I am struggling to learn German. \u00a0It is not reading and writing, which surprisingly is easy in German. German like Spanish and as opposed to French or English, has clear rules of pronunciation. \u00a0What is hard, really hard, is to understand German, and this is not only because of the vocabulary and phonetics but mainly because of the grammar. \u00a0So as I struggle with German grammar I wondered if computers would find the challenge equally daunting. \u00a0I did a number of random translations using Google and Bing from German to English and from Spanish to English and voil\u00e1! translation engines also failed. Translations made from Spanish to English are of much better quality than from German to English. \u00a0Here are some examples. You can replicate my tests even if you don’t speak Spanish or German, just input the original text in the translators and see \u00a0which translations sound better in English.<\/p>\n
Random paragraph from Die Welt<\/p>\n
Der Ausbau der Fotovoltaik ist in Deutschland zwar ins Stocken geraten. Doch in dieser Woche feierte die Agentur f\u00fcr erneuerbare Energien noch einmal die gewaltigen Ausma\u00dfe der Solarstromproduktion, die Deutschland mithilfe \u00fcppiger Subventionen<\/a> inzwischen aufgebaut hat.<\/p>\n Google Translator<\/p>\n The expansion of photovoltaics is indeed stalled in Germany. But this week, the agency celebrated for renewable energies once again the enormous size of the solar power production, Germany using lush subsidies<\/a> has been able to build.<\/p>\n Bing Translator<\/p>\n The expansion of photovoltaics is advised while in Germany stalled. But this week, the Agency for renewable energies once again celebrated the huge proportions ofthe solar power production, which Germany has now built using abundant subsidies.<\/p>\n Random Paragraph from El Pais<\/p>\n