The following excerpts are from Wikipedia entries in Spanish and Portuguese.  Each entry was processed through Google Translate on January 11, 2011.  Please compare Google's translation to mine, and see what automatic translators can and cannot do.

Spanish to English:  Biographical information on Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Rodham atrajo la atención nacional en 1969, cuando pronunció un polémico discurso como el primer alumno en hablar en una graduación del Wellesley College. Comenzó su carrera como abogado después de graduarse de la Facultad de Derecho de Yale en 1973 y en 1975 se casó con el futuro presidente. En dos ocasiones apareció como uno de los cien abogados más influyentes en los Estados Unidos y trabajo para la importante Rose Law Firm. Como la esposa del entonces gobernador Bill Clinton, fue la Primera Dama del estado de Arkansas de 1979 a 1981 y de 1983 a 1992. Participó activamente en una serie de organizaciones interesadas en el bienestar de los niños, y fue miembro en la Junta Directiva de Wal-Mart y de otros directorios de empresas. En 1996, escribe su primer libro, It Takes a Village o Es Labor de Todos, en español, donde presenta su visión sobre la crianza y educación de los niños. En 2004, publica Living History o Historia Viva, una autobiografía de su vida como Primera Dama y Senadora.

Google Translate

Hillary Rodham attracted national attention in 1969 when he delivered a controversial speech as the first student to speak at a Wellesley College graduation. He began his career as a lawyer after graduating from Yale Law School in 1973 and in 1975 married the future president. On two occasions he appeared as one of the hundred most influential lawyers in the United States and work for the Rose Law Firm important. As the wife of then Governor Bill Clinton was the First Lady of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and from 1983 to 1992. Actively participated in a number of organizations interested in the welfare of children, and was a member on the board of Wal-Mart and other business directories. In 1996, he wrote his first book, It Takes a Village or is work of all in Spanish, where he presents his views on the upbringing and education of children. In 2004, he published Living History or Living History, an autobiography of his life as First Lady and Senator.

My Translation

Hillary Rodham attracted national attention in 1969 when she delivered a controversial speech as the first student to speak at a Wellesley College graduation.  She began her career as a lawyer after graduating from Yale Law School in 1973, and in 1975 she married the future president.  On two occasions she was listed as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the United States, and she worked for the prestigious Rose Law Firm.  As the wife of then-governor Bill Clinton, she was First Lady of the state of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and from 1983 to 1992.  She participated actively in several organizations concerned with children's well-being, and she was a member of the board of directors of Wal-Mart and other corporations.  In 1996, she wrote her first book, It Takes a Village, where she presented her views on raising and educating children.  In 2004, she published Living History, an autobiography of her life as First Lady and Senator.
Keep in mind that Google Translate mines the Web for information to help it translate.  Possibly millions of words have been written about Secretary of State Clinton, but Google Translate still doesn't know she's a woman.


Portuguese to English:  Text on Second Language Acquisition (SLA)

Stephen Krashen propôs uma das mais estudadas teorias de ASL de cunho inatista, à qual chamou de monitor model. Seu modelo constitui-se de cinco hipóteses:

    * A hipótese de aquisição-aprendizado (acquisition-learning): segundo Krashen, há duas formas de aprendizes adultos desenvolverem conhecimento sobre uma segunda língua: aquisição (acquisition) ou aprendizado (learning). A aquisição dá-se quando eles são expostos a amostras da L1 às quais eles compreendem. O aprendizado dá-se por um processo conscientede estudo e atenção às formas e regras gramaticais da L2;

    * A hipótese de monitoramento (monitor hypothesis): o sistema de aquisição seria responsável pela fluência e pelos julgamentos intuitivos sobre correção; o sistema de aprendizagem funcionaria como um editor ou monitor, promovendo pequenas mudanças e burilando o que o sistema de aquisição tenha produzido. . .

Google Translate

Stephen Krashen has proposed one of the most studied theories of innate nature of ASL, which he called the monitor model. Their model consists of five hypotheses:

    * The acquisition-learning hypothesis (acquisition-learning): according to Krashen, there are two forms of adult learners develop knowledge of a second language: acquisition (acquisition) or learning (learning). The acquisition is when they are exposed to samples from L1 to which they understand. Learning occurs by a process conscientede study and attention to the forms and grammatical rules of L2;

    * The hypothesis tracking (monitor hypothesis): the purchasing system would be responsible for fluency and intuitive judgments about the correction, the learning system would function as a monitor or editor, promoting small changes and chiseled what the acquisition system has produced. . .

My Translation

Stephen Krashen proposed one of the most studied theories of the innate nature of SLA, which he called the monitor model.  His model consists of five hypotheses:

   * The acquisition-learning hypothesis:  according to Krashen, adult learners develop knowledge of a second language in two ways:  acquisition or learning.  Acquisition occurs when they are exposed to samples of the L1 which they understand.  Learning occurs through a conscious process of study and attention to the forms and grammatical rules of the L2;

    * The monitor hypothesis:  the acquisition system would be responsible for fluency and intuitive judgments about correctness; the learning system would act as an editor or 'monitor', making small changes and perfecting what the acquisition system has produced. . .
_Note that in this text, Google Translate was unable to translate the acronym correctly, possibly leading a reader to expect an article about American Sign Language (ASL).  It could not translate when the source text contained typographical errors (conscientede), and it confused two meanings for 'aquisicao', choosing another incorrect translation.

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