Autocorrect and autocompletion in languages different than English

[Loote]

Not long ago I heard somewhere on LTT channel that you could write on your smartphone without looking and it would be fine because of autocorrect, also autocomplete basically predicts what you're going to say. As a guy from Poland, I feel it's impossible to use in my language, we have multiple versions of the word depending on gender and who did it and my experience is that it's wrong too often. So I'm interested if some people share my opinion.

What I mean with simple language vs multiple forms:
simple: do, did, done, doing
multiple forms: robię, robisz, robią, robimy, robicie, robiłem, robiłam, robiłeś, robiłaś, robił, robiła, robiło, robili, robilismy, robiły(it's 1st, 2nd and 3rd person word for various genders in present and past continuous, this isn't everything)

[Semper]

My sample set is very limited here, English and extremely limited Spanish (Northern Mexico Spanish at that, which is unique in it's own right)

Personally, I don't find myself using autocorrect all that much, it's habit at this point. I come from the time (albeit a long time ago) where autocorrect and predictive suggestions were more along the lines of "make a fun game out of how bizarre autocorrect and/or predictions can make your sentence". Not relying on it was ingrained in me during this time because that was the height of when I depended on my phone for work related things, meaning, yes, I don't actually follow the trend. Less of my life is on my phone today than it was 10 years ago.

What I do use of it though, seems reasonably logical for non gendered structure in Spanish, and fairly accurate and logical in English. The times when it's way off is usually because I was way off in my own right.

[minibois]

Not sure what to answer in your poll, but I can say in my native language (Dutch) Google Keyboard does a pretty good job.

We have some verbs that change depending on the subject (thankfully only singular, plural and when you talk about yourself, so e.g. "I do", "he does", "we do" are the forms) and of course depending on whether or not it's past, present or future tense. Also we have verbs that can end with either a T or D and it distinguishes between the two rather well.

 

 

The structure of the Dutch language is somewhat close to that of English though, so I guess that falls under simple language..? I mean, the only thing 'missing' is the importance of gender specific verbs.. Other than that the rules are pretty set in stone.

 

For example in Dutch we have two versions of 'the'. There are some set rules for which you use, but all these words have one of the two applied to them, that makes it easy for GBoard to simply correct you to one or the other.

That's a bit simpler than German's 'die',  'der', 'das', etc. thing.

 

[Loote]

I realise the poll won't be able to fit everything, thank you for your comments though. I'm interested the most in someone who claims their language is complex, but computers cope well with it.

[WereCatf]

Finnish and any sort of voice-assistants and/or autocorrects and autocompletions do not mix well. We have quite literally a billion different forms of every single word, with multiple, completely unrelated meanings for a huge portion of them and, due to the complex nature of the language, pretty much every city has its own dialect as well.

 

An example I like to refer to is "kuusi palaa", which can mean:

1. the pinetree is on fire
2. the pinetree returns
3. your moon is on fire
4. your moon returns
5. six pieces
6. (the number) six returns
7. (the number) six is on fire
8. your moon's piece (as the object of some action)

An added issue is that we use a lot of words taken from other languages in the mix, as well, like words from English and Swedish!

[Wauthar]

3 hours ago, WereCatf said:

Finnish and any sort of voice-assistants and/or autocorrects and autocompletions do not mix well. We have quite literally a billion different forms of every single word, with multiple, completely unrelated meanings for a huge portion of them and, due to the complex nature of the language, pretty much every city has its own dialect as well.

 

An example I like to refer to is "kuusi palaa", which can mean:

1. the pinetree is on fire
2. the pinetree returns
3. your moon is on fire
4. your moon returns
5. six pieces
6. (the number) six returns
7. (the number) six is on fire
8. your moon's piece (as the object of some action)

An added issue is that we use a lot of words taken from other languages in the mix, as well, like words from English and Swedish!

Reminds me of this classic:

Spoiler

English: A dog.
Swedish: What?
English: The dog.
English: Two dogs.
Swedish: Okay. We have: En hund, hunden, Två hundar, hundarna.
German: Wait, I wan't to try it too!
English: No, go away.
Swedish: No one invited you.
German: Der Hund.
English: I said go away.
German: Ein Hund, zwei Hunde.
Swedish: Stop it!
German: Den Hund, einen Hund, dem Hund, einem Hund, des Hundes, eines Hundes, den Hunden, der Hunden.
Finnish: Sup.
English: NO. 
Swedish: NO.
German: NO. Finn, you go away!!
Finnish: Koira, koiran, koiraa, koiran again, koirassa, koirasta, koiraan, koiralla, koiralta, koiralle, koirana, koiraksi, koiratta, koirineen, koirin.
German: WHAT?
Swedish: You must be kidding us!
English: This must be a joke...
Finnish: Aaaand... koirasi, koirani, koiransa, koiramme, koiranne, koiraani, koiraasi, koiraansa, koiraamme, koiraanne, koirassani, koirassasi, koirassansa, koirassamme, koirassanne, koirastani, koirastasi, koirastansa, koirastamme, koirastanne, koirallani, koirallasi, koirallansa, koirallamme, koirallanne, koiranani, koiranasi, koiranansa, koiranamme, koirananne, koirakseni, koiraksesi, koiraksensa, koiraksemme, koiraksenne, koirattani, koirattasi, koirattansa, koirattamme, koirattanne, koirineni, koirinesi, koirinensa, koirinemme, koirinenne.
English: Those are words for a dog???
Finnish: Wait! I didn't stop yet. There is still: koirakaan, koirankaan, koiraakaan, koirassakaan, koirastakaan, koiraankaan, koirallakaan, koiraltakaan, koirallekaan, koiranakaan, koiraksikaan, koirattakaan, koirineenkaan, koirinkaan, koirako, koiranko, koiraako, koirassako, koirastako, koiraanko, koirallako, koiraltako, koiralleko, koiranako, koiraksiko, koirattako, koirineenko, koirinko, koirasikaan, koiranikaan, koiransakaan, koirammekaan, koirannekaan, koiraanikaan, koiraasikaan, koiraansakaan, koiraammekaan, koiraannekaan, koirassanikaan, koirassasikaan, koirassansakaan, koirassammekaan, koirassannekaan, koirastanikaan, koirastasikaan, koirastansakaan, koirastammekaan, koirastannekaan, koirallanikaan, koirallasikaan, koirallansakaan, koirallammekaan, koirallannekaan, koirananikaan, koiranasikaan, koiranansakaan, koiranammekaan, koiranannekaan, koiraksenikaan, koiraksesikaan, koiraksensakaan, koiraksemmekaan, koiraksennekaan, koirattanikaan, koirattasikaan, koirattansakaan, koirattammekaan, koirattannekaan, koirinenikaan, koirinesikaan, koirinensakaan, koirinemmekaan, koirinennekaan, koirasiko, koiraniko, koiransako, koirammeko, koiranneko, koiraaniko, koiraasiko, koiraansako, koiraammeko, koiraanneko, koirassaniko, koirassasiko, koirassansako, koirassammeko, koirassanneko, koirastaniko, koirastasiko, koirastansako, koirastammeko, koirastanneko, koirallaniko, koirallasiko, koirallansako, koirallammeko, koirallanneko, koirananiko, koiranasiko, koiranansako, koiranammeko, koirananneko, koirakseniko, koiraksesiko, koiraksensako, koiraksemmeko, koiraksenneko, koirattaniko, koirattasiko, koirattansako, koirattammeko, koirattanneko, koirineniko, koirinesiko, koirinensako, koirinemmeko, koirinenneko, koirasikaanko, koiranikaanko, koiransakaanko, koirammekaanko, koirannekaanko, koiraanikaanko, koiraasikaanko, koiraansakaanko, koiraammekaanko, koiraannekaanko, koirassanikaanko, koirassasikaanko, koirassansakaanko, koirassammekaanko, koirassannekaanko, koirastanikaanko, koirastasikaanko, koirastansakaanko, koirastammekaanko, koirastannekaanko, koirallanikaanko, koirallasikaanko, koirallansakaanko, koirallammekaanko, koirallannekaanko, koirananikaanko, koiranasikaanko, koiranansakaanko, koiranammekaanko, koiranannekaanko, koiraksenikaanko, koiraksesikaanko, koiraksensakaanko, koiraksemmekaanko, koiraksennekaanko, koirattanikaanko, koirattasikaanko, koirattansakaanko, koirattammekaanko, koirattannekaanko, koirinenikaanko, koirinesikaanko, koirinensakaanko, koirinemmekaanko, koirinennekaanko, koirasikokaan, koiranikokaan, koiransakokaan, koirammekokaan, koirannekokaan, koiraanikokaan, koiraasikokaan, koiraansakokaan, koiraammekokaan, koiraannekokaan, koirassanikokaan, koirassasikokaan, koirassansakokaan, koirassammekokaan, koirassannekokaan, koirastanikokaan, koirastasikokaan, koirastansakokaan, koirastammekokaan, koirastannekokaan, koirallanikokaan, koirallasikokaan, koirallansakokaan, koirallammekokaan, koirallannekokaan, koirananikokaan, koiranasikokaan, koiranansakokaan, koiranammekokaan, koiranannekokaan, koiraksenikokaan, koiraksesikokaan, koiraksensakokaan, koiraksemmekokaan, koiraksennekokaan, koirattanikokaan, koirattasikokaan, koirattansakokaan, koirattammekokaan, koirattannekokaan, koirinenikokaan, koirinesikokaan, koirinensakokaan, koirinemmekokaan, koirinennekokaan.
Swedish: Breath!!
German: Whattaaa?
English: Okay, now you're just making things up!
Finnish: And now the plural forms.....

 

[WereCatf]

2 minutes ago, Wauthar said:

Reminds me of this classic:

  Hide contents

English: A dog.
Swedish: What?
English: The dog.
English: Two dogs.
Swedish: Okay. We have: En hund, hunden, Två hundar, hundarna.
German: Wait, I wan't to try it too!
English: No, go away.
Swedish: No one invited you.
German: Der Hund.
English: I said go away.
German: Ein Hund, zwei Hunde.
Swedish: Stop it!
German: Den Hund, einen Hund, dem Hund, einem Hund, des Hundes, eines Hundes, den Hunden, der Hunden.
Finnish: Sup.
English: NO. 
Swedish: NO.
German: NO. Finn, you go away!!
Finnish: Koira, koiran, koiraa, koiran again, koirassa, koirasta, koiraan, koiralla, koiralta, koiralle, koirana, koiraksi, koiratta, koirineen, koirin.
German: WHAT?
Swedish: You must be kidding us!
English: This must be a joke...
Finnish: Aaaand... koirasi, koirani, koiransa, koiramme, koiranne, koiraani, koiraasi, koiraansa, koiraamme, koiraanne, koirassani, koirassasi, koirassansa, koirassamme, koirassanne, koirastani, koirastasi, koirastansa, koirastamme, koirastanne, koirallani, koirallasi, koirallansa, koirallamme, koirallanne, koiranani, koiranasi, koiranansa, koiranamme, koirananne, koirakseni, koiraksesi, koiraksensa, koiraksemme, koiraksenne, koirattani, koirattasi, koirattansa, koirattamme, koirattanne, koirineni, koirinesi, koirinensa, koirinemme, koirinenne.
English: Those are words for a dog???
Finnish: Wait! I didn't stop yet. There is still: koirakaan, koirankaan, koiraakaan, koirassakaan, koirastakaan, koiraankaan, koirallakaan, koiraltakaan, koirallekaan, koiranakaan, koiraksikaan, koirattakaan, koirineenkaan, koirinkaan, koirako, koiranko, koiraako, koirassako, koirastako, koiraanko, koirallako, koiraltako, koiralleko, koiranako, koiraksiko, koirattako, koirineenko, koirinko, koirasikaan, koiranikaan, koiransakaan, koirammekaan, koirannekaan, koiraanikaan, koiraasikaan, koiraansakaan, koiraammekaan, koiraannekaan, koirassanikaan, koirassasikaan, koirassansakaan, koirassammekaan, koirassannekaan, koirastanikaan, koirastasikaan, koirastansakaan, koirastammekaan, koirastannekaan, koirallanikaan, koirallasikaan, koirallansakaan, koirallammekaan, koirallannekaan, koirananikaan, koiranasikaan, koiranansakaan, koiranammekaan, koiranannekaan, koiraksenikaan, koiraksesikaan, koiraksensakaan, koiraksemmekaan, koiraksennekaan, koirattanikaan, koirattasikaan, koirattansakaan, koirattammekaan, koirattannekaan, koirinenikaan, koirinesikaan, koirinensakaan, koirinemmekaan, koirinennekaan, koirasiko, koiraniko, koiransako, koirammeko, koiranneko, koiraaniko, koiraasiko, koiraansako, koiraammeko, koiraanneko, koirassaniko, koirassasiko, koirassansako, koirassammeko, koirassanneko, koirastaniko, koirastasiko, koirastansako, koirastammeko, koirastanneko, koirallaniko, koirallasiko, koirallansako, koirallammeko, koirallanneko, koirananiko, koiranasiko, koiranansako, koiranammeko, koirananneko, koirakseniko, koiraksesiko, koiraksensako, koiraksemmeko, koiraksenneko, koirattaniko, koirattasiko, koirattansako, koirattammeko, koirattanneko, koirineniko, koirinesiko, koirinensako, koirinemmeko, koirinenneko, koirasikaanko, koiranikaanko, koiransakaanko, koirammekaanko, koirannekaanko, koiraanikaanko, koiraasikaanko, koiraansakaanko, koiraammekaanko, koiraannekaanko, koirassanikaanko, koirassasikaanko, koirassansakaanko, koirassammekaanko, koirassannekaanko, koirastanikaanko, koirastasikaanko, koirastansakaanko, koirastammekaanko, koirastannekaanko, koirallanikaanko, koirallasikaanko, koirallansakaanko, koirallammekaanko, koirallannekaanko, koirananikaanko, koiranasikaanko, koiranansakaanko, koiranammekaanko, koiranannekaanko, koiraksenikaanko, koiraksesikaanko, koiraksensakaanko, koiraksemmekaanko, koiraksennekaanko, koirattanikaanko, koirattasikaanko, koirattansakaanko, koirattammekaanko, koirattannekaanko, koirinenikaanko, koirinesikaanko, koirinensakaanko, koirinemmekaanko, koirinennekaanko, koirasikokaan, koiranikokaan, koiransakokaan, koirammekokaan, koirannekokaan, koiraanikokaan, koiraasikokaan, koiraansakokaan, koiraammekokaan, koiraannekokaan, koirassanikokaan, koirassasikokaan, koirassansakokaan, koirassammekokaan, koirassannekokaan, koirastanikokaan, koirastasikokaan, koirastansakokaan, koirastammekokaan, koirastannekokaan, koirallanikokaan, koirallasikokaan, koirallansakokaan, koirallammekokaan, koirallannekokaan, koirananikokaan, koiranasikokaan, koiranansakokaan, koiranammekokaan, koiranannekokaan, koiraksenikokaan, koiraksesikokaan, koiraksensakokaan, koiraksemmekokaan, koiraksennekokaan, koirattanikokaan, koirattasikokaan, koirattansakokaan, koirattammekokaan, koirattannekokaan, koirinenikokaan, koirinesikokaan, koirinensakokaan, koirinemmekokaan, koirinennekokaan.
Swedish: Breath!!
German: Whattaaa?
English: Okay, now you're just making things up!
Finnish: And now the plural forms.....

 

Well, it's not wrong!

[Loote]

Going the other way with failed GTranslate:

 

 

I assume those are the dialects you wrote about? I mean, what other reason would there be for so many words with (more or less) the same meaning.

[Mitko_DSV]

Well I've been using SwiftKey keyboard for a few years now. For this period it's learned my way of writing in both English and Bulgarian. Even autocompletion suggest appropriate words most times (these include dialect words as well). But if I'm using another keyboard that doesn't know my way of writing then it's a hit or miss (mostly miss if it's not something simple) and dialect words are completely missing (at least from my experience).

[WereCatf]

22 minutes ago, Loote said:

I assume those are the dialects you wrote about? I mean, what other reason would there be for so many words with (more or less) the same meaning.

Nope, they do not have the same meaning and no, no dialects there -- all are official Finnish book-form and all have a slightly different meaning!

[LogicalDrm]

Using Swiftkey with English/Finnish mix means that I couldn't make working sentences at all. Its readable, but would sound like I was bad spam bot. Google translate is better, that has been golden standard of how not to do translation for longest time.

 

I think with autocorrection, and probably Android mainly, the issue is that making it work is costly. I'm pretty sure dictionaries on Android are based on same stuff LibreOffice and OO.org have used. Meaning that they can't match Microsoft or Apple, but they are getting in there. In the way that using Swiftkey can actually save my time too. While I still write more English on phone than Finnish.

[duncannah]

It's pretty good in English, but it's not good at all using Turkish (I only use to write to my relatives but it's still annoying)

[TetraSky]

I have both English and French language enabled on Android with the keyboard's prediction set to work with both languages at once, it works relatively fine, it detect when I am writing in one language or another and usually shows the words I want to type.