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As the world becomes more globalized, especially via the Internet, the need to communicate in languages rather than one’s own native language is increasingly necessary. Document, legal and website translations, proofreading, back translation and interpretation are common requirements in today’s international marketplace. As development of artificial intelligence gains sophistication, software programs are replacing traditional print versions of bilingual or multilingual dictionaries.
On the personal front, global travel is making destinations previously inaccessible easily reached. Many users are searching for software to assist with language learning. Web translation, instant messaging and emails are also common translation needs.
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There are many translation software products available, with varying degrees of efficiency. Amongst the most frequently utilized software products are the following:
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Conceived in 1995, Babylon was created in 1997. Babylon is a translation program with single-click activation. The user clicks on the text to be translated and Babylon provides the translation and description for the clicked word. Babylon operates in all Windows programs.
Babylon has developed built-in bilingual dictionaries for thirteen languages, a text-to-speech ability to allow an user to hear pronunciations, reference materials realized through partnerships with major publishers and a free translation box for webmasters and affiliates. Until financial troubles struck in 2001, Babylon was free but is now a payware product.
Babylon's dictionary and translation software offers results from a database of 1,400 sources in 75 languages. The database includes 25 professional dictionaries in 17 languages developed by Babylon's own linguistic team: English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Japanese, Hebrew, Chinese (Traditional), Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, Russian, Korean, Swedish, Greek, Arabic and Turkish.
In addition, Babylon offers add-on premium content from world-renowned dictionary publishers, including Oxford University Press, Britannica, Merriam-Webster, Larousse, Vox, Langenscheidt, Pons, Van Dale, Melhoramentos and Taishukan.
Babylon is sold worldwide in over 168 countries with a user base of over 40 million desktop installations.
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A New York-based company, Ectaco was founded in 1990. Today it has grown to 300 employees in 16 countries.
Ectaco develops, produces and sells translation dictionaries and language software under several brands, including LingvoSoft software with supported configurations for Windows, Palm OS and Pocket PC.
Other brands are iTravl for travelers with multiple languages and speech recognition; SpeechGuard, which markets translation software used by US police forces, government and military; and, Partner, which offers a general purpose translation dictionary for businesses and users learning languages.
In all, Ectaco has software packs for 220 languages.
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LingvoSoft develops language-learning, dictionary, translation and localization software products. These products are created by software engineers and linguists.
The current available version is “Talking Translator”, which has a mobile version and is downloadable with purchase.
Features are program integration, file translation, specialized dictionaries and text-to-speech pronunciation. The available number of languages per program is two. Supported formats are email, with web translation for Internet Explorer and Firefox. Supported configurations are Windows XP.
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PROMT was founded in 1991 by two Ph.D.s in computational linguistics from the research department of Herzen University, St. Petersburg, Russia. Promt’s focus is on solving machine translation issues. Promt is active in the Russian and CIS market, with efforts on marketing its software in Europe and North America continuing.
Promt offers three versions of its @promt translation software, which is downloadable at purchase: Office, Pro and Expert.
These feature program integration, file translation, instant translation while web browsing, specialized dictionaries, source language auto-identification, text-to-speech pronunciation, batch translation and integrated spell check. There are six languages per program. Supported formats include word, PDF, RTF, HTML, email, chat and instant messages with web translation for Internet Explorer and Firefox. Supported configurations are Vista and Windows XP.
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Systran was founded in 1968. Headquartered in Paris, France, Systran has a North American office in California, USA. The US Intelligence Community and European Commission are a few of the global corporations, Internet portals and public agencies who use Systran products.
Systran has five major products: Premium Translator; Business Translator; Office Translator; Home Translator and Web Translator.
All products incorporate a plug-in for real-time Web pages in internet Explorer and Firefox. PDF document translation is available in the Premium and Business options. Premium, Business and Office offer plug-in for all Microsoft programs, with Word only in the Home version. Software can be trained to understand terminology in varying degrees subject to the product chosen. Premium and Business provide translation of multiple files at the same time.
Dependent on the product, multilingual packs are included. Fifty-two languages pairs are downloadable.
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