Google translations is still good for some fun. I was inspired to try this by a blog of H. Kyson Jr. He had more success with translations into Latin languages. The topic belongs here, because Google uses statistical methods for its translation services. This works surprisingly well sometimes, but fails miserably often.

The following are attempts to reformulate a word of M.L. King so that the Google translator can manage it. The results show that English at that level is a fairly difficult language. Though I love this language, I am aware how easy it is to screw up English sentences, and how difficult it is for non-natives to understand just the condensed headings in English newspapers.

Our lives begin to end the day
we become silent about the things that matter.
Unser Leben beginnt auf den Tag
werden wir über die Dinge, die Angelegenheit still zu beenden.

Our lives begin to end at the day
when we become silent about the things that matter.
Unser Leben beginnt an dem Tag endet,
wenn wir über die Dinge, die Angelegenheit still geworden.

Our lives begin to end at the day
when we begin to be silent about the things that matter.
Unser Leben beginnt an dem Tag endet,
wenn wir sein über die Dinge, die Angelegenheit still beginnen.

Our lives begin to end
when we begin to be silent about things that are important.
Unser Leben beginnt zu enden,
wenn wir schweigen über Dinge, die wichtig sind zu beginnen.

Nos vies commencent à finir
si l’on prend l’habitude de se taire sur les choses qui sont importantes.
Unser Leben beginnt zu enden,
wenn wir die Gewohnheit nehmen, ruhig zu sein
über die Dinge, die wichtig sind.

Le nostre vite cominciano a fine
quando cominciamo a tacere sulle cose che sono importanti.
Unser Leben beginnt zu enden,
wenn wir zu halten über Dinge, die wichtig sind ruhig beginnen.