Insane silliness

Rob posted this little fun thing to do on a boring Friday afternoon on his blog, and I thought I would use a piece of text from Fuggled to demonstrate how computer translation software is usually useless.

1. Go to Babelfish.
2. Enter text up to 150 words.
3. Translate from English to Chinese (trad).
4. Copy and paste the resulting text, then translate back into English.

I decided to take this one step further and take the resulting text and "translate" it into Russian and back, then German and back and finally Greek and back, here are the results:

Original text:

Simple really, a pub where I like the surroundings, and they serve beers from one of my favourite brewers in the Czech Republic - and they even have the right shaped glasses for serving British style ales in! Importantly they seem to have worked out how to pour an ale so it doesn't take 10 minutes, and you don't have to order your second when you are a third of the way down your first, although out of habit I generally do so anyway.

From Chinese and back:

, I like truly periphery simply the inn and they for the food from beer my Czechoslovakia's affection brewer -, and they even have serve the British style ale the correct shape glass! How have they as if formulated importantly but actually the ale, therefore does not need ten minutes, and you cannot order your second, when you are when you first way 1/3, although stemming from habit I that in any event usual

From Russian and back:

, I love truly the periphery simply hotel and they for the food from the beer my Czechoslovakia' the viniculturist of attachment s -, and they even have a supply British ale of the type of correctly glass- form! As have them if formulated importantly but actually ale; therefore are not necessary 10 minutes, and you cannot order your second, when you when you are first way of 1/3, although from the habit i which in any event usual.

From German and back:

, Love I really the hotel and it the periphery simply for the food of the beer my Czechoslovakia' viniculturist from accessories s - and they have you even a British Ale of the supply material of the kind that correctly glass form! Like it, if it is formulated importantly however real, Ale has; therefore are not necessary 10 minutes, and you cannot order your second, if them, if you are first way of 1/3, although of the habit I those in any case usually.

And finally from Greek and back:

Love I really the hotel and region simply for the foods of beer Czechoslovakia'? my viniculturist from the elements s - and you they have even a British English beer of material supply of type that correct form of glass! As, if he is formulated considerably nevertheless real, the English beer has consequently is not essentially 10 thinly, and you cannot order your second, if these, if you are first way the 1/3, even if habit I those in any event usually.

I am starting to see how some technical writers put together their user guides!