Dealing With Language Barriers

[ALD18]

Have upcoming cruise to South America and have seen multiple warnings about limited English speaking staff in several areas.  We have zero Spanish speaking skills.  I messed around yesterday with Google Translate with a Spanish restaurant menu and was a little disappointed in how it worked, especially entering Spanish phrases and converting to English.  They did not have an English menu posted.  Obviously did not know if translation from English to Spanish worked.  Some of the "translates" seemed to be wrong.  Do you use and have confidence in any other types of translator apps, other than Google translate, on your phone or other devices?    Thanks.

[Fouremco]

I find Apple's Translate app quite good and easy to use in a variety of ways, but I don't know how it compares with Google Translate for accuracy when translating to/from Spanish.

[mom says]

I'm not sure that translating menu items is a good test of any translation app. Many names of culinary dishes are specific to a country/ culture, and just don't translate.  For instance, enter boeuf bourguignon into GT and you get beef bourguignon, not beef stew. Enter croque monsieur, and you get croque  monsieur,  not grilled cheese and ham sandwich. 

But ask it to translate " I would like a table for 2 please" or "Where is the toilet?" and it can do it with no problem. 

[ALD18]

Exactly what we are seeing today Mom Says.  We've been fiddling with menus with both Google Translate and Apple translate apps.  We found a menu with both English and Spanish on the line item.  We put the English into translate and we do not get the Spanish line item words out, super confusing.  We've played around with the voice features and get Spanish output,  just hope what comes out is not something rude:)  Will keep playing with both apps and get more comfortable with them.  Thanks for the advise.

[Heidi13]

Have travelled the world extensively for 45+ yrs and don't speak any foreign language, other than a few commands in Hindi, which was the most common crew language.

 

Never required any translators and have always survived. So don't worry, just go and enjoy the experience.

[Magicat]

Back in the day we carried the Lonely Planet's translation book and communicated from Austria to Spain with no issues.  Living in Mexico and having some French language skills, GT was very useful in conveying what I was trying to say.  As posted above, cultural or regional words and phrases especially of food items do not to work well, however searching the item on Google works. 

I have found through out my travels that even attempting to communicate in the native language you will get a lot of help.  Imagine someone walking up to you and speaking Polish to you.  However the same person comes up and says "Is Toilet where".  You would be more willing to help this fellow out. Just try, you'll be fine.

[Ex-Airbalancer]

8 minutes ago, Magicat said:

Back in the day we carried the Lonely Planet's translation book and communicated from Austria to Spain with no issues.  Living in Mexico and having some French language skills, GT was very useful in conveying what I was trying to say.  As posted above, cultural or regional words and phrases especially of food items do not to work well, however searching the item on Google works. 

I have found through out my travels that even attempting to communicate in the native language you will get a lot of help.  Imagine someone walking up to you and speaking Polish to you.  However the same person comes up and says "Is Toilet where".  You would be more willing to help this fellow out. Just try, you'll be fine.

If it was Polish , I might know what he was saying 😁

[CDNPolar]

I have a translate app called "Say Hi" and you speak in English and it translates to Chinese, Spanish, or anything you want.  The same in reverse, the individual responds in their language and it translates back to English.   This happens in voice and text.

 

My husband is Chinese and none of his family speak English.  We all have this app and when I am home in China I use this a lot to afford me with basic communication skills with all family.  It works well.

 

The only piece to this app is that you must have your data live if you are out and about for it to work.  It does not work offline.

 

I do know that there are newer stand alone devices for travel that do not need data, but I have not used them nor do I know their price.

 

This Say Hi app has been a life saver for me many times.  Restaurants are relatively easy in many languages as you can learn beef, chicken, fish quickly, but if you are in an underground subway and need a ticket and there is no English, without a translate app like this you may be in trouble.

[gnome12]

On 10/12/2022 at 4:53 AM, Heidi13 said:

Have travelled the world extensively for 45+ yrs and don't speak any foreign language, other than a few commands in Hindi, which was the most common crew language.

 

Never required any translators and have always survived. So don't worry, just go and enjoy the experience.

I think that is kind of sad. I like to have a few words of the local language anywhere I go. (I tried Catalan but gave up completely, but I have usually managed to get a few words of many languages.) It shows respect for the locals. 

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, gnome12 said:

I think that is kind of sad. I like to have a few words of the local language anywhere I go. (I tried Catalan but gave up completely, but I have usually managed to get a few words of many languages.) It shows respect for the locals. 

 

Nothing sad about it, as it is all how you present yourself to the locals. Have spent many great nights ashore interacting with locals.

 

Recall a great night in a cafe just outside the docks in Kobe. We planned to stop in for a beer and ended up staying the entire evening. Ate well and drank well, chatting to and drinking/eating with the local. They didn't speak any English and we didn't speak any Japanese, but we were able to communicate.

 

Having worked extensively with international crews you have many ways to show respect other than learning a few words of the language, especially when visiting multiple countries for only 1 day.