How many languages do you believe the human brain can master? Well, according to the Unitarian Universalist History & Heritage Society, Sir John Bowring spoke 100! [i]Imagine what you do with that kind of vocab ;negotiate world peace, conduct business in almost any region of the world , tour the globe and speak to anyone in their language, or any other thing you fancy with you golden tongue.
Now imagine no more because app markets are beginning to swarm with apps that can grant you that golden tongue, at a touch of a button. I have chosen to adopt Translator, a nifty app I picked up at the Windows App Store[ii] that is able to translate voice and text from one language to another. Can't speak Chinese? Allow your smartphone to do it for you. Negotiating prices in a market in Brazil? Have the app say exactly what you mean.
The great thing about these apps is that it is mobile; perfect for times when you just can't seem to find the words to say something[iii]. The downfall is that many of these are that they need an internet connection to activate their linguistic powers, which is a bit of a problem when you choose to play Indiana Jones in a remote village somewhere.
Will these apps form part of society? Will we see random people, from completely contrasting cultures, on the street having a conversation with one another through their smartphones? Well, it may be early days to speak with certainty, but in my opinion, it is definitely possible. The technology has kicked off, and it’s just a matter of time before innovators tweak things up so that they work with greater efficiency …I hear the barrier of communication crumbling already.
Author : Paballo Maiphetlho
References:
[i] http://www25.uua.org/uuhs/duub/articles/sirjohnbowring.html(accessed 27 April 2013)
[ii] http://www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store/app/translator/2cb7cda1-17d8-df11-a844-00237de2db9e(accessed 27 April 2013)
[iii] http://www.bing.com/blogs/site_blogs/b/search/archive/2012/04/16/new-translator-app-for-windows-phone-powered-by-bing-available-for-free-download.aspx (accessed 3 May 2013)
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Sir John Bowring
( 17 October 1792 – 23 November 1872)
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| Translator |
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