Check a Translation for Machine Feel
Added 2026-11-02
Find the sentences that read like a translation rather than native writing.
Here is a translated passage. Do: 1) mark sentences that read like machine translation — word order, collocations, repeated particles, over-nominalisation; 2) rewrite each as native writing while keeping the meaning; 3) note which changes shift the register, formal versus spoken; 4) give three rules to put in a prompt so the next translation sounds natural; 5) pick the hardest sentence and explain why it resists fixing. Do not rewrite the whole passage.
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
机翻感多半来自语序和搭配，不是词汇量。
Try tweaking it
- Ask for three openings in different tones, then pick one.
- Replace "make it better" with concrete limits: length, reader, facts to keep.
What you should get
- A publishable draft, not an outline
- A short changelog: what changed and why
Common mistakes
- Letting it guess the facts, so plausible-looking sources get invented.
- Dumping the whole text with just "polish it" — the result still has no point.
How to check the output
- The conclusion comes first; deleting the opening paragraph does not break it.
- Every fact, number and quote traces back to the source text.
Where it works
- Good for: turning a rambling draft into a conclusion-first, shorter version.
- Watch out: keep sources and figures verbatim — do not let it invent citations.