Nativetext, crossing the language barrier.

Now this is an idea I can really get in to. Nativetext is a new service soon to be opening that will attempt to cross the language barrier in the world of syndicated content.

It is true that the bulk of syndicated content (RSS feeds and podcasts) are mainly available in English and while English is widely accepted it is also true that a large number of people aren’t fluid in it, or prefer to consume content in their native languages.

Nativetext plan on using humans to translate content from feeds submitted to the service in the requested language, no fancy high tech techniques here, just plain old hard work, the advantages should be content that maintain a sensible language structure (have you ever tried to make sense of an automated translation?) and should translate the localized nuances of the native languages a lot better.

I am not sure how they plan on scaling the vast number of requests, especially considering the number of feeds they would inevitably need to translate and the fact that RSS feeds will be translated for free, but I have read elsewhere that they may offer a paid for document translation service for business based on a bidding system for the signed up translator. Sounds a lot like amazon’s mechanical turk?

This seems like an exciting opportunity to provide the richness of content so prevalent in the western countries to the vast numbers of internet and cellphone users coming online now in the non-english speaking countries worldwide.

As a non-english speaking African I can attest to the fact that language is still a problem to some, so it follows that this should get some fantastic traction.

Technorati Tags: Web2.0, Nativetext, RSS