Thread: Use machine translation or pay a person ?

I am a little bit in doubt if I can get away with machine translation, or if I should pay money for translation.

I have written a letter to a girl I met last year when I was in Russia, and was hitting on her, and this year, she came to me, and were together a few times. She has called me a couple time to declare her love. She speaks no english, and I speak no Russian.

Can I get away using machine translations on the Internet ? I have written a letter, that when using @Prompt online yeilds almost the same result when translated back to english, and it is also understandable when translated English -> Russian -> German. Had to rephrase some phrases, until I got used to writing something it likes.

The alternative would be to use online translation, which will cost too much money IMHO. $0.07 per word for a simple personal letter is too much. Any links to some cheaper services using lower paid russian translators ?

Can a russian make any sense out of a machine translation like this ? Or is it just too weird ?

Я пробовал несколько раз написать это письмо Вам. И когда я думаю о Вас, я становлюсь все более уверенным, которые хотят знать Вас лучше. Мы можем написать некоторые письма, но мы должны встретиться снова лично, и разговор.

Here is the original text:
I have been trying a few times to write this letter to you. And when I think of you, I am getting more and more sure that want to know you better. We can write some letters, but we need to meet again in person, and talk.

It's not completely understandable. The part "которые хотят знать Вас лучше" isn't understandable at all.

Я несколько раз пытался написать тебе это письмо. И когда я думаю о тебе, я всё больше убеждаюсь в том, что хочу узнать тебя лучше. Мы можем писать письма, но нам надо снова встретиться лично и поговорить.

Guess I will have to make an effort the get someone to help me translate, or at least to proofread the russian.

Seems the problem is, that I missed I.
I am getting more and more sure that I want to know you better.

When I insert that I get
Я становлюсь все более уверенным, что я хочу знать Вас лучше

This is closer to your translation, yet the common words are the same base word witha different ending.

alse, the .... and talk in the end becomes "conversation" when translated back to english. ... and to talk will result in the the right word. So it is also a lot about adobting the the machine. I have been using it a few times to translate into german, and always "hand-optimized" the output, but still faster than doing it from scratch.

Thanks for your effort, I need to find someone to help with the translation.

Я становлюсь все более уверенным, что я хочу знать Вас лучше

It's totally understandable and grammatically correct.

Thanks for your effort, I need to find someone to help with the translation.

No problem. I can try to help you but my english is not very good, especially in translation of love letters

Try to use minimal machine translation. Would be even better to write someone in their own native language. You have to learn Russian, because love is worth it aaand you can leave your messages here. We can help you out here.

When I was in Russia this year, I knew the most important letters, and was surprised how many signs I could read.

I will be joining a beginners russian course mid september, it is a 48 lessons class, 2 lessons once every week. The course at university is probably better, but I can't get that much time off at work. It is 2 days with 2 lessons, and 1 day with one lesson every week until christmas, so it would bring me far in little time.

I have downloaded Rosetta Stone, Primsleur and the Princeton course material. And the Penguin course is on backorder at the bookshop. But I do plan to get a headstart before the course.

Even if she learns english or danish, it would still be nice to speak to people when we visit her home country. Very few people I met in Kolomna speaks english, even though most supposedly learned in school. And the people seems very proud, but not the stupid french way.