--- Forwarded Message from Mike <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 09:30:52 -0400
>From: Mike <[log in to unmask]>
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum     <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #6697 CALL software idea -- exists?
>References: <[log in to unmask]>

------------------
Gabe,

The Babylon translator is similar to your idea. (www.babylon.com)  Instead of
importing the text, though, the Babylon translator works through on-screen OCR.
You can look-up words  in a browser, application, toolbar, etc. The program is
activated through the right click option (which must be turned off to use the
normal right click features). I find that the on-screen OCR works well within web
browsers and in any clear text, but does not always work in applications where the
text might not be as clear. There is also a "say-it" feature, as you described,
but I have not tested it yet. There are a number of dictionaries encompassing many
languages, including Chinese, American sign, technical dictionaries, etc. Custom
glossaries can be created as well. I personally have stopped using it for German
because of the overall quality of the dictionary, but perhaps for less commonly
taught languages this might be an option. (Btw, there is no support on Babylon for
MAC/ Linux / Palm OS. )

_Mike Shaughnessy



LLTI-Editor wrote:

> --- Forwarded Message from "Gabriel J. Webster" <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
> >Date: Tue, 21 May 2002 14:49:55 -0700 (PDT)
> >From: "Gabriel J. Webster" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >Subject: CALL software idea -- exists?
>
> Hi there.  I have an idea for a cool piece of CALL software, and the
> technical ability and desire to implement it, but I don't know whether
> something like it already exists.  It's an aid for reading foreign
> language texts, where you can import any existing text into the program
> (newspaper articles, textbook dialogs, etc.), and then be able to click on
> any individual word to get its pronunciation (probably just written) and
> meaning.  The program would be designed to be easily modified to work with
> different languages, which would require changing the dictionary that the
> program uses to look up words in.  The program would allow the user to add
> words that are missing from the dictionary.  It would ideally run over the
> web, but in a pinch would just run on Mac and Windows instead.
>   Does anyone know of an existing program with some (non-zero!) subset of
> this functionality?  I'm personally interested in Mandarin Chinese and
> French, and making the program work for these languages would make it work
> for a great many more.  I strongly suspect that the whole package does not
> exist, but that something useful may be lying around somewhere.
> Otherwise, anyone with technical know-how interested in collaborating on
> such a tool (beginning in a couple of months) is invited to respond to me
> off the list.  Thanks,
>
> Gabe Webster
> Staff Associate
> University of Washington
> Language Learning Center