Google is currently marking 20 years since the launch of the Translate service, and is choosing to do so with the launch of one of the most requested features in the product’s history: Interactive pronunciation practice. The new tool is designed to turn the application from a digital dictionary into an active aid, allowing users to improve their spoken language through real-time voice analysis. This move comes after years in which the tool has often become a target of ridicule – despite its popularity, it has been known as one of the most criticized in the industry due to embarrassing translation errors, faulty grammar and distortions that have turned into an online joke. Now, it seems that Google is trying to leave this image behind by integrating more accurate technology.
The new feature has been initially launched for Android users in the United States and India, and currently supports English, Spanish and Hindi. Users will find at the bottom of the screen a dedicated button under the name "Practice", which offers two main options: Listening to accurate pronunciation by native speakers, or self-recording by the user to examine their level of accuracy.
When the user chooses the speaking option, the system uses artificial intelligence to analyze the sound waves and compare them to the standard pronunciation. If the system identifies an error, it does not settle for a general correction, but rather presents phonetic spelling that explains how the word should be pronounced. For example, a user who tries to pronounce the Spanish word "Jugo" (juice) and fails with the J sound unique to the language will receive visual guidance that breaks the word down into the correct sounds (HU-go), in order to facilitate learning and prevent embarrassing misunderstandings with locals.
The decision to invest in such a tool is based on Google’s usage data, which show that about one third of mobile users try to use the application to prepare for real conversations. The need to move from passive translation of text to active speech has become one of the company’s central focuses, especially in light of the fact that the service currently supports more than 250 languages – including indigenous languages and languages that are at risk of extinction.
According to company data, the service has crossed the threshold of one billion monthly users, who together translate more than one trillion words every month.