8 Fascinating Facts About Google Translate

With over 100 billion words translated each day, Google Translate has become an indispensable tool for language learners, travelers, and everyone seeking instant translations at their fingertips. While most of us are familiar with its basic functionality, there are numerous fascinating aspects of Google Translate that are less known.  In this article, we will delve into 8 fascinating facts about Google Translate that will both surprise and entertain you. From its quirky translations to easter eggs released occasionally, prepare to discover some new sides of this popular language tool.

Released in 2006, Google Translate was first launched as a statistical machine translation service that was meant to break language barriers and make the world a more accessible place. Allegedly the real reason for the idea behind the translator was a frustration that arose in Sergey Brin, one of the co-founders of Google, after a translation program that the company was licensing at the time kept misinterpreting a Korean email.

At first, Google Translate used predictive algorithms to translate text, which as you can imagine, did not offer the best grammatical accuracy. However, Google worked hard on resolving the many limitations that the tool faced. Over the next decade, Google Translate quickly rose to fame and is nowadays used for translation or communication by many people from all over the world.

How the translator works is largely known. Less well known, however, are the facts below:

1. Easter Eggs in Google Translate

Over the years Google Translate has featured some funny Easter Eggs. One example is from 2015 when Google decided to celebrate the new release of Star Wars and featured the possibility to translate text to and from Aurebesh alphabet used in the movie. One of the latest Easter Eggs was introduced right before Thanksgiving in 2022 when Google introduced the option to “translate” to a new turkey language. Whatever you typed would be then translated to “gobble gobble gobble gobble” mimicking the sound that a turkey would make. In addition, all translations were also “Poultry Verified”.

2. April Fool’s Pranks

In 2010 Google introduced a fictional feature within Google Translate advertised as “Google Translate for Animals”. It humorously claimed a translation service that could convert human language into animal sounds, allowing users to communicate with their pets. Users were invited to download an app for Android devices with the tagline “Bridging the gap between animals and humans.” While the Google Translate for Animals prank was meant to be a joke and not a real feature, it was just another way for Google to demonstrate their playful side and the ability to come up with creative and entertaining content.

3. Google Translate Can Beatbox

One of the lesser-known entertaining features of Google Translate was its surprising ability to beatbox. In a playful twist, Google introduced a beatboxing Easter egg into its popular translation service. Back in the day, users could have experienced this delightful hidden feature by following a few simple steps.

• First, users had to open Google Translate in a web browser or through the mobile app.
• Next, they had to set the translation from English to German and paste the following text into the translation box: "pv zk bschk pv zk pv bschk zk pv zk bschk pv zk pv bschk zk bschk pv bschk bschk pv kkkkkkkkkk bschk."
• Finally, when they clicked the "listen" button Google Translate unleashed its beatboxing skills, creating a rhythmic and catchy beat.

This beatboxing functionality within Google Translate was undoubtedly a lighthearted and funny one. Google's inclusion of such whimsical features adds a touch of playfulness to its services and further demonstrates the company's ability to merge technology and entertainment.

4. Google Translate’s Strange Warnings

In 2018, a mysterious glitch in Google Translate sent shockwaves through its users. Typing the word "dog" repeatedly while translating from Yoruba to English revealed a disturbing message. Instead of the expected translation, an ominous warning appeared: "Doomsday Clock is three minutes at twelve. We are experiencing characters and dramatic developments in the world, which indicate that we are increasingly approaching the end times and Jesus' return."

Reddit users were quick to share their findings, describing the message as "creepy" and unsettling. The glitch even extended to Hawaiian-to-English translations, but it was eventually fixed. The Doomsday Clock, which symbolically represents humanity's proximity to global catastrophes, became a focal point in the message.

Experts speculate that this unsettling glitch was likely a result of Google's machine learning systems encountering an unexpected error. As Google Translate relies on vast amounts of data to generate translations, the repetition of the word "dog" triggered an unintended response.

5. Google Translate Works Offline

Another fascinating aspect of Google Translate is its ability to function offline, providing a convenient solution for language translation even when an internet connection is not available. What is more, in recent years Google Translate's offline capability has received significant improvements, offering users higher-quality translations.

With support for approximately 59 languages, including Japanese, Arabic, Urdu, Bengali, Korean, and Tamil, the offline feature proves invaluable for travelers encountering language barriers in diverse cultures. Google Translate's offline capability allows you to communicate with locals in their native language, even in remote areas with poor network signals. However, However, this convenience is tied to an app.

6. Google Translate Works with Ancient Languages Too

Google Translate introduced support for translating ancient languages such as Latin, Ancient Greek, and Sanskrit. This development opened up new opportunities for students, researchers, and language enthusiasts to explore and understand texts written in these ancient languages.

The inclusion of ancient languages in Google Translate's repertoire marked a remarkable milestone in bridging the gap between ancient and modern civilizations. It facilitated the dissemination of knowledge and made ancient texts more accessible to a broader audience, fostering a deeper appreciation for the cultural and historical heritage preserved within these languages.

7. Google Translates Billions of Words Per Day

On average, Google Translate translates over 100 billion words daily, making it one of the most widely used language translation tools on the planet. This staggering volume highlights the immense scale at which Google Translate operates, facilitating communication and breaking down language barriers for millions of users worldwide.  The continuous growth of its user base, coupled with the ever-expanding range of supported languages, contributes to this remarkable daily translation feat.

8. Google Translate Glasses

During Google's 2022 developer's conference, the company showcased an exciting innovation: a set of augmented reality glasses with real-time translation and transcription capabilities working in conjunction with Google Translate. These glasses have the potential to enable communication between individuals who don't share a common language. By displaying translations directly on the augmented reality display, wearers no longer need to be fluent in the spoken language. Additionally, the glasses offer simple transcription, serving as captions for individuals who are deaf or have hearing impairments, reducing reliance on lip-reading or sign language.

While a specific release date and price point were not announced, this development marks a promising step toward connecting the world through advanced technology. Other companies are also exploring similar concepts, indicating a growing interest in augmented reality glasses with translation features. The possibility of real-time translation through Google Translate Glasses offers immense potential for enhancing communication and fostering cross-cultural understanding.

In the age of globalization, Google Translate has become more than just a convenient tool for language translation. It represents a gateway to cultural exchange and understanding, breaking down barriers that have once posed challenges for people. While it may not always provide perfect translations or capture the nuances of a language, Google Translate serves as a catalyst for connection, enabling individuals to embark on meaningful conversations, share ideas, and bridge the gaps between their respective cultures. And in the time when it fails to help us, well it certainly has the ability to amuse us and remember how colorful languages can be.