Using AI to Translate

Not a done deal

I was reading the other day that AI can now translate. Although that's hard to believe, I decided to test three AIs to translate German into English.

I had Claude attempt to translate a German church record I hadn't spent much time with. It was all wrong, so I moved on to have it translate something that I thought was easier, and I knew what it said.

Here is the German church birth record for Gerd Heinrich Meyer. If you have never worked with these German church records, they can be quite challenging. But once you play with them for awhile, it gets so much easier to translate.

The first date is the birth and the second the baptism. Of course, not all church records look like this. Some offer even more information. This church often gave a little more information on these documents by listing a death date, and for this one the year he immigrated.

St. Lambertus Catholic Church Record, Merzen, Osnabrueck Germany of Gerd Heinrich Meyer

Here is the correct translation:

Born 20 Feb, Baptized 22 Feb

Meyer, Gerd Heinrich in Südmerzen

Parents: Gerd Heinrich Meyer

Maria Elizabeth Kaiser

Witnesses: Johann Heinrich Kaiser, Johan Gerd Ostendorf and Maria Elizabeth Ostendorf

In the right-hand corner is a notation that he immigrated to North America in 1852.

Now to let Claude translate this birth record:

This appears to be an entry from a German church record dated February 22. While part of the text is in old German handwriting (Kurrent script), I can make out that it appears to be related to someone with the surname "Mejer" or "Meyer." However, much of the handwriting is quite difficult to read due to the script style and image quality. Without being able to read the full text clearly, I want to be cautious about providing a complete translation that might be inaccurate. Would you like me to try to decipher specific parts of the text that you're most interested in? Also, if you happen to have a clearer image or know any other details about what this record might contain, that would help me provide a more accurate translation.

I gave Claude more information, but it didn't help.

Next up is Chatgpt. Here is that translation:

Febr. 20 Febr. 22

Meijer Ernst Heinrich aus Windheim,

Ehegemahl (husband)

der Louise Friederike Meijer

Maria Elisabeth Rusche

Gev. Johann Heinrich Rusche

Johann Ernst Osnabrück

Maria Elisabeth Blankenhagen

That was really inaccurate.

Now to Gemini. That response wasn’t even in the ballpark.

So now I know AI won't translate German church records. However, all three translated a typed German text almost perfectly.

Just something to know for now.