Poor translations are the bane of patent attorneys. – At my patent law firm, we often translate patent applications from English into German and then file them with the German Patent and Trademark Office. Sometimes the English is already a translation from Japanese. The other day, one of our translators complained about the poor quality of just such an English translation that he, in turn, had to translate into German. He said that many passages of the English text were so mangled that he had to resort to Google Translate and feed it the original (a Japanese WO publication that he could not read) in order to make sense of the English translation provided by the client.
That got my attention. Could it be that we have reached the translation singularity, where Google Translate outperforms human translators?
I asked him for an example. And sure enough, what he showed me was a clear win for Google Translate. It was a sentence pattern that came up several dozen times in the description, and which went roughly like this:
本実施形態において、半導体素子はN型のトランジスタであるが、P型のトランジスタを用いることが考えられる。
(As always, I’ve modified the original to protect the not-so-innocent.) The translation consistently used the following construction, over and over again:
(?) In the present embodiment, the semiconductor element is the transistor of the N-type, but it is considered to use the transistor of a P-type.
Squinting my eyes, I could barely guess what it means, but that’s only because I’ve seen the same mistranslation before. Our translator didn’t have that advantage and was at a total loss. In other words, it pretty much failed to bring across the intended meaning. Let’s see how Google Translate does.
In the present embodiment, the semiconductor element is an N-type transistor, but it is conceivable to use a P-type transistor.
OK, that’s much better. In fact it’s so good that it’s almost scary. It’s Google Translate 1, human translator 0 in this particular contest and these results made me a bit ashamed for my species. The one thing that gave me hope for humanity was that our translator did not blindly trust the input he was given, but proactively looked for a better source text. Ha! Take that Google Translate! Bet you won’t be able to do that for another ten years! Or at least five.
But let’s break it down a bit. What trips up many translators here is the passive construction 考えられる, and for some reason, many translators resort to “It is considered…” whenever they see it [Edit: Strictly speaking, it is not a passive construction, but rather a potential or 可能動詞 in Japanese. See the discussion in the comments below. Thanks to Jim for pointing that out!]. But what does this really mean? “Consider” means to think, to ponder, to believe, with some shadings of to evaluate. When I say “I will consider your proposal” then this means that I will think about your proposal. When I say “I consider this to be a poor translation” then this is equivalent to saying “I think that this is a poor translation” – I am stating my opinion. Putting it in the passive indicates that many people hold a certain opinion: “This is considered to be a poor translation.” or “It is considered to be a poor translation”.
Note that in the last example, the “it” functions as a pronoun and stands for the translation or sentence or phrase that we are talking about: The translation (it) is considered to be a poor translation. But there’s also a different kind of “it” that often comes up in similar constructions, namely the “dummy it”, also known as the “ambient it” or “empty it”: “It is considered that this is a poor translation.” In this sentence, the “it” serves a grammatical function as the subject of the sentence, but does not function as a personal pronoun that points to an antecedent. This the same “it” as in “It is raining.” or “It is time for…”.
In the translation above, the phrase “it is considered to use…” is confusing because the translator was shooting for the dummy it, but wound up with an “it” that function as as a personal pronoun and that can only be understood to stand for “semiconductor element” (or “transistor”), i.e. the subject of the previous clause. So the literal meaning of the last clause is “the semiconductor element is considered to use the transistor”, which does not make sense.
We can try to rephrase this a little to make the distinction between “dummy it” and “pronoun it” clearer: “… it is considered that the transistor of a P-type is used.” But what this then literally means is “An N-type transistor is used but I (and many other people) think that a P-type transistor is used.” Huh?
Of course, what our original sentence really means to point out is an alternative. There are various ways how this could be phrased in English and Google Translate’s version is one possibility. Once again, here’s Google Translate’s version, followed by two alternatives:
In the present embodiment, the semiconductor element is an N-type transistor, but it is conceivable to use a P-type transistor.
In the present embodiment, the semiconductor element is an N-type transistor, but it is also possible to use a P-type transistor.
In the present embodiment, the semiconductor element is an N-type transistor, but a P-type transistor may be used instead.
All these translations are acceptable in my opinion. One could argue that the first one is the best, not only because “conceivable” has the greatest lexical similarity to 考えられる, but also because just like the original, “conceivable” has the nuance of a more distant possibility. We don’t know exactly, but it just might work. In addition, 考えられる strongly implies that this is a fictitious embodiment that has never actually been put into practice. We have never done this, but we think it will work. But in my opinion, the other two versions are close enough for most purposes and, in any case, vastly superior to anything involving “it is considered”. If I really wanted to work in “considered” into the sentence, then maybe “… but using a P-type transistor may also be considered.” might work.
Another reason to avoid the “It is considered …” construction is that it is often considered (ha!) to be poor writing, because it obfuscates whose opinion we are talking about. “Many people say so.” – “Who says so? – “Everybody!”
But this is not the only reason why the original translation is confusing. Another is, of course, the odd use of articles. Apparently, the translator is a follower of the “Use the indefinite article when a noun comes up first and then use the definite article every.single.time for that noun” school of translation. The second occurrence of トランジスタ has little to do with the first one, since they refer to different types of transistors, and the P-type is apparently introduced for this first time here, so the indefinite article should be used. On the other hand “transistor of a P-type” implies that there are different P-types, which is not the case, so “transistor of the P-type” comes more naturally. Or simply “P-type transistor”. I’ll write more on articles in a future post.
What surprised me a little was that Google Translate got even the little stuff right when the human translator didn’t. At this point, I should perhaps clarify that I do not recommend using Google Translate for all your patent translation needs, On the contrary, you’re always better off with a capable human translator. Google Translate still gives terrible results for sentences of a complexity that is only a little higher than that of our sentence above. So the translation singularity is probably still a couple of years away.
You call 考えられる a passive construction, but I think this use of られる is what’s called a 可能動詞, which your rendering bears out: “is conceivable.” Whenever I see ○○が考えられる or ○○も考えられる, I often render it as “could be,” because the writer/utterer is expressing an opinion about something that could hold true. In your example sentence, an N transistor has been used in the embodiment, but a P transistor would/could also work. To use your parlance, “In the present embodiment, the semiconductor element is an N-type transistor, but a P-type could also be used.” Or plain in English (which might not be permissible in patents—that’s a call you’d have to make—I would have rendered this, “The semiconductor element in the present embodiment is an N-type transistor, but a P-type could/would work just as well.”
A lot of the translators whose work I’ve had to check over the years would misinterpret this construction because they were too smug about their field-specific knowledge and tended to ignore (or play down the importance of) Japanese verb endings (like られる, させる, させられる, and more) and particles that, as you seem to understand well, convey so much meaning in Japanese.
In my experience, when people express an opinion using a passive form, they usually use と思う→と思われる, whereas が/も考えられる is usually used to indicate a viable or potential alternative to something already stated. In this case, 考える doesn’t mean “consider” so much as “allow for” or “conceive [of as possible],” “conjecture.” I suppose my point in writing all this, though, is that I think you might be misconstruing 考えられる as a passive form when it’s a 可能 form (not sure what that’s called in English, though). 考えられる also has more of an objective feel to it. 🙂
Compare:
— 誤解が/も考えられる: it could be a misunderstanding.
— 誤解だと思う: I think it’s a misunderstanding.
— 誤解だと思われる: It think it could be a misunderstanding.
HTH!
You are entirely right, Jim. Good point about the 可能動詞. I’m familiar with the concept, but I don’t think I’ve heard that term before – which only shows how little I actually know about formal Japanese grammar. But I think this gets to the heart of the matter. One cause of the mistranslation seems to be misinterpreting 考えられる as a passive form, when it’s actually the potential form (I believe that’s what it’s called in English).
As for your version “The semiconductor element in the present embodiment is an N-type transistor, but a P-type could/would work just as well.”, I think it’s generally fine from a patent attorney standpoint, because it seems to be sufficiently accurate and readable (see my first post here: https://patenttranslationblog.com/?p=150 ). I might give a thought to whether “just as well” might not imply that N- and P-type are equivalent in the sense that neither is advantageous over the other. That might be a new piece of information that is not present in the original and depending on the situation I might prefer a translation where this is not implied.
Your comment reminds me of a sentence in a translation I’ve checked this morning and that contained the following sentence (slightly simplified): 以下の実施形態により、本発明の範囲が狭く解釈されることはない。The translator translated this as “The scope of the present invention is not narrowly interpreted by the following embodiments.” The problem is, again, translating 解釈される with the passive form “is (not) interpreted”. We do not know how the scope of the invention will be interpreted and that’s not what the author wants to say (although perhaps we should not rule out wishful thinking entirely). There is also the problem that in the translation, “interpreted” is modified by “by the following embodiments”. In other words, in the English version, the invention is interpreted by the embodiments, which does not make much sense. In Japanese, 以下の実施形態により modifies all of the remaining sentence that comes thereafter. The により indicates that what follows is a consequence of what precedes it.
A better translation is: “The following embodiments should not be used to interpret the scope of the present invention narrowly.” Lots of variations to this are possible, of course.
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Шаманство новейших ?знакомств что ль изменить? вашу ?жизнь (а) также ?открыть ?двери буква бесконечным возможностям.? В ТЕЧЕНИЕ ?мире, кае технологические процессы один-другой всяким днем? делаются все более существенными, онлайн-знакомства ?для отношений делаются все более популярными. Дайте хором исследуем? занимающие ?возможности интернета? для встречи собственной следующий ?половинки ?и ?создания концентрированных ?и долгосрочных отношений.
Значение? эмоциональной сопоставимости ?в? отношениях
Важное ценность в образовании концентрированных а также мелодических ?отношений играет? чувственная совместимость. Когда партнеры способны понимать а также поддерживать шнурок друга сверху ?эмоциональном степени, этто организовывает ?основу чтобы здоровой? да прочной ?связи.
Эмоциональная сопоставимость позволяет? партнерам выражать? собственные сантименты и? чувства открыто а также сверх страсти находиться осужденными. Этто оказывать содействие ?более глубочайшему разгадыванию друг милого а также укрепляет? близость в течение отношениях.
Эпизодически штаты совместимы экстазно, ?они унше управляются из инцидентами равно напряженными обстановками в? отношениях. Они? более готовы поддерживать шнурок милашку ?и искать? компромиссы в течение ?сложных ситуациях.
Необходимо учитывать, яко эмоциональная совместимость спрашивает минуты и? попыток от обеих сторон. Признаваться шнурок любезному,? обозначать свои чувства равным образом ?уважать чувственные необходимости напарника – принципиальные шахи для ?созданию ?крепких а также долгосрочных отношений.
Основные принципы  отношения 2
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Понять первостепенные принципы эффективного блат – этто этапный шаг на линии к образованию крепких и долговременных отношений. Своя рука могут? гнездиться ?как условными, так равно автономно, но эпохально памятовать, яко и? в? том также ?в миленком ?случае есть? назначенные философия, тот или иной посодействуют ?сделать вашу? пересекаю броской и продуктивной.
Первоначальным также, ?пожалуй, наиболее ?важным? принципом? удачного знакомства появляется искренность. Будьте? показаны и ?честны с своим собеседником, распадитесь своими идеями, чувствами? а также интересами. Чуть только яко вы сумеете построить доверительные отношения на азбуке ?взаимного уважения.
Еще одним принципиальным ?принципом рождается фотоумение слушать ?и иметься осмотрительным для собеседнику. Этто разрешит понять его чи ее унше, сделать комфортную? условие также ?проявить? участие в? партнере. Не забывайте, что эпохально не чуть только говорить, хотя и слушать.
маловыгодный изглаживать из памяти про этикет ?и уважение. Изомните, яко каждый? человек ?уникален, также целесообразно обращаться ко деревену с? уважением.? Выражайте ?свои полагай равно чувства таким ?образом, чтобы числа взволновать ?чувства собеседника, равно ?помните, ?что вежливость – ?это ?ключ ?к расцветаем да продолжительным отношениям.
Совета числом поиску ?партнера ?для серьезных взглядов
В? розыске партнера? для суровых связей важно у кого есть ?четкое шоу ?о том,? что точно ?вы выискиваете на партнере. Поставьте себе миссии равным образом соблюдайте их, чтобы избежать ненадобных разочарований.
Когда вы искаете кого-то, кто ?вам увлекателен, не? идти вперед сразу делать выводы. Уделите ятси сверху общение, ?узнайте ?друг приятеля лучше, чтоб постигнуть,? отвечает огонь явантроп вашим ожиданиям.
Помните, что чтобы успешных? связей важно? точки соприкосновения чувствование, уважение равным образом поддержка. ?Будьте прямыми равно правдивыми, оговаривайте свои чувства а также ?ожидания, чтобы исключить недопониманий ?и конфликтов.
Важно также не позабывать о? опеке также участливости ко партнеру. Выявляйте беспокойтсво, делитесь? радостями также горестями,? стремитесь буква взаимопониманию и помощи,? чтобы? сделать прочные и еще долгие отношения.
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