So I was passed this link. Since it’s to an RT (Russia Today) story, I naturally assume it’s not trustworthy, so I put it to the test. The story claims that if you feed a string of the word “dog” repeated 20 times into Google Translate, set it to some non-English language translating to English, it spits out End Times prophesies. Seemed dubious. But what the hell I gave it a shot.
Start with:
dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog
And you get with most languages, a string of “dog” repeated twenty times because “dog” is not a word in that language.
But there are a few anomalies:
Icelandic (and Norwegian, and Swedish): “However, however, however, however, however, though, though, however, however, though died though, however, however died died”
That’s a little odd. But then:
Hausa (a west African language): “Doomsday Clock is three minutes at twelve We are experiencing characters and a dramatic developments in the world, which indicate that we are increasingly approaching the end times and Jesus’ return”
Umm. That is *specific*enough of a turn of phrase that I assume that it is the result of someone at Google having a little fun. the RT article apparently spoke with a computer expert who thinks that the Google translation algorithm is an imperfect AI (I’m shocked at the very idea!) that “hallucinates” if you feed it gibberish.
So, experimenting further. Sticking with Hausa, I changed the number of times I use “dog:”
DogX6: dog dog dog – reader email
Dog X 16: Doomsday Clock is three minutes at twelve We are experiencing characters and a dramatic developments in the world
Dog X 24: krist dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog dog
I swapped out “dog” for “cat” and only got a string of “cat.” Color me stunned that cats won’t be involved in the apocalypse.
I tried dog x 20 with other languages. The great majority only spit out a number (generally less than 20) of “dog.” But that “end times” message was repeated in Igbo (another west African language) and Samoan.
And Urdu gives: Double Dude Double Drop Double Drop Double Drop Double Pain Two
I assume if you said “dog” to someone who speaks Urdo, they’d think you meant “two” or “drop” and maybe even “pain,” so I guess that one makes sense in way. But the “end times” message sure seems like it was programmed in, hallucinating AI or no.
so if you see an unkempt, unshaven wild-eyed weirdo in a bathrobe standing on a soapbox screaming about dogs, it’s up you to decide: “whackjob or prophet?”