EDIT: this was posted in a hurry. Here's the market link to the app called
はなして翻訳We've been waiting to get our hands on this for a while. A full review will be coming later, but, suffice it to say, this machine translation app works surprisingly well. Granted, expectations were low from the start. It does fine with the easy basic stuff that you might encounter trying to give directions on the street.
The above image shows me speaking in Japanese, saying 「このアプリは私の変な日本語を理解できるのでしょうか？」。This was one of the first things I said to it, and was
absolutely shocked that it got it right - That is
exactly what I said in Japanese. It's definitely hit and miss though. I've had about the same results speaking to it in both Japanese and English.
So I decided to throw something a little more difficult at it: some classics from the Japanese comedy duo The Rahmens. Totally crashed and burned but certainly get an "E" for effort.
- 寿司は下駄に載せて出されます。
Sushi ha geta ni nosete dasaremasu.
Sushi is served on geta.
主人は実家に助け出されます。
shujin ha jikka ni tasuke dasaremasu.
The master is saved by the parent's house.
- 消毒したものを使用していますので、安心して寿司を食べられます。
shoudoku shita mono wo shiyou shitemasunode, anshin shite sushi wo taberaremasu.
Disinfected geta are used so you can relax and enjoy the sushi.
承諾したものを使用していますので、安心して寿司を調べられます。
shoudaku shita mono wo shiyou shitemasunode, anshin shite sushi wo shiraberaremasu.
Because I use the thing which I consented to, it is checked in place.
- これをそのままはいて帰る人も居ます。
kore wo sonomama haite kaeru hito mo imasu.
Some people just wear them home.
これをそのまま入れ替える人がいます。
kore wo sonomama irekaeru hito ga imasu.
There is the person who just replaces this.
- 多くの日本人の足から酢の臭いがするのは、このためです。
ooku no nihonjin no ashi kara su no nioi ga suru no ha, kono tame desu.
多くの日本人らしから常に変化しなかったためです。
ooku no nihonjin rashi kara tuneni henka shinakatta tame desu.
This is because much Japanese rashikara did not always change.
Here's the audio transcript (no video, just audio). There's a bonus from the "ShimBASH" video at the end.
If you want to try this out, it is free for docomo subscribers who:
- You are a Docomo user with an active data plan.
- Connected with FOMA 3G or Xi LTE - NO WIFI CONNECTIONS.
I am told the app won't even appear in the market unless you have a Docomo SIM card. If wifi is turned on and connected, the app with tell you to shut off wifi before proceeding (with a "confirmation" button). So Sorry,
no SBM and KDDI freeloaders! The requirement for an active mobile data connection to the online voice recognition and translation servers is a brilliant move by Docomo. If you're a Japanese person who wants to use it overseas, you have to pony up for international roaming. How's that for shrewd?
