March 27, 2017

March {Translation} Madness


March {Translation} Madness

A random query from a friend led us down a rabbit hole. The query was if we had tried the Yandex online translation engine. Everyone knows about Google Translate, but what about Yandex? It ought to be great for English <-> Russian text, right?

Well, we decided to do a test and find out. We selected two short, difficult paragraphs we are working on for the coming issue of Chtenia, then ran them through each of the two translation engines, to see how they matched up to human translators. You be the judge. 


First Text

Падали за окнами на железо капли дождя, и ветер, громыхнув иногда крышей, то принимался насвистывать вокруг дома, на углах карнизов, по каким-то неприметным щелкам, то выл в печную трубу, повсюду засовывая черные, мокрые, лохматые губы.

 

YANDEX GOOGLE
Fall for a view of the iron rain, and wind, sometimes grayhow roof, then began to whistle around the house, in the corners of the eaves, on some inconspicuous Delcam, howled in the chimney, everywhere thrusting black, wet, hairy lips. Drops of rain fell outside the windows, and the wind, sometimes rattling the roof, would whistle around the house, at the corners of the cornices, through some inconspicuous crack, then howled into the chimney, everywhere thrusting black, wet, shaggy lips.

 

Human Translator

Outside the window, drops of rain fell on the rails, and the wind, occasionally causing the roof to rumble, whistled about the building, into the corners of the eaves, through some imperceptible cracks, then moaned through the stovepipe, poking its black, moist, disheveled lips everywhere.

Google did far better with this first example. It gets extra points for being pretty much understandable, which the Yandex version of course is not.


Second Text

В сие же время действует и торжествует гений… Ясный взор на мир открывает истину, воображение сильное представляет ее черты живо и разительно, вкус зрелый украшает ее простотою, и творения ума человеческого являются в совершенстве, и творец дерзает наконец простирать руку к потомству, быть современником веков и гражданином вселенной. Молодость любит в славе только шум, а душа зрелая — справедливое, основательное признание ее полезной для света деятельности.

YANDEX GOOGLE

At this same time, operates the triumphant genius... Clear eyes at the world reveals the truth, imagination is strong, her features alive and strong taste of Mature decorates its simplicity, and creations of the human mind are in perfection, and the Creator finally dares extend a hand to offspring, to be a contemporary of the centuries, and citizen of the universe. The youth loves in the glory of only the noise, but the soul is Mature, fair, thorough recognition it useful for light activities.

The genius acts more slowly, and the genius acts ... The clear view of the world reveals the truth, the imagination is strong, its images are vividly expressive, the taste of the mature adorns it with simplicity, and the creations of the human mind are perfect, and the creator dares finally extend his hand to the dead, to be contemporary Centuries of the game of the universe. Youth loves only the noise of the noise, the adult's adage is a just, thorough recognition of its activity, which is useful for light.

 

Human Translator

Today’s age is witnessing the flourishing and triumph of the genius. A clear outlook on the world unlocks the truth; the strong imagination sees her features vividly and distinctively; the mature taste adorns her with simplicity; and the creations of the human mind appear in their perfection, and the creator dares at last to reach his hand out to posterity, to become a contemporary of all times and a citizen of the universe. Youth loves fame only for the noise, while the mature soul loves the justified recognition of one’s useful deeds. 

Both engines choked on this one, in terms of making the resulting text understandable, but we give Yandex the edge for being just slightly better. 


Of course, the real lesson here, which we all knew going into this, is that the Human Translation Engines win hands down when it comes to creating quality translations that convey the sense and feel of the original.

When in doubt, go human.

Tags: translation

You Might Also Like

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
Russian Rules

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955