"Coco Gauff's agent misunderstood when she said she wanted to be written about in textbooks" - American ... - Sportskeeda - Dictionary

Coco Gauff's unexpected collaboration with the Merriam-Webster dictionary has prompted hilarious reactions from tennis fans.

Gauff, who is on the hunt for her second Grand Slam title, is through to her maiden Australian Open semifinal. The American progressed to the last four by battling past Marta Kostyuk 7-6(6), 6-7(3), 6-2 in three hours and eight minutes.

Following her triumph, the social media handle for Merriam-Webster, the oldest dictionary publisher in the United States, posted a cryptic message, encouraging Coco Gauff's fans to look up the definition of the word 'love' on their website.

"If you’re a tennis fan and you’re still pumped about @CocoGauff beating Marta Kostyuk on Monday, you should look up the definition of ‘love’ on our website. Just saying…," Merriam-Webster posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Tennis fans promptly did just that, discovering a clip featuring the 19-year-old, where she read out the general definition of the word 'love' and its meaning as a score of zero in tennis.

After reading out both definitions, the World No. 4 joked:

"While I love being in love, I hate being at love."

Fans were amused by Coco Gauff's unique collaboration with Merriam-Webster, with several of them poking fun at her agent's apparent decision to secure the partnership.

"I think Coco's agent misunderstood her when she said she wanted to be [written] about in textbooks," a fan commented.

"Damnnn Coco's agent is WORKING," another fan chimed in.

Another fan was baffled by Osaka collaborating with a dictionary, describing her as "amazing" for the unconventional partnership.

"This is insane like who tf collabs with THE dictionary. She's amazing!" the fan posted.

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

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"Aryna Sabalenka will be much tougher mentally...it’s going to be really tough for Coco Gauff to win the Australian Open SF" - Martina Navratilova

Coco Gauff at the 2024 Australian Open

While Coco Gauff needed three closely contested sets to defeat Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open, her semifinal opponent, Aryna Sabalenka, eased into the last four with a dominant 6-2, 6-3 win over Barbora Krejcikova.

With Sabalenka not dropping a set en route to the semifinals, Martina Navratilova opined that she was in a "much stronger" position heading into the blockbuster clash against Gauff.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion also expressed her belief that the Belarusian will be more mentally resilient in Melbourne, avoiding the pressure from the crowd that seemingly played a part in her defeat to Gauff in the 2023 US Open final.

Navratilova expressed doubt about the American's ability to claim victory in the semifinal, considering the defending champion's commanding run at the Major.

"I think Sabalenka will be much tougher mentally. I don’t think she'll let whatever happens to the crowd get to her the way she did at the US Open. Same time Coco not playing as well, particularly in this last match, so it’s gonna be a test of the mental fortitude more than anything," she said on the Tennis Channel.

"But the way Sabalenka’s been playing, I think it’s going to be really tough for Coco to win [the Australian Open SF] even though she’s been better in these stressful situations before," she added.

The winner of the match between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka will take on either Zheng Qinwen or Dayana Yastremska in the Australian Open final.

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From Japan To The World: How To Translate A Game - Barron's - Translation

With the majority of sales for big games now outside Japan, the country's game developers must consider everything from slang words to characters' costumes for a global audience

Richard A. Brooks

Photos by Richard A. Brooks

Behind the global success of Japanese video games lies a delicate task: appealing to overseas players whose expectations on issues such as sexism are increasingly influencing the content of major titles.

With the majority of sales for big games now outside Japan, everything from slang words to characters' costumes must be carefully considered for a global audience.

It is a complex process that has come a long way since the "Wild West" of the 1980s and 90s, one high-profile "localisation" team told AFP.

"There were no rules, no 'industry standards', and the quality of localisation could vary greatly from one title to the next," said the SEGA of America team who worked on "Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth" -- the latest title in the hit "Yakuza" series, releasing on Friday.

Back then, translators faced constraints including too-small text boxes, and sometimes game developers did the job themselves in less-than-perfect English.

It also meant that many games from the era, especially dialogue-heavy ones, never made it out of Japan.

"Thankfully, the industry -- and perhaps more importantly consumers -- have changed a lot since those days, and we are now able to be more faithful to the cultural and emotional content of Japanese games than ever," the SEGA team said.

Localisation is now integral to the design process, with international gamers in mind from the start.

One key example is "how Japanese game developers dress their heroines" as the #MeToo movement changes mindsets, said Franck Genty, senior localisation manager at Japanese game giant Bandai Namco.

"We tell them that the cleavage is a bit too exposed, or the skirt is a bit too short," he told AFP.

"Before, they weren't very flexible, but they've become more proactive on such subjects."

The puzzle of game localisation affected the 1980 arcade sensation "Pac-Man", with the direct translation "Puck Man" deemed too risky because it could be vandalised.

Games such as Final Fantasy that involve fantasy worlds offer some flexibility in their adaptations

Richard A. Brooks

Some top-selling games including Mario, Final Fantasy and Pokemon involve fantasy worlds that are not overtly Japanese, offering some flexibility for their adaptation.

But the task becomes trickier for series such as "Yakuza", which are set in real-life locations and use slang from Japan's underworld.

Getting it right is important: around 70 percent of revenue from recent titles in the "Yakuza" series is from overseas.

But in recent years, booming interest in manga comics, anime cartoons and wider Japanese culture has made the job easier.

"People know what ramen is now... we don't need to say 'noodles' any more," Genty said.

His team at the European headquarters of Bandai Namco has adapted games including the "Tekken" fighting series and the smash-hit role-playing game "Elden Ring" into a dozen languages.

The job is as much a cultural challenge as a linguistic one, said Pierre Froget, localisation project manager at Bandai.

"The player, whichever country they're from, should understand and feel the same thing as someone playing in the original language," he said.

A better understanding of Japanese culture among players means adaptations can be more subtle -- the "Yakuza" series is now called "Like a Dragon", closer to the original Japanese.

LGBTQ caricatures and sexist cliches have also been axed.

"Many representations which were normal in Japan in the first 'Like a Dragon' games are no longer acceptable today," Masayoshi Yokoyama, the series' executive producer, told AFP.

"We ask our teams in the United States and Europe to read the game's script, and they tell us if they see things that wouldn't be acceptable in their country," he said.

Changes often focus on "alcohol, politics or religion", Froget said, while cultural reference points also differ.

"When there are people dressed in black boots and big leather coats, in Europe that could bring to mind a Nazi uniform," he said.

With global release dates now the norm, these decisions must be made under tighter deadlines than before.

And despite improved communication between developers and localisation teams, challenges remain -- especially when translating a game into languages other than English.

"Efforts have been made to understand the needs of the English-speaking world," Froget said.

But for German, which has longer sentences and other linguistic quirks, localisation is sometimes "seen as an extra difficulty" by design teams.

Even so, Froget believes in his mission: "To create connections to Japanese culture and help Europeans discover its depth, while respecting both the game and the player."

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Walang charot-charot 'to siz: This dictionary is your guide to the inventive language of Pinoy gay communities - PhilStar Life - Dictionary

"Nakakalurkey itech, neuro akesh, ay bongga pak na pak!"

Did you read the sentence above slowly, tongue-twisted, and wondered what that could mean? You are not alone, as even some LGBTQ+ individuals can have a hard time understanding such words even though they're popular in the queer community. Turns out, the sentence means: "I'm shocked, I'm blown away, and it's extravagant and great."

A Google search online might not provide a proper translation of such phrases but a new dictionary may just define any Pinoy beki slang you hear and see. 

In case you missed it, Vibal Foundation launched the Philippine Slang and Gay Dictionary on Jan. 12 to explore the "endlessly inventive counter language of Filipino gay and street communities," offering a comprehensive introduction to the vibrant, influential, and historically significant terms still in use today.

Vibal Foundation / Facebook

Speaking to PhilSTAR L!fe, Sally Eugenio a.k.a. Lady S, one of the authors of the book, believed that "Beki Language" plays a vital role in developing the Filipino language and the country's history. Thus, a beki dictionary was born.

"We want the readers to learn that this language exists and must be accepted. They need to discover the beauty and the relevance of every word created by the extraordinary gay people," Eugenio told L!fe.

Understanding the syntax and semiotics of 'Beki language'

LGBTQ+ language in the Philippines remains relatively distinct, with its rapidly shifting linguistic code called "Swardspeak," influenced by Spanish and English loan words. This code mainly consists of lexical items but includes sound changes, as if you are deciphering a Da Vinci Code.

But for Eugenio, indulging themselves in the community makes them fully understand the language with the help of research and analysis of its syntax and semiotics.

Vibal Foundation / Facebook

"We also did many interviews, especially with the community of gays in parlors, barberyas, in the marketplace, schools, and with ordinary and not-so-ordinary human beings. We consulted different dictionaries, verified facts and definitions, and interviews with the right group of people—from linguistics to scholars to students, to the old and new version of Bekis."

Through this, they decided on what to include or not in the over 2,000-word list, not to mention their judgment as certified "beks by heart."

'Gay Lingo is beautiful'

Believing that gay lingo is beautiful, funny, daring, expressive, and mostly makes everyone happy, Eugenio and their team were amazed at how the public received the book, including their straight allies.

"Somehow, this book represents and recognizes the community and the language that has evolved from it," Eugenio shared with L!fe. 

The book also features scholarly talks on the study of slang and homosexual language, a comprehensive lexicon, vibrant pictures, and the origin of each phrase, as well as usage notes and sample sentences.

In addition to commonly-used slang, the dictionary also includes definitions of counter language—a dialectical form created in opposition to more formal or "official" languages—providing information about LGBT+ customs and culture, collectively contributed by author and Palanca awardee Christopher Dela Cruz, veteran columnist of Philippine Online Chronicles Lady S, language expert Ojo Gonzales, and drag queen Randiva Datinguinoo.

Although the book has a disclaimer for its use of explicit and sexual language that may offend some readers, Eugenio said, "It's 2024, and representation matters, and it gladdens our hearts to see the overwhelming excitement around this title."

Philippine Slang and Gay Dictionary is available for P610 on the Vibal online shop. (with reports from John Patrick Ranara)

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How podcast networks are testing AI tools for faster translation, ad sales - Digiday - Translation

Podcast networks, like Acast, iHeartMedia and Spotify, are also testing these tools to increase their outreach to prospective clients, expand the range of shows that fit a buyer’s brief and translate shows into different languages.

For translation

iHeartMedia is testing a range of generative AI tools to translate some of its podcast show archive into different languages to reach listeners in international markets, said Conal Byrne, CEO of the iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group. iHeartMedia declined to share which AI companies they were using to test the translations. The technology will be used to transcribe, translate and then voice the translations. An iHeartMedia spokesperson said the company is working with podcast producers to test the quality of the translations in both AI-generated voices and the original hosts’ voices.

The translated shows will give podcast networks “a shot to globalize a medium that has so far largely been a U.S.-centric medium,” Byrne said. “I think this may be our best shot in a while for the podcast industry to globalize — to actually serve up content in-country, in-language around the world.”

By the end of this quarter, iHeartMedia plans to debut five to 10 shows translated into languages like Spanish, French, German and Italian, Byrne said. Shows will likely be evergreen, general interest shows and limited series shows, he added, but he declined to share the names of the shows. Byrne also declined to comment on whether these shows would contain disclaimers that they were generated in part by artificial intelligence technology.

Spotify is also testing generative AI to translate podcast audio. In September, the company announced it was launching a pilot program with a few podcasters to test AI-generated voice translations into other languages.

“While this type of technology definitely brings challenges, our focus is on helping creators connect with audiences, monetize their art and build careers,” Spotify’s Brian Berner, global head of advertising sales and partnerships, said in an email.

For ad sales

Since adding AI tools to Acast’s self-serve advertising platform last summer, nearly 40% of the podcasters who were getting requests from advertisers had previously never worked directly with advertisers before, said Acast’s chief product officer Matt MacDonald.

Called Collections+, the AI-powered tool pulls podcast and listener data from different sources (including from podcast database Podchaser, which Acast acquired in 2022) to automatically group podcasts into contextual categories. This allows Acast to package up smaller shows from Acast’s catalog of podcasts to meet advertisers’ briefs, MacDonald explained.

Acast chief business officer Greg Glenday said the company is working with one national advertiser — whom he declined to name — on a multi-million-dollar campaign. The advertiser named 11 shows it wanted to buy in order to reach a particular audience. Glenday said his team used the AI tech to show the advertiser what it would look like to buy 52 shows that reached the same target demographic, but reach more scale and at lower CPMs, and is providing third-party measurement research for the campaign. The advertiser’s budget did not change as a result, he said.

“We can remove the manual labor [of reaching 52 shows to] remove all of the obstacles for that brand and that buyer. Then all of a sudden [AI] is a real media reach vehicle and not just this fun, new thing,” Glenday said. “It spreads the revenue out across more inventory and makes for a much better business.”

During iHeartMedia’s third quarter earnings call with shareholders on Nov. 9, CEO Bob Pittman said the company was providing some of its sellers with AI-enhanced tools to help them prospect and communicate with podcast clients, as well as using AI tools for dynamic ad insertion to improve messaging and voice for targeted demographics.

For production assistance

Generative AI tools can help podcasters in the production phase by assisting with tasks like researching, scripting, editing and publishing content, Byrne said. iHeartMedia is working with podcast producers to test AI tools like Jasper and Microsoft Copilot as research and writing assistants, with human oversight. While those tests are “more on the slow roll… that stuff has moved from being theoretical, nice-to-have to this quarter, it’s going to get really real,” Byrne said.

Some of the tests for Acast’s content productions are also in the early phases, MacDonald said. One use case the company is looking at is using generative AI tools to help podcast creators outline production schedules over a set period of time. Acast is also interested in using predictive AI models to evaluate trends in emerging content and podcast listener demographics to inform business decisions, such as which podcasts they add to their network, Glenday said.

But not for all things podcasting

Not all podcast networks are diving in head first. Gina Garrubbo, president and CEO of NPR subsidiary National Public Media, said AI will be a “big deal” in podcasting this year in areas like content creation, commercial messaging creation and audience targeting, but she noted that NPR is not “ready” to discuss how the technology would apply to NPR yet. Garrubbo did confirm NPR was not testing the technology yet for those use cases.

At the end of the day, the execs who are experimenting with this technology were quick to say that generative AI tools can’t replace human talent – especially hosts. 

“We’re cautious about saying that AI can do things that unique, incredible human talent can do today. But as a sort of a personal assistant if you will, to every single producer or executive producer we have – that’s the vein we’re interested in exploring,” Byrne said. “And [we’re] not overstating it – not saying that AI is going to completely invert and disrupt all of media. It’s not.”

For now, Acast is not interested in testing AI tools for ad creation or replacing a podcast host, Glenday said. “I just can’t imagine listening to a virtual voice review movies once a week,” he said.

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Henry Harvin Education unveils physical Sanskrit-speaking dictionary - The Financial Express - Dictionary

Henry Harvin Education, an ed-tech platform specialising in upskilling and reskilling initiatives for young professionals, has unveiled the physical-speaking Sanskrit Dictionary on January 22, 2023, according to an official release.

Crafted by the team at Henry Harvin Education, the Sanskrit Speaking Dictionary represents a noteworthy accomplishment that required over three years of development. It combines tradition and technology, providing a distinctive language-learning experience. Available in three languages, this dictionary incorporates audio pronunciation through the 2P Technology, marking a significant advancement in language acquisition, the release mentioned.

“This Sanskrit Speaking Dictionary is an embodiment of our commitment to intertwine tradition with technology seamlessly. This achievement is more than a mere tool; it’s a testament to our cultural roots flourishing in the embrace of modernity. With over three years of unwavering dedication from our Henry Harvin warriors,” Kounal Gupta, CEO and founder, Henry Harvin Education, said.

This approach makes the study of the ancient language accessible and uncomplicated, catering to individuals with diverse linguistic backgrounds. The dictionary stands as a noteworthy milestone in language education, skillfully merging ancient linguistic traditions with state-of-the-art research, as per the release.

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