# ............. \[fun with Google Translate\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 13, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222 "2014-02-13T04:38:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/1 "2014-02-13T04:38:46Z")
just saw this: - go to google translate - enter some dots - translate to Japanese - click on listen ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/2 "2014-02-13T04:43:45Z")
That is oddly hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/3 "2014-02-13T05:21:27Z")
:: nods :: ---
**Author:** ![Orr\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ee59a6/32.png) [@Orr\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orr_G)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/4 "2014-02-13T05:24:05Z")
W-why is it so musical? There are at least twice as many syllables as dots. Japan is weird. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/5 "2014-02-13T05:29:37Z")
uh, I get nothing? ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/6 "2014-02-13T05:32:47Z")
HA! “Do. Do-do, do-do, do.” She sounds kind of hungover. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/7 "2014-02-13T06:26:20Z")
HA! i tried “DO DO DO DO DO” and it somehow came out without repetitive syllables. “222222222222222” - she sounds so happy just reading a number, but try “uuuuuuuuuuuuuu” and you’ll hear a sound of exasperation. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/8 "2014-02-13T07:08:44Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > uh, I get nothing? It’s just some voice chanting da-dot da-dot dat-dot in a Japanese accent. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/9 "2014-02-13T07:51:50Z")
> [@Orr\_G](#): > > W-why is it so musical? > > There are at least twice as many syllables as dots. Must be a karaoke version of [De Do Do Do De Da Da Da.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v2GDbEmjGE) ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/10 "2014-02-13T15:45:49Z")
Is that… No it… It can’t be, can it?.. Is that Bemo from Adventure Time?! ---
**Author:** ![hotflungwok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/edb3f5/32.png) [@hotflungwok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotflungwok)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/11 "2014-02-13T16:23:54Z")
You guys know about German beat boxing right? 1. Go to Google Translate 2. Select from German to German 3. Enter ‘pv zk bschk pv zk pv bschk zk pv zk bschk pv zk pv bschk zk bschk pv bschk bschk pv kkkkkkkkkk bschk’ 4. Click listen ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/12 "2014-02-13T16:52:30Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > It’s just some voice chanting da-dot da-dot dat-dot in a Japanese accent. to be more accurate, it’s the transliteration of the word ‘dot’ to Japanese. it’s remarkable because the translation software did not simply replay the same wave file out of context, or at least it is to me. it’s certainly a big step up from the robotic voice i remember from old speech to text software. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/13 "2014-02-13T16:55:10Z")
> [@hotflungwok](#): > > You guys know about German beat boxing right? > > 1. Go to Google Translate > 2. Select from German to German > 3. Enter ‘pv zk bschk pv zk pv bschk zk pv zk bschk pv zk pv bschk zk bschk pv bschk bschk pv kkkkkkkkkk bschk’ > 4. Click listen That was amazing. Google Translate needs to put together a studio album. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/14 "2014-02-13T17:01:05Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > to be more accurate, it’s the transliteration of the word ‘dot’ to Japanese. it’s remarkable because the translation software did not simply replay the same wave file out of context, or at least it is to me. it’s certainly a big step up from the robotic voice i remember from old speech to text software. Google will become self-aware and start rocking our world at 2:14 am, EDT, August 4, 2017. Also known as J-Pop-Day. ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/15 "2014-02-13T17:10:46Z")
i laughed, but is it wrong that rather than posting something about a wet keyboard i just want to point out that i meant “text to speech” instead? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/16 "2014-02-13T17:19:56Z")
> [@shijinn](#): > > i laughed, but is it wrong that rather than posting something about a wet keyboard i just want to point out that i meant “text to speech” instead? :smack: の. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/17 "2014-02-13T17:24:23Z")
😕 Google Translate does not seem to have a Listen (or anything similar) button for me. There is a “Read phonetically” button, but that just gives a Romanized version of the Japanese (in this case, yet another row of dots). Is this something that only works on phones? ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/18 "2014-02-13T17:28:24Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > 😕 Google Translate does not seem to have a Listen (or anything similar) button for me. There is a “Read phonetically” button, but that just gives a Romanized version of the Japanese (in this case, yet another row of dots). Is this something that only works on phones? It worked on both the mobile (iPhone) and classic (desktop) versions of [translate.google.com](http://translate.google.com) for me. There’s no little speaker icon in the bottom right corner of the translated dots? Also, maybe it requires javascript or something, do you have it turned off or any other blockers? ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/19 "2014-02-13T17:52:16Z")
This is too fun! ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222/20 "2014-02-13T17:57:42Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > It worked on both the mobile (iPhone) and classic (desktop) versions of [translate.google.com](http://translate.google.com) for me. > > There’s no little speaker icon in the bottom right corner of the translated dots? > > Also, maybe it requires javascript or something, do you have it turned off or any other blockers? Nope, no speaker icon and JavaScript is not blocked. I am in an up to date version of Firefox. I do block Flash, but that normally shows where the Flash app was (even Flash that is normally hidden from view) and I can click on it to unblock it. Hmm, OK, it worked in IE. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fun-with-google-translate/681222.md?page=2)