Automated Google Māori translations

Google recently announced its support for several minority languages to translate into and from English with Māori being one of the minority languages.

Background information from my October 15 2009 post is here.

To use the translator visit http://translate.google.com
For years a computer generated system to translate to and from te reo Māori has only been a dream and one that most people never expected to occur.

Google Translate will translate from Māori to English and English to Māori. To translate from English to Māori:

  1. On the right hand side of the screen click on the down arrow button
  2. Select “Maori”
  3. Type the English sentences into the text area
  4. Output translation will appear in the right hand of the screen.

 

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Māori speakers required to improve translations.

The Translator is still in its infancy and does require fluent speakers to rate various translations that will be used to improve the algorithms of the system. Anyone can do this without the need to register or log in. Simply visit http://translate.google.com

The translations are mediocre and often do not have macrons, but nevertheless the system works well for an early system.

 

 External Links

TV3 News

Google Blog http://google-newzealand.blogspot.co.nz/2013/07/e-aroha-ana-ki-tou-reo-tena-awhinatia.html

 

12 thoughts on “Automated Google Māori translations”

  1. This is crap. I put in a simple sentence “Hello jack and raina” and the maori translation was “hello jack and a lines”
    It couldnt even give me “Kia ora Jack me raina” or something like that

  2. Hi Karaitiana… I love that this functionality is available via google but I am sad to say that I will have to avoid its use…

    I wanted to use a simple greeting and farewell on my letters but alas, it proved too confusing and I know I will be castigated to the extreme… some examples

    “kind regards” translated to ahua pai
    “Kind Regards” translated to Tuhinga o mua
    “to whom it may concern” translated to “ki a ia e whai mana ana”
    “Hello” translated to “Hiha”

    so I tried some reverse engineering

    “ahua pai” translated to “good look”
    “Tuhinga o mua” translated to “of the”
    “ki a ia e whai mana ana” translated to “to him that has power”… close but then this is now exclusive language
    “hiha” translated to “hiha”… so I am none the wiser

  3. Tena koe
    ko Adelene taku ingoa
    Ko tuhoe raua ko ngati kahungunu
    taku iwi
    My tupuna Piriniko ~ Heurea~Nicholson raua ko Winiata ~Wakefield
    aroha mai,te reo Maori (iti) ,
    engari hehehe
    Te Whaiti Rua tahuna>
    Piriniko, Heurea whanau|
    Mohaka/ Nuhaka +Napier>
    Nicholson whanau|
    Mahia raua ko Utiku>
    Winiata whanau
    Wakefield / Linkhorn>Waiheke

    Keen to learn Te Reo Maori. .

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