[The Masked Ferret]

IRL, my Spanish is a 1-2. I always describe it as 'enough Spanish to get myself into trouble but not enough to get myself out of it.' I use Google Translate every day on correspondence between me and my Spanish-speaking colleagues. You can use it to learn some new vocabulary, and you can use it to reply to email and texts that you get. But to reply to someone using the language? Even if you know the language some? It works for text conversations, but not verbal ones.

[Wakshaani]

Knowsoft and Linguasoft vs instant translate.

Note that a Datasoft is essentially a digital book, or, well, more of a digital library. The knowledge is there for you to hunt around in, read when bored, or look things up, without a true understanding of things. If you had an Encyclopedia set, and I asked you about Edison, you could flip through the book and find out details, but it'd take a minute and might not have info I'm looking for. With a Knowsoft, that knowledge is as on-hand as any other memory, allowing you to immediately start spouting off details without having to search and, furthermore, you can extrapolate that data as you could other knowledges, thus allowing you to, say, not only answer a question but to extrapolate from there to other questions.

Linguasofts are able to both translate what you read/hear and allow you to speak/write the language. This includes tonality (And English is a tonal language as well, by the by, due to inflection, it's just not as pronounced as in some other languages.) and can handle some degree of idiom (if a decently-advanced program) and slang, where a simple translation program might not. So, where a freebie might tell you that someone has "trash in storage", the Linguasoft would leave no doubt that she had junk in dat trunk.

Note that Linguasofts, or at least the cheaper ones, have a somewhat stilted delivery as the knowledge has to zot your neurons to get the right sounds out, giving "chipped" speakers a distinctive sound where it isn't quite flowing like an actual speaker is.

(( As for tonality, the sentence "I never said she stole my money" has seven different meanings, dependning on which word you stress. Go ahead and try it at home! ))

[Herr Brackhaus]

So, where a freebie might tell you that someone has "trash in storage", the Linguasoft would leave no doubt that she had junk in dat trunk.

Aaaaahahahahahaha. I'm totally stealing that one for future reference...

(( As for tonality, the sentence "I never said she stole my money" has seven different meanings, dependning on which word you stress. Go ahead and try it at home! ))

Good one; never quite thought about it like that.

[firebug]

You can translate anything by typing it in, yes, but...

Try and have a real life, face-to-face conversation with someone who is speaking a language you don't understand and try typing everything they say into a phone/laptop after they say it.  Then try translating back what you want to say and pronouncing it in a way they understand.  I really doubt most people could do this.  Heck, go actually try it with an untranslated YouTube video of someone speaking a foreign language you don't know.  See if you can even record what they're saying.

Even if it worked, which it wouldn't, it is still very slow and very awkward.  Now, this is assuming they are using basic terms (no slang or idioms) and speaking clearly and slowly.

Now let's add modifiers to how difficult it'd be.  Here's some examples:

They're young and talking in a lot of slang you don't understand. 
They're a non-native speaker and have an accent from another language.
They are frustrated and rushed.
They are scared and shakey.
They are excited and speaking quickly.
They are in danger and are shouting angrily.
They are threatening you and not willing to be patient.
They are sad and mumbling.

And so on.  Language is difficult, there's a reason why interpreters are a thing.  And consequently, so you don't have to bring along an interpreter, Shadowrun has Linguasofts.

[Senko]

Exactly! just like you need an active soft for navigation and tracking  cause ya a mapsoft cant just do that, oh wait in 4e it could

Wait, what's this about mapsofts not being navigator's?

[Herr Brackhaus]

What would Google Translate, and it's more advanced cousin, Skype Translator, count as? Because the latter will actually perform real-time translation (though only for a select few languages so far).

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

They're not.  They're a map.  You plug the mapsoft into your car, and your car uses the map information to plot a course - just like it always has.  (Don't know about 4e, but I'd presume they didn't give you THAT much.)

[Rooks]

Exactly! just like you need an active soft for navigation and tracking  cause ya a mapsoft cant just do that, oh wait in 4e it could

Wait, what's this about mapsofts not being navigator's?

Mapsoft: Mapsoft programs feature detailed information
about a particular area, from streets to business/
residential listings to topographical, census, GPS and
environmental data. An interactive interface allows you
to quickly determine the best routes and directions, locate
the nearest spot of your choice, or create your own
customized maps. If a wireless link is maintained, the
map automatically self-updates with the latest data from
GridGuide. Of course, this feature also means that the
mapsoft can be used to track your location. At the gamemaster’s
discretion, mapsofts provide a +1 limit bonus
to Navigation Tests made to navigate the area they cover.

4th Edition
Using Navigation
Navigation is handled as a Success Test, with the threshold based
on how confusing the terrain is. Apply modifiers for poor conditions
(visibility, weather), helpful landmarks, or directions from locals.
Mapsofts add their ratings in dice to the test.

Starting to like 4th Edition Matrix so much more

Oh oh wait theres more! 3rd edition!

Autonav Map Chips: Detailed maps available for all urban
areas, these allow vehicles with Rating 2 autonav and higher to
follow any mapped route as long as it does not cover terrain
classified as rough.

gotta love these Matrix Crashes

[Rooks]

What would Google Translate, and it's more advanced cousin, Skype Translator, count as? Because the latter will actually perform real-time translation (though only for a select few languages so far).

hey folks lets play 4th edition vs 5th edition
4th Edition Linguasoft's
Linguasofts replicate language skills, allowing the
user to speak a foreign language as fluently as her native language.
Linguasofts may also be used as real-time translation programs.
Linguasofts must be accessed with a direct neural link (either a sim
module or datajack). No need for a skilljack here folks!

5th Edtion
Linguasofts must be accessed with a skilljack, which limits how many skillsofts you can use at a time

Because when you live in a world where theres such a thing as something that records thoughts and FEELINGs on something as small as a usb flash drive, course now Im curious how two people talking through DNI works, if thats some form of techno telepathy

[The Wyrm Ouroboros]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  You hate 5e because they got back to their roots.  Get past it, or stick with 4e.

Mapsofts adding their ratings (which meant you had to pay more per rating point, you know?) didn't mean they were navigators; it just meant that they were better maps.

[Rooks]

You can translate anything by typing it in, yes, but...

Try and have a real life, face-to-face conversation with someone who is speaking a language you don't understand and try typing everything they say into a phone/laptop after they say it.  Then try translating back what you want to say and pronouncing it in a way they understand.  I really doubt most people could do this.  Heck, go actually try it with an untranslated YouTube video of someone speaking a foreign language you don't know.  See if you can even record what they're saying.

Even if it worked, which it wouldn't, it is still very slow and very awkward.  Now, this is assuming they are using basic terms (no slang or idioms) and speaking clearly and slowly.

Now let's add modifiers to how difficult it'd be.  Here's some examples:

They're young and talking in a lot of slang you don't understand. 
They're a non-native speaker and have an accent from another language.
They are frustrated and rushed.
They are scared and shakey.
They are excited and speaking quickly.
They are in danger and are shouting angrily.
They are threatening you and not willing to be patient.
They are sad and mumbling.

And so on.  Language is difficult, there's a reason why interpreters are a thing.  And consequently, so you don't have to bring along an interpreter, Shadowrun has Linguasofts.

I did using my smartphone speech to text function and Word Lense augmented reality app from the google play store  and this is 2015 so I think they would have that on lock down 60 years from now

[SichoPhiend]

Just throwing this one in for consideration, what about using a tutorsoft for quick and dirty translation?

[Top Dog]

You can translate anything by typing it in, yes, but...

Try and have a real life, face-to-face conversation with someone who is speaking a language you don't understand and try typing everything they say into a phone/laptop after they say it.  Then try translating back what you want to say and pronouncing it in a way they understand.  I really doubt most people could do this.  Heck, go actually try it with an untranslated YouTube video of someone speaking a foreign language you don't know.  See if you can even record what they're saying.

Even if it worked, which it wouldn't, it is still very slow and very awkward.  Now, this is assuming they are using basic terms (no slang or idioms) and speaking clearly and slowly.

Now let's add modifiers to how difficult it'd be.  Here's some examples:

They're young and talking in a lot of slang you don't understand. 
They're a non-native speaker and have an accent from another language.
They are frustrated and rushed.
They are scared and shakey.
They are excited and speaking quickly.
They are in danger and are shouting angrily.
They are threatening you and not willing to be patient.
They are sad and mumbling.

And so on.  Language is difficult, there's a reason why interpreters are a thing.  And consequently, so you don't have to bring along an interpreter, Shadowrun has Linguasofts.

I did using my smartphone speech to text function and Word Lense augmented reality app from the google play store  and this is 2015 so I think they would have that on lock down 60 years from now

That's my thought.

Yes, Firebug, language is difficult. And translation apps, even in 2075, are going to be slow and cumbersome to communicate with. And they will probably have problems with nuances - that's why you can't use your social skills effectively when using them. But you can use them for basic communication, and with some care and patience from both time you'd be able to get some useful dialog going.

Now, if you want to calm someone down by waving your commlink at them and have it translate your speech, that's probably not going to work. And making someone talk by making a robotic voice synthesize badly-translated threats probably isn't going to get you anything either. It's limited. But that doesn't mean it can't be effective when you need it.

[Sterling]

Just a thought...

What would happen if you linked the datajacks of two individuals who speak different languages.  Would they be able to communicate as it's thought to thought, or would it still be unintelligible?

I can't actually decide one way or the other.

[Senko]

I'd say unintelligeable as we tend to think in a language e.g. if I think the lolly packet is green thats an english term.

There is a bit about navigation with mapsoft just no rules.