David Dudda and Liang Hong walked arm in arm on a street in Recent Haven, Connecticut, in December, each carefully monitoring a smartphone displaying a translation of the other’s words. The couple, married for three years, rely on translation software to navigate a relationship built across a significant linguistic divide: Dudda speaks only English, while Liang speaks only Mandarin Chinese.
The reliance on technology isn’t a source of friction for the couple, but a necessity. Without their phones, communication ceases. They depend on a free mobile application called “Translate,” developed by Microsoft, to convert speech into text and then translate it in real time, functioning much like subtitles in a film. The 62-year-old Dudda and 57-year-old Liang met in the autumn of 2019 in Xi’an, China, and have since constructed a life together dependent on constant digital mediation.
The couple’s experience highlights a growing trend, as automatic translation technology advances and becomes increasingly accessible. According to reporting from the New York Times, the technology is now being utilized not only by couples like Dudda and Liang, but also by international travelers and businesses seeking to expand into new markets. The Times reported that Dudda and Liang often leverage eight external mobile power banks to ensure their phones don’t run out of battery during conversations.
The process demands intense concentration. Dudda pauses after telling a joke, waiting several seconds for Liang to finish reading the translation. They cannot casually listen while walking or engage in conversation while showering. More substantial discussions take place over hours on the sofa or in bed, with repeated confirmations to ensure complete understanding. “The translation tool makes you more focused on the present, because you have to read and listen,” Dudda explained, as translated by a human interpreter. “You have to be more attentive, which is obviously a good thing for a couple.”
Liang, speaking in Chinese, added that Dudda’s attentiveness was a key factor in their connection. “He thinks about things for me, many details are touching,” she said, a sentiment slightly altered in the machine translation to “He thinks very thoughtfully for me, many details move me.” The nuance lost in machine translation underscores the challenges, and the importance of careful consideration, even within a technologically-assisted relationship.
The New York Times reported utilizing Apple AirPods with real-time translation capabilities and Microsoft’s Translate software during an interview with Liang. The New York Times Chinese website (cn.NYTimes.com), launched as the company’s first Chinese-language product, aims to provide high-quality reporting on global affairs, business, and culture to Chinese readers, offering translations of award-winning journalism alongside original content from Chinese writers.
