Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Online Tools for Making Better Sentences

Today we will do an exercise on making sentences with and without using online tools, such as translation software and dictionaries. We will also look at phrasal verbs and how a collocation database can help us understand which words go together and their meanings. Kevin will explain in class. See you there!

First, translate this Japanese sentence into English without a dictionary or online resource:

彼らが結婚した

Here are some student results:

They got married.
They were marry already.
They were married.
They married.
They had married.
They were marriage.
They were get married.

Now let's use alc.co.jp. The alc.co.jp result is ....

  • そして、彼女の夢が、彼らが結婚したことで本当になった。
    And her wish had come true after they got married.〔【出典】Hiragana Times, 2000年9月号◆【出版社】株式会社ヤック企画 全文表示
  • なぜ彼らが結婚したのか不思議です。
    I wonder about their marriage.
Now let's use tatoeba.org:
       When they got married, they both swore to never lie.
       彼らが結婚した時、2人は互いに決して嘘をつかないと約束した。

Finally, let's try Google Translate:
       彼らが結婚した         They were married

It's important that you don't rely on translation software too much. However, there are times when it will help you find the correct word or phrase that you need for your essays.

Please write a blog comment below that explains which of these translation sites are useful for you. If you know another site, please tell me.

22 comments:

  1. Are these sites useful? Which ones? Why do you think so?

    Do you know other sites that are useful for translating or choosing the best words? Tell me the URL!

    ReplyDelete
  2. -Akira

    1.I think the most useful site is google transrate. Because it is no response and accutually.

    2.Other's useful transrate's site is "Yahoo transrate".
    The site is useful then long sentense transrate!
    URL⇒http://honyaku.yahoo.co.jp/

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think that most useful dictionary is translate.google.com.
    because it is automatic translate system.
    Daiki Shinji

    ReplyDelete
  4. I think that "alc.co.jp" is very good.
    Because it prepares many examples for us.

    Daichi

    ReplyDelete
  5. Google translate is best tool for me.The other one is difficult to leach the answer.Should I use useless tool?No way.Tools without google-translate are rubbish.

    Shoichi

    ReplyDelete
  6. translate.google.com is most useful for me.
    It can be translated very fast.

    Nao

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think alc.co.jp is better, because it likes a dictionary and company (ALC).
    And I usually use http://www.excite.co.jp/world/ . It is good too:)

    Masae

    ReplyDelete
  8. I always use google's translation. It is easy for me to look into words in this tool. Because it is easy to see. And I sometimes use "excite English translation" too.
    Kanami

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think "ALC" is useful in these sites, because there are many various meaning and example sentences on this site. And this site's example sentences has authority, so I can trust them.-Yukiko

    ReplyDelete
  10. Translate.google.com is useful. It is easy. I can use this.
    Hiroharu

    ReplyDelete
  11. I think alc is better than els, because readily understandable.

    Taki Gon

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think alc.co.jp is very useful because this dictionary with a lot of usage example.

    Kazunari

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think "translate.google.com"is very useful.It's the most easy and convenient.I liked so much.

    Miya

    ReplyDelete
  14. I think tatoeba.org is most useful. I can see sentences with Japanese and English in this site, so I think it is very helpful to write and speak. Other sites are also helpful to me. Thank you.

    Yang

    ReplyDelete
  15. translate.google.come is most usefle site for me. I can look for a translation quickly.

    Hana

    ReplyDelete
  16. I think google transrate is useful. When I read difficult sentence I use it.

    Akane Kato

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think alc.co.jp is useful. because alc get a lot of sentence.
    Mikako

    ReplyDelete
  18. I think "alc.co.jp" is very useful. It's the most easy and descriptive and attention. My favorite site is this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think "alc.co.jp" is very useful. It's the most easy and descriptive and attention. My favorite site is this.

      Taihei

      Delete
  19. I think alc.co.jp is very useful because there is a lot of prediction.

    I like weblio transrate's site.
    http://translate.weblio.jp/

    ReplyDelete
  20. I think alc.com.jp is usuful.Because thre is many sentence.

    ReplyDelete

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