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Cambridge Study Reveals Machine Translation Can Lead to Serious Errors in Medicine

The Context of the Zika Virus

Zika virus has been a concern worldwide, mainly because of its ability to be transmissible through sexual intercourse and its impact on pregnant women, causing severe congenital anomalies. Clear and accurate communication about prevention measures is crucial to control its spread.

The Problem of Machine Translation

A study of machine translation of medical information revealed several errors that can have dangerous consequences. One significant example involved the translation of a text on Zika virus prevention. The original English text read:

“Currently, men who may have been exposed to the Zika virus are not tested to determine whether they are infected and thus at risk of transmitting the virus through sexual intercourse. Instead measures to prevent transmission are recommended whenever people who may have been exposed to the Zika virus have sexual intercourse.”

The human translation of the text into Chinese remained faithful to the original meaning, ensuring that readers understood the importance of taking preventive measures when having sex with people potentially exposed to the virus. However, the machine translation performed by Google Translate resulted in a critical conceptual error. The translated text incorrectly suggested that it was safe to have sex with men exposed to the virus as long as they were not diagnosed clinically, which minimizes the actual risk and could lead to the spread of the virus (Cambridge).

Importance of Accuracy and Context

This error highlights the importance of accuracy and contextual interpretation in medical translation. Machine translation cannot replace the ability of human translators to interpret the context and nuances of language correctly. Inaccurate translations of medical texts can lead to dangerous misunderstandings and inappropriate healthcare practices.

Conclusion

Machine translation has significant limitations when dealing with critical medical information. The intervention of human translators is essential to ensure that messages are communicated clearly and accurately, thereby protecting public health and preventing the spread of diseases such as the Zika virus.




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