. Berlitz translation books and notes, however useful, will have to pave way for a translated speech and text that clearly question and communicate with the local population!
Students will be able to discuss science projects and lessons with their counterparts across the world!
- Help more:
Mankind’s problems are global. Patients in trauma, students in need of counselling, people with suicidal tendencies, victims suffering from phobias and post traumatic experiences – they are all over the world. The number of hands that can help has now exponentially increased!
A counsellor in India can now help someone in Kenya to overcome depression, a US based consultant can help speed up an initiative in China by providing experiential inputs…the scope is literally endless.
- Expand:
Establishing Businesses or outsourcing work have more markets to consider, now that the language barriers are eroding faster. More social entrepreneurs in the areas where help is needed the most can help in faster development. More businesses can increase the count of developing and developed countries. The sharing of best practices across countries and industries will be simpler and so will be the sharing of relevant intelligence.
Countries that prided themselves on communication skills, especially knowledge and fluency in English will now need to take a relook at their USP as language will cease to be a barrier for business.
- Increased knowledge base:
Videos, Podcasts, Songs, Dialogues and Audiobooks – they can all be made available in multiple languages without significant effort. You could actually watch a Chinese movie in French by having edited the sound track (except for the lip sync!)
Skype Translator, as I understand, is a spin-off from Microsoft’s Siri-like clone called Cortana. The translation technology has evolved over 15+ years of development at Microsoft as mentioned by Satya Nadella.
It has positive network externalities, which means that I benefit from more and more users joining and using it. You get better translations, an increased spread of the languages covered and of course, have more people to communicate with!
Though these are the initial days, the future is full of promise and the expectations are huge! It wouldn’t be long before ‘Skype’ would actually refer to a verb that means to communicate in native language with a translator!
All the best #Skype & #Microsoft!
Hope we increase the tribe of the folks below, so that their languages can be learnt by more people and thus prevented from getting wiped out!
