Google has expanded its translation service to support 110 new languages, making significant strides in linguistic inclusivity. Announced last Thursday, the update utilizes the advanced capabilities of Google’s PaLM 2 language model.
Significantly, the expansion includes five Philippine languages—Bikol, Hiligaynon, Kapampangan, Pangasinan, and Waray—increasing the representation of Philippine languages on the platform to eight. This update also brings highly requested languages such as Cantonese and the Shahmukhi variety of Punjabi, Pakistan’s most spoken language, as well as Tok Pisin, a Papua New Guinean creole.
Isaac Caswell, a senior software engineer at Google Translate, emphasized the role of technology in the expansion. “PaLM 2 was a key piece to the puzzle, enabling us to efficiently learn languages closely related to each other,” Caswell explained in a blog post. He further noted that Google plans to continue enhancing its language support in collaboration with expert linguists and native speakers.
With these additions, Google Translate now offers services in 133 languages. Users interested in accessing the new languages can update their Google Translate app or visit the translation service online.
