Google Translate has made a significant advancement by adding support for 110 new languages at once. These languages are powered by Google’s PaLM 2 language model, which does the necessary background work to translate text from one language to another. Among the new languages are those spoken by indigenous communities, as well as widely spoken ones like Cantonese. Some of these languages were on the brink of extinction, like Manx, which almost disappeared when its last native speaker passed away in 1974. Cantonese posed a challenge due to its similarities to Mandarin, delaying its incorporation into Google Translate.
This development is part of Google’s 1,000 languages initiative, aiming to create AI models that support the 1,000 most spoken languages globally. In the past, Google used Zero-Shot Machine Translation technology to support 24 new languages in 2022. These 110 new languages cover over 614 million speakers worldwide, offering translation services for around 8% of the global population. Google described the diversity within languages, including regional varieties, dialects, and spelling standards, highlighting the complexity involved in selecting a primary language variety. The search giant chooses the most commonly used variety for each language, considering factors like dialects and regional usage.
These new languages will gradually appear on the Google Translate website and mobile applications for Android and iOS over the coming days. This move signifies a significant leap forward for Google Translate, expanding its reach to more communities and facilitating communication across diverse languages worldwide. The incorporation of lesser-known languages and those at risk of extinction demonstrates Google’s commitment to promoting linguistic diversity and inclusivity in its translation services. The addition of these languages enhances Google Translate’s capabilities, making it more accessible and useful to a broader range of users around the world.
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https://www.neowin.net/amp/google-translate-can-now-translate-110-new-languages/