They just open sourced their newest TTS today.
High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
21–30 of 59 posts
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#22This is why I wonder about the value of language learning for reasons other than “I’m really passionate about it.” We are so close to interfaces that reduce the language barrier by a lot…
It's not personal but I can't help myself to think that's such a sad post here. Reducing learning a different culture through language by plugging in an earbud. Is the battery is gone or your phone is stolen you realize you can't automate anything and that you've learned nothing. It's not about the tech if it works it's amazing it's like babelfish but it's so shallow to assume everything has some direct and simple "value" that can be replaced by some machine or even better some paid service. It's so common here. Is this an US thing?
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#23This is why I wonder about the value of language learning for reasons other than “I’m really passionate about it.” We are so close to interfaces that reduce the language barrier by a lot…
It's not personal but I can't help myself to think that's such a sad post here. Reducing learning a different culture through language by plugging in an earbud. Is the battery is gone or your phone is stolen you realize you can't automate anything and that you've learned nothing. It's not about the tech if it works it's amazing it's like babelfish but it's so shallow to assume everything has some direct and simple "v…
It's a much older theme, going all the way back to the Biblical legend of the Tower of Babel (hence the name of the fish.) Like most of that material, the Babel myth was probably stolen from the Babylonians or even older cultures.
The powers that be -- whether gods or governors -- tend to feel threatened when people can communicate freely with each other. Don't join their side.
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#24Nice. I'm impressed. Translator jobs are going to go poof! overnight. Just sayin'.
Translators sure, interpreters no. Interpreters also have to factor in cultural context and customs, ensuring that meaning is conveyed without offence being given in formal contexts.
I don't see why software couldn't do that, if you give them the context.
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#25Nice. I'm impressed. Translator jobs are going to go poof! overnight. Just sayin'.
Translators sure, interpreters no. Interpreters also have to factor in cultural context and customs, ensuring that meaning is conveyed without offence being given in formal contexts.
That seems like something LLMs could eventually get good at
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#26[dead]
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#27Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's not personal but I can't help myself to think that's such a sad post here. Reducing learning a different culture through language by plugging in an earbud. Is the battery is gone or your phone is stolen you realize you can't automate anything and that you've learned nothing. It's not about the tech if it works it's amazing it's like babelfish but it's so shallow to assume everything has some direct and simple "v…
It's a much older theme, going all the way back to the Biblical legend of the Tower of Babel (hence the name of the fish.) Like most of that material, the Babel myth was probably stolen from the Babylonians or even older cultures. The powers that be -- whether gods or governors -- tend to feel threatened when people can communicate freely with each other. Don't join their side.
I think you misunderstood my post. It's wonderful technology and a great aid. I just wanted to say there is so much more to learning a foreign language (and culture) than machine translation - even if almost perfect. At least that was my take away from learning Czech as a German. Lot's of subtle details.
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#28This is why I wonder about the value of language learning for reasons other than “I’m really passionate about it.” We are so close to interfaces that reduce the language barrier by a lot…
I don't know if you're multilingual, but some concepts are just legitimately easier to express in some languages; and the different grammatical structures that languages have can be useful for emphasising certain things, or to express subtle relationships between concepts.
I'm not a particularly fluent speaker of Japanese and Russian, but I still find it helpful to drop into them sometimes when speaking with someone who understands them.
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a much older theme, going all the way back to the Biblical legend of the Tower of Babel (hence the name of the fish.) Like most of that material, the Babel myth was probably stolen from the Babylonians or even older cultures. The powers that be -- whether gods or governors -- tend to feel threatened when people can communicate freely with each other. Don't join their side.
I think you misunderstood my post. It's wonderful technology and a great aid. I just wanted to say there is so much more to learning a foreign language (and culture) than machine translation - even if almost perfect. At least that was my take away from learning Czech as a German. Lot's of subtle details.
No, I was making a larger point: there shouldn't be any such thing as a "foreign language." We're all members of the same species. (Yes, even Americans.) Technology like this is what will realize that ideal.
If cultures around the world had all grown up alongside each other, speaking the same language, and someone came along and said, "That's no good, every nation and every ethnic group should speak a different language," we wouldn't rush to embrace that point of view, would we? Who would benefit from such a policy? Certainly not you and me.
Re: High-fidelity simultaneous speech-to-speech translation
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
I think you misunderstood my post. It's wonderful technology and a great aid. I just wanted to say there is so much more to learning a foreign language (and culture) than machine translation - even if almost perfect. At least that was my take away from learning Czech as a German. Lot's of subtle details.
No, I was making a larger point: there shouldn't be any such thing as a "foreign language." We're all members of the same species. (Yes, even Americans.) Technology like this is what will realize that ideal. If cultures around the world had all grown up alongside each other, speaking the same language, and someone came along and said, "That's no good, every nation and every ethnic group should speak a different langu…
Change is hard, but diversity is good, and certainly better than monoculture (of language).