[WikiEN-l] What is the fundamental goal of the project?

[Peter Ansell]

On 26/01/07, MacGyverMagic/Mgm <macgyvermagic at gmail.com> wrote:
> You could try a machine translation, but if the intended audience don't
> understand the article because it's badly translated you've achieved
> nothing. That's why we don't do it. It is worse than nothing, because it can
> confuse the reader.
>
> Mgm

Stating the entire situation in terms of possible bad effects is a bit
misleading. I have friends who are researchers in the area of machine
translation and yes, they say its not the best, but saying that a
possible confusion is worse than nothing is a personal view on it. If
they realise that half of the article was not translated well, but
they gain something from the other half I would assume they got
something out of it despite confusion.

In saying that some confusion is worse than nothing you underestimate
human abilities.

Peter Ansell