Translation Problem

[Charles Butler]

Hello Dali Balti

The problem you are having with the translation program is that it is trying to connect one-to-one a phrase in your spoken language with the word in a signed language.  

They have different grammars, so the translation program is doing the best it can.  Not translating is not an option for a computer program.  If the sign that you want is missing, your best way to fix that is to find someone who knows French/Algerian sign language and have them put in that particular word or phrase in French Sign Language into the signpuddle so it will be available for the translator program.  

The translation program is only as good as the words that have been put in it.  It does not contain all words in French Sign Language, only those that have been put in it by another researcher in French sign language or ASL, or whatever other puddle you are using.

Example, you put in "the cat jumps over the moon".  You will find "the", "cat", "jump", "over" and "moon.".  You will not find "jumps" because that is inflected for a particular tense and person into "jumps". You may find "jump", but you won't find "jumps".  The translation you will get will not be ASL, or French Sign Language, it will be ASL or French signs in English or French word order and grammar.  

ASL grammar would be "moon" "cow" "jumps over" and you'd physically have to move the jumping hand over the moon, which a translation program will not do unless it has that particular phrase in the memory.  

The only way you can leave a word out of the translated "sign list" is to leave out the word that it is translating, or find a word it actually currently has in the dictionary.  To get good ASL or French sign language, you can put in a "signed Pidgin", so "moon cow jump over" will at least get you the signs in the right order, but won't be either good English or good ASL.  

Wish I could fix your mechanical problem with a short answer, but this is what you will find translating any phrase.   A dictionary translation program is good for single words, but with phrases, it requires grammatical choices which may not be in the program.

Charles






________________________________
From: Dali balti <livingtabernacle at YAHOO.FR>
To: SW-L at LISTSERV.VALENCIACC.EDU
Sent: Wed, June 9, 2010 3:06:29 AM
Subject: Translation Problem

Hello dear friend!!!

I am very happy to share my experience and the development of signwriting with you!!!!
Next month I am starting teaching signwriting for my deaf friend who were amazed by signwriting system, they sometimes can guess the written signs though they did not learn it, and I also discovered that once they understand the written signs they recognize it for the second time, and BETTER than me, I think that's because Signwriting is their own language!!!!
I am happy for them!!!!
I have a "small" question!!!!
in the translation pannel, once I have typed the text, and after it is translated, in the list I have to select the signs I want, as you know they are listed one on the other, and sometimes you can find a list of signs for the same word (as an example; I help you/ you help me/ I help him etcccc). You have the choice to choose only one sign among those listed on the same line, But sometimes I do not want to choose any sign from the whole list, but I cannot, I have to choose one although I do not need that sign. is there a possibility to tick the box (with a green dot) so that this dot disappears and the sign does not get chosen?????
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