Jen: Hi Neil. 

Neil: Now, this sounds like every struggling language student’s dream... 

Jen: A piece of technology which could put an end to hours and hours of study… 

Neil: It sounds like something from science fiction… 

Jen: A machine which allows you to speak any language in the world… instantly! 

Neil: OK, well not quite, but we are talking about an app - a piece of software common on smartphones - developed in Japan. This app allows you to have conversations with another person speaking in a different language translated in real time - in other words, instantly. 

Jen: This could put us out of a job, Neil! Now come on, it must be time for a language-related quiz. 

Neil: Yes, that’s exactly what we’ll do now. I want to know, how many languages are there in the world? Is it: 

a) about 100 

b) about 1,000 

c) about 6,000 

Jen: Well, I think there are a lot but maybe not 6,000, so I’ll go for b) about 1,000. 

Neil: OK, well we will find out, as ever, at the end of the programme. Back now to our app. 

Jen: This, of course, isn’t the only instant translation technology in the world. 

Neil: No, Google have something similar, though it’s less advanced than this Japanese app. Listen to the first part of a report from the BBC’s correspondent, Richard Taylor. How does the Google technology work

BBC correspondent Richard Taylor: 

You simply talk into your smartphone. That’s then sent to the server from Google, which does real-time voice recognition and then machine translation on it and then that data is sent back to your phone either as a script or, if you pay a little bit extra in terms of data charges, as a voice file. 

Neil: He says when you talk into your smartphone, it’s sent to the server - a central computer which other computers get their information from. 

Jen: The server does real-time translation and then sends back a text or voice file. 

Neil: So you read the translation or, if you pay a little bit more, listen to a translation sent as an audio recording. 

Jen: Amazing stuff! 

Neil: Indeed, but this new app in Japan, developed by the company NTT Docomo, goes even further. 

Jen: That’s right. With this technology, you can have an actual conversation with someone on the other side of the world, speaking a different language to the one which is coming out of your mouth! 

Neil: Incredible! Now listen to the second part of the report from the BBC’s Richard Taylor. 

BBC correspondent Richard Taylor: 

But they’ve actually taken the concept and applied it to normal phone calls. So, you’re making a phone call to somebody from Japan in Japanese, on the other side of the world, for example in Britain. It will take that Japanese voice, do the real-time machine translation on the server, couple of seconds later it would bring it back down to you in English. Or at least that’s the idea. 

Neil: So, the difference is that this app allows people to speak to foreigners in real time - with a slight pause while the real-time translation takes place. 

Jen: So, which languages does it convert? 

Neil: At the moment, Japanese to English, Mandarin and Korean. But more are to follow. 

Jen: I suppose the big question is “How accurate is the translation?” 

Neil: Yes, that is the big question. The BBC’s Richard Taylor tried it out with the help of a Japanese translator. What did he ask and how good does the translator think the app is? 

BBC correspondent Richard Taylor: 

Reporter: Hello, how are you? Are there any good restaurants around here? 

Smartphone: [Japanese reply] 

Reporter: How well did that do as a translation, first of all? 

Japanese translator: Well, it’s understandable but it’s not perfect. 

Neil: The reporter asked if there is a good restaurant nearby. 

Jen: And the Japanese translator says the app was understandable but not perfect. 

Neil: Is this technology going to sweep the world, I wonder? 

Jen: Well, there are some other companies hot on the heels of the Japanese company NTT Docomo. For example, France’s Alcatel-Lucent is developing a rival product which will operate on landlines. 

Neil: And Microsoft is working on something it’s calling the Translating Telephone. Now the question I want to ask you Jen is, “Do you think this will put an end to language learning forever?” 

Jen: Well, I hope not. I think these types of technologies are always helpful but nothing will ever replace learning a language. I know I’m biased but speaking a foreign language is one of life’s great pleasures! 

Neil: And I agree with you but, of course, I would because it’s my job. 

Jen: Before we go, Neil, aren’t you going give the answer to the quiz? 

Neil: OK, yes. I wanted to know how many languages there are in the world. Is it: 

a) about 100 

b) about 1,000 

c) about 6,000 

Jen: And I said b) about 1,000. 

Neil: And you are wrong. I know you speak about 1,000 languages, Jen, but the answer is about 6,000. 

Jen: Wow! 

Neil: Now, time for a recap of some of the words we heard in today’s programme. 

Jen: They are: app, smartphone, in real time, server, hot on the heels. 

Neil: Join us again soon for more 6 Minute English from bbclearningenglish.com. 

Jen: And don’t forget to find us on Facebook and Twitter. 

Neil: Bye for now. 

Jen: Bye. 6 Minute English ? British Broadcasting Corporation 2012 Page 4 of 4 bbclearningenglish.com 

Vocabulary and definitions 

app software common on mobile phones 

smartphone a mobile phone which is also a small computer 

in real time instantly 

server a central computer which other computers get their information from 

hot on the heels very soon after something