Translators

Before we left I was investigating different language translators available for the iPhone.

I knew we’d need French and Spanish for our trip.

I decided the Microsoft Translator had the best features and the price was right… Until today.

Both bathroom doors have the same sign posted

The Microsoft Translator has a feature where you use the camera to take a picture and it uses OCR and then translates it. I used this feature on the sign and got the following

I told Sue we’re supposed to leave the doors open. She looked at me funny and told me to look up fermee.

I used the same translator and sure enough, fermee is closed. Hmmm…

I thought the OCR might be off, so I started to type it all into the translator.

“Bien vouloir garder la porte” is keep the door open. Add “fermee” at the end and the translation magically changes to “keep the door closed”. It looks like the OCR missed the key word.

Bottom line is be careful depending on automated translators.