Google Translate and Genealogy: What You Should Be Using Instead – Katherine Schober

SESSION: NGS2104-TEC-02 TRACK: Tech Tips

Katherine Schober

When you don’t speak the language of your ancestors, it can be tempting to turn to Google Translate for help. How else are you supposed to learn what those records say?

While Google Translate can certainly work in some cases, it is often not the best choice for genealogy documents in particular. Genealogical documents contain handwritten words, old-fashioned sayings, region-specific abbreviations, and more that make this modern translation tool an inadequate fit for understanding documents of the past. So what can you use instead?

In this lecture, learn the tricks and resources that will take the translation of your foreign-language documents to the next level. Discover the exciting options available for understanding those foreign words – plus how you can use those options to advance your research. With Microsoft Word hacks, simple transcription tools, top online dictionaries, Google Search tricks, and more, professional genealogy translator Katherine Schober will show you the resources you need to make translating those foreign records much simpler – and much more fun.

Connect with presenter Katherine Schober:

Website: https://sktranslations.com/

Facebook: @sktranslationservices

Twitter: @SK_Translations

Instagram: @katherineschober

BIO: Katherine Schober is a German-English genealogy speaker, author, and translator, specializing in the old German handwriting. She is the author of “The Magic of German Church Records” and “Tips and Tricks of Deciphering German Handwriting”, as well as the creator of the online course “Reading the Old German Handwriting.”

The Virtual NGS 2021 On-Demand! Viewing Starts 15 June

This lecture series is available to view from home on your computer or mobile device and offers you the opportunity to develop exceptional genealogy skills with a highly comprehensive set of on-demand webinars from NGS’s expert conference speakers. On-Demand! packages of audio-visual lectures are now available for purchase.

Select from the 20 or 40 On-Demand! lecture packages with over 85 sessions to choose from. Watch starting 15 June 2021 through 31 December 2021. Both packages come with access to two full days of NGS 2021 Live! from 19-20 May 2021, the virtual conference syllabus, and sponsored bonus sessions. Plus, view the sessions from NGS 2021 Live! and any sessions you did not choose from the breakouts (nine more) beginning 15 June. All sessions will be closed captioned.

To learn more about the NGS 2021 Virtual Family History Conference’s week-long events, 17-21 May, visit the conference and download a copy of the program brochure.