Providing machine-generated translations and corresponding trust levels

1. A method for training a quality-prediction engine, the method comprising:

translating a document in a source language to a target language by executing a machine-translation engine stored in memory to obtain a machine-generated translation;

comparing the machine-generated translation with a human-generated translation of the document, the human-generated translation in the target language;

generating a mapping between features of the machine-generated translation and features of the human-generated translation based on the comparison, the mapping allowing determination of trust levels associated with translational accuracy of future machine-generated translations that lack corresponding human-generated translations; and

calibrating the quality prediction engine, wherein calibrating the quality-prediction engine includes:

obtaining a plurality of opinions for a plurality of sample translations generated by execution of the machine-translation engine, each of the opinions from a human and indicating a perceived trust level of corresponding sample translations;

using the quality-prediction engine to determine a trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations;

determining a relationship between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations; and

tuning the mapping to minimize any difference between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the translational accuracy represents an alignment-estimation between the machine-generated translation and a prospective human-generated translation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations is indicated as one of a numerical scale, a term based scale, a star-rating scale, or an analog scale.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations includes analyzing discrete units of the plurality of sample translations to determine a trust level for each discrete unit.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein a discrete unit comprises one of a sentence, a word, a phrase, or a paragraph.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality-prediction engine overestimates the trust level of the plurality of sample translations.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality-prediction engine underestimates the trust level of the plurality of sample translations.

8. A method for training a quality-prediction engine, the method comprising:

translating a document in a source language to a target language by executing a machine-translation engine stored in memory to obtain a machine-generated translation;

comparing the machine-generated translation with a human-generated translation of the document, the human-generated translation in the target language;

generating a mapping between features of the machine-generated translation and features of the human-generated translation based on the comparison, the mapping allowing determination of trust levels associated with translational accuracy of future machine-generated translations that lack corresponding human-generated translations; and

calibrating the quality prediction engine, wherein calibrating the quality prediction engine includes:

obtaining a plurality of opinions for a plurality of sample translations generated by execution of the machine-translation engine, each of the opinions from a human and indicating a perceived trust level of corresponding sample translations;

using the quality-prediction engine to determine a trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations;

determining a relationship between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations; and

tuning the mapping to minimize any difference between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations, and wherein calibrating the quality-prediction engine is automatically triggered to ensure that determined trust levels are continually consistent with user feedback.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein calibrating the quality-prediction engine includes obtaining user feedback.

10. A system for training a quality-prediction engine, the system comprising:

a processor;

a machine-translation engine stored in memory and executable by a processor to translate a document in a source language to a target language to obtain a machine-generated translation;

a feature-comparison module stored in memory and executable by a processor to compare the machine-generated translation with a human-generated translation of the document, the human-generated translation in the target language;

a mapping module stored in memory and executable by a processor to generate a mapping between features of the machine-generated translation and features of the human-generated translation based on the comparison, the mapping allowing determination of trust levels associated with translational accuracy of future machine-generated translations that lack corresponding human-generated translations; and

a calibration module stored in memory and executable by a processor to calibrate the quality-prediction engine;

wherein the calibration module:

obtains a plurality of opinions for a plurality of sample translations generated by execution of the machine-translation engine, each of the opinions from a human and indicating a perceived trust level of corresponding sample translations;

uses the quality-prediction engine to determine a trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations;

determines a relationship between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations; and

tunes the mapping to minimize any difference between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the translational accuracy represents an alignment-estimation between the machine-generated translation and a prospective human-generated translation.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the quality-prediction engine indicates the trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations as one of a numerical scale, a term based scale, a star-rating scale, or an analog scale.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the quality prediction engine includes an analysis module stored in memory and executable by a processor to analyze discrete units of the plurality of sample translations to determine a trust level for each discrete unit.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein a discrete unit comprises one of a sentence, a word, a phrase, or a paragraph.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein the quality-prediction engine overestimates the trust level of the plurality of sample translations.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein the quality-prediction engine underestimates the trust level of the plurality of sample translations.

17. A system for training a quality-prediction engine, the system comprising:

a processor;

a machine-translation engine stored in memory and executable by a processor to translate a document in a source language to a target language to obtain a machine-generated translation;

a feature-comparison module stored in memory and executable by a processor to compare the machine-generated translation with a human-generated translation of the document, the human-generated translation in the target language;

a mapping module stored in memory and executable by a processor to generate a mapping between features of the machine-generated translation and features of the human-generated translation based on the comparison, the mapping allowing determination of trust levels associated with translational accuracy of future machine-generated translations that lack corresponding human-generated translations; and

a calibration module stored in memory and executable by a processor to calibrate the quality-prediction engine;

wherein the calibration module:

obtains a plurality of opinions for a plurality of sample translations generated by execution of the machine-translation engine, each of the opinions from a human and indicating a perceived trust level of corresponding sample translations;

uses the quality-prediction engine to determine a trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations;

determines a relationship between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations; and

tunes the mapping to minimize any difference between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations;

wherein the quality-prediction engine is automatically calibrated to ensure that determined trust levels are continually consistent with user feedback.

18. The system of claim 17 , further comprising an interface module stored in memory and executable by a processor to obtain user feedback.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program embodied thereon, the program executable by a processor to perform a method for training a quality-prediction engine, the method comprising:

translating a document in a source language to a target language using a machine-translation engine to obtain a machine-generated translation;

comparing the machine-generated translation with a human-generated translation of the document, the human-generated translation in the target language;

generating a mapping between features of the machine-generated translation and features of the human-generated translation based on the comparison, the mapping allowing determination of trust levels associated with translational accuracy of future machine-generated translations that lack corresponding human-generated translations; and

calibrating the quality prediction engine, wherein calibrating the quality-prediction engine includes:

obtaining a plurality of opinions for a plurality of sample translations generated by execution of the machine-translation engine, each of the opinions from a human and indicating a perceived trust level of corresponding sample translations;

using the quality-prediction engine to determine a trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations;

determining a relationship between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations; and

tuning the mapping to minimize any difference between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a program embodied thereon, the program executable by a processor to perform a method for training a quality-prediction engine, the method comprising:

translating a document in a source language to a target language using a machine-translation engine to obtain a machine-generated translation;

comparing the machine-generated translation with a human-generated translation of the document, the human-generated translation in the target language;

generating a mapping between features of the machine-generated translation and features of the human-generated translation based on the comparison, the mapping allowing determination of trust levels associated with translational accuracy of future machine-generated translations that lack corresponding human-generated translations; and

calibrating the quality prediction engine, wherein calibrating the quality-prediction engine includes:

obtaining a plurality of opinions for a plurality of sample translations generated by execution of the machine-translation engine, each of the opinions from a human and indicating a perceived trust level of corresponding sample translations;

using the quality-prediction engine to determine a trust level of each of the plurality of sample translations;

determining a relationship between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations; and

tuning the mapping to minimize any difference between the plurality of opinions and the trust levels of the plurality of sample translations, wherein calibrating the quality-prediction engine is automatically triggered to ensure that determined trust levels are continually consistent with user feedback.