How to use ChatGPT for English translation?

2. Features of ChatGPT Translation

How is ChatGPT different from other translation tools? The following explains the differences.

2-1. High Translation Accuracy

ChatGPT has a translation accuracy that is on par with other specialized translation tools. This high performance is backed by rich and high-quality training data, cutting-edge natural language processing (NLP) technology, and context understanding through deep learning. ChatGPT incorporates a wide range of content as its training source, allowing for high-precision translation regardless of the field. In particular, by specifying the field and purpose of the document in the translation instructions, it is possible to translate using terminology and writing styles that are suitable for that document. This type of instruction was not possible with traditional machine translation engines. To specialize in a specific field or purpose, a large amount of text data and training work were essential, requiring both time and cost. However, with ChatGPT, simply providing various instructions allows for the generation of translated text that meets the desired purpose. For more information on ChatGPT's translation capabilities, please see the article below.

What is the translation ability of ChatGPT? Thorough verification at each stage of translation

2-2. Multilingual support available

The ChatGPT dataset for learning mainly consists of text data collected from the internet. The internet uses various languages, and these language data are also included in the text data. Therefore, ChatGPT is capable of machine translation for not only English, but also Asian languages such as Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, as well as European languages such as French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Middle Eastern languages such as Arabic and Persian. With a large amount of English data in the dataset, it is possible to translate naturally, especially for English translation.

2-3. Natural translations that fit the context are possible

ChatGPT can translate using appropriate terms and expressions for the context. By specifying the field of the text or passing multiple sentences in the translation prompt, the appropriate translation will be generated taking into account the context information. In traditional machine translation services such as Google and Microsoft, context information is not utilized. Even if multiple sentences are passed, they are often processed on a sentence-by-sentence basis and context is not considered. However, with DeepL, it is possible to consider context when passing multiple sentences. For more information on the comparison between DeepL and ChatGPT, please refer to the article below.

What is DeepL? Comparison with ChatGPT also verified

2-4. Output format and terminology can be specified

The style (formal or casual) used in the original text will be automatically reflected in the translated text to some extent, but specifying it in the prompt will ensure that it is used more reliably in the translated text. In particular, when translating to English, terminology and expressions appropriate for the style will be used. However, when it comes to translating to Japanese, specifying the style (polite or casual) is often ignored. If you want to specify the style, we recommend using the DeepL translation service, which has the corresponding option feature.

It is also possible to specify translations for proper nouns within the prompt. By specifying translations for company names, personal names, product names, and service names, more accurate translations can be generated.

Note: In the case of the free version of ChatGPT, specifying the style of the translated text to be in plain or polite form ("である" or "ですます" style) is often ignored. If you want to specify the plain or polite form, please use the paid version of ChatGPT or use DeepL, which has an option for specifying the plain or polite form.

2-5. Possible to detect mistranslations or omissions and proofread

You can pass the original text and translation to ChatGPT to check for mistranslations or omissions, and also perform proofreading for grammar and typos.

2-6. Can create a glossary

You can extract terms that can be candidates for a glossary by passing the original text and translate those terms. You can select the text in the output table and paste it into Excel.

3. Steps to Translate with ChatGPT

Explaining the steps to translate with ChatGPT.

1. Open the ChatGPT screen in your web browser.

2. Enter " translate" and then copy and paste the text you want to translate and press Enter.

3. Please specify the output as needed. For example, specify the type of document such as "Translate website text into Japanese" or "Translate software technical document into English" to use appropriate terminology and expressions for that purpose. If there is a specific translation, please indicate it as "Translate "△△ inc." as "○○ Corporation"."

If there are multiple translation instructions or if you want to specify terms, it is also possible to divide them into sections such as "### Rules" and "### Glossary".

4. We will proofread after translation as needed. We will instruct you to "look for mistranslations."

4. Notes when using ChatGPT for translation

4-1. Be careful with handling information

By default, the content entered on the official ChatGPT website will be used to improve the ChatGPT model. Therefore, entering original text containing confidential information or personal data may lead to information leakage. To prevent it from being used to improve the model, please make sure to turn off "Chat History and Training" in the ChatGPT settings. This setting is saved for each machine and web browser, so if you use ChatGPT on a different machine or browser, please check and update the settings again.

If you are using ChatGPT Team, ChatGPT Enterprise, or ChatGPT API, your data will not be used to improve the model and there is no risk of information leakage. (Reference: Enterprise privacy at OpenAI)

4-2. Use with the assumption that there may be mistranslations or omissions

If there are mistranslations or omissions in the translated text by ChatGPT, please make sure to have a human check the translation when using it for purposes where errors are not acceptable. The process of manually checking and correcting machine-translated text is called "post-editing". For more information on post-editing, please refer to the following page which collects related blog articles.

Post-edit Blog

4-3. Recommended for use with other tools

If you want to specify the style of the translated text as polite or formal (using "desu-masu" or "dearu" tone) when translating to English, consider using DeepL, which has that option.

Regarding proofreading function, there may be other dedicated tools that are superior. For English, consider using proofreading software/services such as Grammarly or DeepL Write, and for Japanese, consider using Just Right! or Typoless. If you can use Microsoft Word, you can also use the "Editor" function in the "Review" tab.

5. Summary

In this article, we explained the steps and features of using ChatGPT for English translation. ChatGPT has high accuracy and can handle multiple languages, providing natural translations that fit the context. However, in cases where mistranslations are not acceptable, it is necessary to have a human confirm the translated text. Also, be sure to check the security settings before entering confidential information.

At Human Science, we offer automatic translation software MTrans for Office and MTrans for Trados that can utilize ChatGPT. You can also translate transcribed text with just one click. ChatGPT can not only be used as a translation engine, but also for transcribing, rewriting, and proofreading text depending on the prompt. MTrans for Office and MTrans for Trados also offer a 14-day free trial. Please feel free to contact us.

Features of MTrans for Office

① Unlimited number of files and glossaries that can be translated with a fixed fee
② Translate with one click from Office products!
③ Secure API connection for peace of mind
・For customers who want further enhancement, we also offer SSO, IP restrictions, etc.

④ Japanese language support by Japanese companies
・Possible to respond to security check sheets
・Payment by bank transfer is available

MTrans for Office is an easy-to-use translation software for Office.

Features of MTrans for Trados

1. ① Simultaneous translation using multiple machine translation engines such as DeepL and Google.
2. ② Automatically apply terminology to machine-translated text. Centrally manage terminology glossaries regardless of machine translation engine.
3. ③ String replacement, regular expression replacement, automatic correction of translation style, notation, and expression using ChatGPT
4. ④ Automatic Correction of Fuzzy Matches in Translation Memory
5. ⑤ Maintain original formatting and tags during machine translation

 

What is the machine translation solution MTrans for Trados for Trados?