Allowing them to offer the websites in 51 different languages

Oct 1, 2009 08:00 GMT  ·  By
The new Google translation gadget allows webmasters to offer the websites in 51 different languages
   The new Google translation gadget allows webmasters to offer the websites in 51 different languages

Google is announcing a new tool for website owners that will allow them to offer their users a version of their sites in the users' native language through a new website translation gadget. The gadget is powered by Google Translate, of course, which the company is integrating into every possible product these days. Though not exactly “new” in the strictest sense of the word – it's been around since 2007 – it is an interesting tool that many webmasters may not be aware of.

“Now, when people visit your page, if their language (as determined by their browser settings) is different than the language of your page, they'll be prompted to automatically translate the page into their own language. If the visitor's language is the same as the language of your page, no translation banner will appear,” Jeff Chin, product manager, wrote.

The gadget is simple enough to use and install. Webmasters need to add a small piece of code to their sites which will load the gadget in the background. Then, when users visit a site with the translator gadget installed, they will be asked if they want to see a translated version of the site depending on the language they have set up in their browser. The translation is far from perfect, but it's useful enough for the users to understand what the page is all about.

Google says that the launch was made to coincide with the International Translation Day, a tip of the hat, if you will, to the professionals doing this for a living. However, coincidently or not, Facebook just announced a very similar feature, translation for websites, but with a very different approach. The social network has expanded its Translations program that it used to provide versions of its site in 65 languages to other websites which can now enlist the help of Facebook users in getting the pages translated to other languages. And despite Google not making any direct mentions, the post does start with what looks like a direct stab at Facebook's program.

“How long would it take to translate all the world's web content into 50 languages? Even if all of the translators in the world worked around the clock, with the current growth rate of content being created online and the sheer amount of data on the web, it would take hundreds of years to make even a small dent,” Chin said.