Post by drcard on Dec 31, 2020 16:30:58 GMT -5
iPhone – Live Translations
Overview:
iPhone update to iOS 14 added a new app to iPhones. The new app is called Translate which will do live translations between any two of the 11 languages Apple offers translation for. What follows is a detailed description of what Translate will do and how to use its functions.
iPhone Translate
What the Translate Does
Translate app will translate words or phrases from one language to another as long as the two languages are among the 11 different languages offered by Apple. These words or phrases can be typed in, pasted in, or spoken into the app. The Translate app can be used to do live translations for a conversation with the phone translating what each person says. The Translate app can provide definition for any word in the languages. The Translate app uses a web connection to perform the translations, but you can download the languages you want translations for to get offline translations. The app will also allow you to save a translation as a favorite for future use. The Translate app will allow you to communicate with someone where neither speaks a common language. The Translate app also serves as an excellent teaching device in demonstrating how a phrase is pronounced so a user can use the phone to practice speaking the language they are learning.
Translate App Settings
• To access the Translate app settings, tap Settings button from Home Screen. Scroll down and tap Translate.
• There are two settings for the Translate app and both relate to the software source used to perform the translations:
o Allow Translate to Access Cellular Data – slide switch to allow use of cellular data when switch is green (On). Translations performed by the web site’s software are called online translations which are more accurate than translations performed on the phone using a downloaded language file stored on the phone and the phone’s processor. This setting allows the app to use your phone’s cellular data to access the web service when a WiFi connection is not available. Allows you to use the web service translation services as long as you have cellular service, but will add to your phone’s data usage.
o On-device mode – slide switch to change between web services translations or the phone’s translations services. When this setting is On (switch is green), the Translate app will use the language files stored on the phone to perform the translations (called on-device translations) and will not try to connect to the web services. This allows the translations to continue when cellular service is lost or desire to have the translations private and not going thru Apple’s servers. In order to use on-device you have to download the languages you want translations for. These are not small files and could use much of your phone’s storage space.
• Close the Translate app settings when finished.
Translate App Controls and Use
The Translate app can perform translations in different forms of communication (text, spoken, or conversation). How Translate app performs these translations and the controls used differ slightly. The instructions below address each of these forms of communication and the Translate app controls to perform those translations.
Open the Translate App
Find the Translate app button on the Home Screen or in the App Library. The Translate button icon has a black background, a blue outline globe with a white conversation balloon with the letter A in it on the upper left side and a blue balloon with a Chinese character on the lower right side. Pressing this button opens the Translate app.
Select Languages
At the top of the Translate app page are two buttons with language names. These are the two languages that Translate will translate between so naturally, one of the languages should be your language. Press either of the buttons to display a list of language choices to select from. Note that there are different languages of the same name with the difference being where that language is spoken. The English of United Kingdom and United States are similar yet different (we don’t clean floors with swabs in the United States). Note that the Spanish listed is the one spoken in Spain (Castilian) and not the Spanish spoken in Latin American countries. Like the English, the two languages are very close, but pronunciation differences and word usage make cause translation problems. Also note that scrolling down the list of languages is the section to download a language so you can do translations on-device with no network connection needed. If you scroll to the bottom of that page you will see the switch to turn Automatic Detection On and Off, which is explained below.
Automatic Detection
The Automatic Detection function detects which of the two chosen languages are being spoken and automatically records the text spoken and then translates the spoken text to the other language (both in text and speech). Most of the time the Automatic Detections works very well and makes using the Translate app easier, but sometimes the Automatic Detection doesn’t detect the spoken language correctly. When this occurs, turn Off Automatic Detection. When Automatic Detection is turned Off, a microphone button for each language will display. Select the microphone button for the language to be spoken, which tells Translate which language is being entered.
Text Translations
The text translation mode is used when you want translations other than for a current conversation such as:
• Translation of written text such as a sign or an email sent you.
• Translation of your text to be sent to someone that speaks the other language.
• Correct spelling of translated words.
• Meaning of translated words.
• Correct pronouncing of translated words.
• Use Automatic Detection to test your pronouncing of words in the language you are learning.
Entering Text for Translation
Typing/Pasting Text
On the Translate app main page tap Enter text. A keyboard will appear with a language being entered buttons above the keyboard which can be used to tell Translate app the language being entered. You can enter the text by typing the words using the keyboard or pasting text copied from another app (such as a text or email). Once you have entered the text you want translated, press the go button on the keyboard and the translation will appear below your entered text. Notice that the text you enter for the primary language (language listed at the left side at the top of the page) will be in black lettering, while the translation will be in aqua color letters. Typing or copying text into the app results in the translation text being displayed on the screen. If you desire to hear that translation, press the play button below the translation (you can play this correctly spoken translation again and again – great way to practice learning a new language).
Speech Entry
On the Translate app main page tap the microphone button and speak the word or words you wish translated. When the app detects a pause in your speech, it will assume you are finished speaking and will translate what you have already spoken. With speech entry the app will respond with both the text of the translation and speak the translation aloud. You can tap the play button below the text translation to hear the spoken translation again.
Saving Often Used Translations
The Translate app does not save your translations beyond the current session or recent translations. While using the app you can scroll thru all the translations you made since you opened the app for this session. To save a frequently used translation so you don’t have to enter it each time you use it and is saved after the session is closed, add the translation to your Favorites list. Under the translated text is an aqua colored outline of a star (Favorites button). Pressing this star button will add that translation to your Favorites. The star will turn solid aqua color indicating the translation is now part of your Favorites. Press the Favorites button at the bottom of the screen to see your favorite translations, which can be played again by pressing the play button.
What Does That Mean?
Sometimes we don’t understand a translation or what a key word actually means in that language. The Translate app comes with a dictionary for each language. Use your finger to highlight a word or phrase of the translated text and press the Dictionary button (looks like a book) below the translated text. The dictionary will open with definition and usage of the word or phrase selected.
Edit a Translation
You can select text you entered for a prior translation and use that text to make a new phrase to be translated. Example: You enter the phrase “How are you?” and it was translated for the language you selected and you can scroll thru your translations to see this translation. Tap that text you enter and it will open the keyboard to edit the phrase to “How are you feeling now?” by adding “feeling now” to the prior entry. Pressing the Go button will yield this new translation of this new phrase.
Conversation Translations
You can use the Translate app to perform live translations between you and another person speaking the other language. This is the Conversation mode. To switch between Text Entry mode and Conversation mode is very easy, turn the phone sideways (landscape) and turning it back upright switches back to the Text Entry mode. You can use the Conversation mode with or without Automatic Detection, but is much easier with Automatic Detection On. There is a slight difference in use based upon the use of Automatic Detection.
Using Conversation Mode with Automatic Detection On
Tap the microphone button and speak into the phone the phrase you want translated. The app will detect the language spoken, translate the words to the other language selected, display the text of that translation on the screen, and speaks the translation aloud. You can press the play button to have the phone repeat the translated phrase. The screen displays the text in both languages, but pressing the double arrowed button will enlarge the translated text to fill the screen, thus giving verbal and written translation. When the other person is ready to respond, press the microphone button and have them speak into the phone. The app will detect the language spoken, translate the words to your language, display the text of that translation on the screen, and speaks the translation aloud.
Using Conversation Mode with Automatic Detection Off
The Conversation mode screen will have two microphone buttons, each labeled for the selected language. You must select the button for the language to be spoken so the app knows which translation to perform. Other than this button selection, the translation process is the same as above.
The online mode depends on a web connection and the speed of that connection. The online Conversation mode does require a good high speed connection to be functional without long delays between translated words.
Overview:
iPhone update to iOS 14 added a new app to iPhones. The new app is called Translate which will do live translations between any two of the 11 languages Apple offers translation for. What follows is a detailed description of what Translate will do and how to use its functions.
iPhone Translate
What the Translate Does
Translate app will translate words or phrases from one language to another as long as the two languages are among the 11 different languages offered by Apple. These words or phrases can be typed in, pasted in, or spoken into the app. The Translate app can be used to do live translations for a conversation with the phone translating what each person says. The Translate app can provide definition for any word in the languages. The Translate app uses a web connection to perform the translations, but you can download the languages you want translations for to get offline translations. The app will also allow you to save a translation as a favorite for future use. The Translate app will allow you to communicate with someone where neither speaks a common language. The Translate app also serves as an excellent teaching device in demonstrating how a phrase is pronounced so a user can use the phone to practice speaking the language they are learning.
Translate App Settings
• To access the Translate app settings, tap Settings button from Home Screen. Scroll down and tap Translate.
• There are two settings for the Translate app and both relate to the software source used to perform the translations:
o Allow Translate to Access Cellular Data – slide switch to allow use of cellular data when switch is green (On). Translations performed by the web site’s software are called online translations which are more accurate than translations performed on the phone using a downloaded language file stored on the phone and the phone’s processor. This setting allows the app to use your phone’s cellular data to access the web service when a WiFi connection is not available. Allows you to use the web service translation services as long as you have cellular service, but will add to your phone’s data usage.
o On-device mode – slide switch to change between web services translations or the phone’s translations services. When this setting is On (switch is green), the Translate app will use the language files stored on the phone to perform the translations (called on-device translations) and will not try to connect to the web services. This allows the translations to continue when cellular service is lost or desire to have the translations private and not going thru Apple’s servers. In order to use on-device you have to download the languages you want translations for. These are not small files and could use much of your phone’s storage space.
• Close the Translate app settings when finished.
Translate App Controls and Use
The Translate app can perform translations in different forms of communication (text, spoken, or conversation). How Translate app performs these translations and the controls used differ slightly. The instructions below address each of these forms of communication and the Translate app controls to perform those translations.
Open the Translate App
Find the Translate app button on the Home Screen or in the App Library. The Translate button icon has a black background, a blue outline globe with a white conversation balloon with the letter A in it on the upper left side and a blue balloon with a Chinese character on the lower right side. Pressing this button opens the Translate app.
Select Languages
At the top of the Translate app page are two buttons with language names. These are the two languages that Translate will translate between so naturally, one of the languages should be your language. Press either of the buttons to display a list of language choices to select from. Note that there are different languages of the same name with the difference being where that language is spoken. The English of United Kingdom and United States are similar yet different (we don’t clean floors with swabs in the United States). Note that the Spanish listed is the one spoken in Spain (Castilian) and not the Spanish spoken in Latin American countries. Like the English, the two languages are very close, but pronunciation differences and word usage make cause translation problems. Also note that scrolling down the list of languages is the section to download a language so you can do translations on-device with no network connection needed. If you scroll to the bottom of that page you will see the switch to turn Automatic Detection On and Off, which is explained below.
Automatic Detection
The Automatic Detection function detects which of the two chosen languages are being spoken and automatically records the text spoken and then translates the spoken text to the other language (both in text and speech). Most of the time the Automatic Detections works very well and makes using the Translate app easier, but sometimes the Automatic Detection doesn’t detect the spoken language correctly. When this occurs, turn Off Automatic Detection. When Automatic Detection is turned Off, a microphone button for each language will display. Select the microphone button for the language to be spoken, which tells Translate which language is being entered.
Text Translations
The text translation mode is used when you want translations other than for a current conversation such as:
• Translation of written text such as a sign or an email sent you.
• Translation of your text to be sent to someone that speaks the other language.
• Correct spelling of translated words.
• Meaning of translated words.
• Correct pronouncing of translated words.
• Use Automatic Detection to test your pronouncing of words in the language you are learning.
Entering Text for Translation
Typing/Pasting Text
On the Translate app main page tap Enter text. A keyboard will appear with a language being entered buttons above the keyboard which can be used to tell Translate app the language being entered. You can enter the text by typing the words using the keyboard or pasting text copied from another app (such as a text or email). Once you have entered the text you want translated, press the go button on the keyboard and the translation will appear below your entered text. Notice that the text you enter for the primary language (language listed at the left side at the top of the page) will be in black lettering, while the translation will be in aqua color letters. Typing or copying text into the app results in the translation text being displayed on the screen. If you desire to hear that translation, press the play button below the translation (you can play this correctly spoken translation again and again – great way to practice learning a new language).
Speech Entry
On the Translate app main page tap the microphone button and speak the word or words you wish translated. When the app detects a pause in your speech, it will assume you are finished speaking and will translate what you have already spoken. With speech entry the app will respond with both the text of the translation and speak the translation aloud. You can tap the play button below the text translation to hear the spoken translation again.
Saving Often Used Translations
The Translate app does not save your translations beyond the current session or recent translations. While using the app you can scroll thru all the translations you made since you opened the app for this session. To save a frequently used translation so you don’t have to enter it each time you use it and is saved after the session is closed, add the translation to your Favorites list. Under the translated text is an aqua colored outline of a star (Favorites button). Pressing this star button will add that translation to your Favorites. The star will turn solid aqua color indicating the translation is now part of your Favorites. Press the Favorites button at the bottom of the screen to see your favorite translations, which can be played again by pressing the play button.
What Does That Mean?
Sometimes we don’t understand a translation or what a key word actually means in that language. The Translate app comes with a dictionary for each language. Use your finger to highlight a word or phrase of the translated text and press the Dictionary button (looks like a book) below the translated text. The dictionary will open with definition and usage of the word or phrase selected.
Edit a Translation
You can select text you entered for a prior translation and use that text to make a new phrase to be translated. Example: You enter the phrase “How are you?” and it was translated for the language you selected and you can scroll thru your translations to see this translation. Tap that text you enter and it will open the keyboard to edit the phrase to “How are you feeling now?” by adding “feeling now” to the prior entry. Pressing the Go button will yield this new translation of this new phrase.
Conversation Translations
You can use the Translate app to perform live translations between you and another person speaking the other language. This is the Conversation mode. To switch between Text Entry mode and Conversation mode is very easy, turn the phone sideways (landscape) and turning it back upright switches back to the Text Entry mode. You can use the Conversation mode with or without Automatic Detection, but is much easier with Automatic Detection On. There is a slight difference in use based upon the use of Automatic Detection.
Using Conversation Mode with Automatic Detection On
Tap the microphone button and speak into the phone the phrase you want translated. The app will detect the language spoken, translate the words to the other language selected, display the text of that translation on the screen, and speaks the translation aloud. You can press the play button to have the phone repeat the translated phrase. The screen displays the text in both languages, but pressing the double arrowed button will enlarge the translated text to fill the screen, thus giving verbal and written translation. When the other person is ready to respond, press the microphone button and have them speak into the phone. The app will detect the language spoken, translate the words to your language, display the text of that translation on the screen, and speaks the translation aloud.
Using Conversation Mode with Automatic Detection Off
The Conversation mode screen will have two microphone buttons, each labeled for the selected language. You must select the button for the language to be spoken so the app knows which translation to perform. Other than this button selection, the translation process is the same as above.
The online mode depends on a web connection and the speed of that connection. The online Conversation mode does require a good high speed connection to be functional without long delays between translated words.