Yandex Begins Integration of Abkhaz Language into Translator Service
Yandex is a Russian tech company providing Internet services, including a search engine.
SUKHUM / AQW'A ― David Dasania, a linguist and researcher, has shared an exciting development on his Facebook page regarding Yandex's efforts to incorporate the Abkhaz language into its Translator service. This initiative marks a significant milestone in promoting linguistic diversity and improving communication for the culturally rich region of the North Caucasus.
A few weeks ago, Dasania announced that Yandex plans to incorporate several North Caucasian languages into its Translator service. He had highlighted the inclusion of languages such as Abkhaz, Abazin, Circassian, Karachay-Balkar, Nogai, Ossetian, Chechen, Ingush, and various Dagestani languages in the Yandex translation system.
In his new post, Dasania announced that Yandex has agreed to integrate the Abkhaz language into its translation program. This integration means that anyone with internet access will soon be able to translate sentences into Abkhaz, thereby facilitating the learning and usage of the language worldwide. The recognition and ease of text translation in Abkhaz is poised to become significantly more accessible.
David Dasania, a linguist and researcher.
To ensure the success of this integration, a high-quality training dataset is essential for the machine translation system. Dasania has called upon experts and native speakers of Abkhaz to translate the first 100 sentences from Russian into Abkhaz. This foundational step is crucial for developing an accurate and reliable translation system, which will soon undergo testing to identify and correct any errors.
Dasania emphasised the importance of these initial translations, noting that their quality will directly impact the accuracy and effectiveness of the machine translation system. By contributing to this project, participants will play a vital role in the preservation and popularisation of the Abkhaz language.
Participants with advanced proficiency in Abkhaz are invited to join the translation team. The initial task involves translating 100 sentences from Russian into Abkhaz, ensuring accuracy, stylistic correctness, and adherence to the norms of the Abkhaz language. This project presents a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of Abkhaz and become part of a team working on a significant cultural and linguistic initiative.
Dasania also proposed focusing on translating valuable books from beginning to end, rather than random sentences from various texts. This approach aims to provide context and coherence to the translations, enhancing their quality. Additionally, distributing sentences among multiple translators will streamline the process, making it more manageable for each participant and expediting the overall project.
This initiative underscores Yandex’s commitment to linguistic diversity and the preservation of cultural heritage. By integrating Abkhaz into its Translator service, Yandex is making strides towards making the language accessible to a global audience, thereby fostering greater appreciation and understanding of Abkhazian culture.
For those interested in participating, this project offers a chance to contribute to the development of Abkhaz language resources, gain valuable translation experience, and be part of an important cultural initiative. Together, the community can make Abkhaz language accessible to people around the world, ensuring its place in the modern digital landscape.