Naver Papago - multilingual machine translation service

Naver Papago (Hangul: 네이버 파파고), shortened to Papago and stylized as papago, is a multilingual machine translation cloud service provided by Naver Corporation. Unlike many other translators, Papago uses a neural machine translation to learn from its mistakes and learn what type of translations the user requires. The name "Papago" comes from the Esperanto word for "parrot", Esperanto being a constructed language.

Unlike many other translators, Papago uses a special technology called neural machine translation. This means it learns from its mistakes and gets better at understanding what you need over time.

• The name "Papago" comes from Esperanto, a made-up language. In Esperanto, "Papago" means "parrot" – a fitting name for a service that repeats words in different languages.
• Papago officially launched on July 19, 2017, offering translations between Korean, Japanese, Chinese, English, Spanish, and French. At first, it was only available as a smartphone app, but now you can use it on a website too.
• Papago is like a bridge between different languages and cultures. It helps people from all over the world understand each other better, bringing us closer together.

https://papago.naver.com/

Papago ended its trial phase and officially launched on July 19, 2017 with translation options for Korean, Japanese, Chinese, English, Spanish, and French. It was only available as a smartphone app but it has since launched its own website and has expanded to other languages.

From November 2019, Papago was changed to be available without Internet service.

In 2020, the image translation function was introduced, and text in photos can be translated directly. It supports a total of six languages, including Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Thai.

Here is some historical information on Naver Papago, grouped with bullets:

• Early Development and Research: Naver began its research and development of neural machine translation technology for Papago in the early 2010s. The company recognized the potential of this technology to create a more accurate and user-friendly translation service.
• Focus on Asian Languages: While Papago initially launched with support for major European languages, Naver's primary focus was on providing accurate translation for Asian languages. This reflected the company's origins in South Korea and its desire to bridge linguistic gaps within Asia.
• Technological Innovations: Papago has been at the forefront of advancements in machine translation, continuously introducing new features and technologies. Beyond neural machine translation, the service has incorporated improvements like:
  • Voice Translation: Enabling users to translate spoken language.
  • Image Translation: Allowing users to translate text directly from images.
  • Offline Mode: Making translation possible without an internet connection.
• Integration with Naver's Ecosystem: Papago has been integrated with other Naver services, such as the Naver search engine and Naver Maps, enhancing its usability and accessibility for Naver's vast user base.
• International Expansion: Beyond its initial Asian focus, Papago has steadily expanded to support more languages, demonstrating Naver's ambition to become a global leader in machine translation.

Key Takeaways:

• Naver Papago is a multilingual machine translation service that utilizes neural machine translation technology. This allows it to learn from its mistakes and improve its accuracy over time.
• Papago offers translation between a growing number of languages, including Asian languages. This reflects its focus on bridging linguistic gaps within Asia.
• Papago has continuously innovated with features like voice translation, image translation, and offline mode. These features enhance its usability and accessibility for a wider range of users.
• Papago is integrated with other Naver services, further enhancing its accessibility and usability.
• Naver Papago has expanded beyond its initial Asian focus to become a global player in machine translation.