Fact Sheet

Challenge

High-quality translation between many simultaneous languages on the web. We address 15 languages, including 12 of EU's official languages. The tool is directed for producers of documents, rather than consumers. Thus we are not satisfied with browsing quality, but on the other hand we need not have broad coverage.

Goal

Develop tools that enable web content providers to create publishing-quality translations automatically. The tools apply to specific domains, and require an initial adaptation of the translation system to each domain. MOLTO's goal is to make this adaptation feasible for programmers and translators without specific training in the system, and as automatic as possible.

Scientific innovation

Scale up grammar-based interlingual translation with GF (Grammatical Framework) from a set of successful experiments to a productive tool; link GF grammars with web ontology standards (OWL) and exploit ontologies in translation; find useful ways of combining GF with statistical translation methods.

The result

• A tool for creating domain-specific translation systems;
• a set of tools for translators and the general public to translate documents;
• three extensive case studies (mathematical exercises, biomedical patents, museum objects). The patent translator will be exploited by one of the partner companies, but all other results will be freely available as open-source software licensed under LGPL.

Impact

As a result of MOLTO, it should be possible for a producer of web documents to automatically generate them in many languages. This technique should apply to a wide range of web documents, within sufficiently well-specified domains and clear semantics. Potential areas (in addition to MOLTO's case studies) include distant learning, electronic commerce, encyclopedia articles, contracts, manuals, and user interfaces. We expect such domains to be equipped by multilingual translation systems as a matter of course.

Timeframe

MOLTO will run from 1 March 2010 to 28 February 2013. The first prototypes on the web will be available in June 2010.

Where will the project be present?

We will address scientific journals and conferences For instance, in 2010 we have already planned to be present in LREC in Malta and ACL in Uppsala. But most importantly, we will be present on the web. Our web site http://www.molto-project.eu will be developed continuously and provide access to software, documentation, and demos.