I know all online translators have very high error rates, but I've found Promt (http://www.online-translator.com/text.asp?lang=en) to be much more accurate in many languages including Russian, than Google or Babelfish.
Web-page translations are good, too. That little LiveJournal bar at the top turns from "Вы читаете журнал drevo_obezyani. Создать аккаунт в ЖЖ." into, "You read magazine drevo_obezyani. Create account in the planned." And apparently, "A President is a very good book." ("А по-английски это очень хорошая книга" - which for some reason translates [almost] properly in the text translator).
I think i'll have a bit of fun and draw some of these.
AFAIK, their translator is statistical or heavily based on statistics. At times it gets it more or less correctly, but at times (where it lacks information) it produces some garbage. And it doesn't pick up the contextual meaning, of course. It's quite funny to read, for example, translation of http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft to English from Spanish (or http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft from Russian).
Ленин очень, знаете ли, не любил мещан и всячески с ними боролся. Идет он, бывало, по улице, видит, на окне горшок с геранью стоит. Ленин его - хвать, и как шмякнет об стену... А землю не выкидывал, крестьянам отдавал.
Lenin is, I know, not much soldiers and all they fought. Whether it happens on the street, sees the window pot of geranu worth. Lenin it - hwati and how shmaknet the wall ... A land not vkidaval, giving farmers.
корабли лавировали, лавировали, да не вылавировали - ships manager managing an imaginary menagerie
штирлиц шел по лесу и напоролся на сук. суки с визгом побежали. визг бежал впереди сук. stirlic been on the forest and hit the bough. bitches with vizgom ran. pushing ahead fled bough.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:02 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:05 pm (UTC)Now I get it.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:11 pm (UTC):))))
Date: 2007-01-27 07:17 pm (UTC)в лесу она росла.
зимой и летом стройная,
зелёная была.
in the woods gives birth
in the forest, it has.
in the winter and summer breaks,
Green has been.
Re: :))))
Date: 2007-01-27 07:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:27 pm (UTC)you should also try "fucking". very laconic but deep meaning...
no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:55 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 08:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 08:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 07:40 pm (UTC)Google burn their dermovmi transfers
but they apperently did a pretty good study of modern runet Russian:
превед, медвед
whazzup, bëär
no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 08:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 08:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 08:11 pm (UTC)more weirdness
Date: 2007-01-27 08:14 pm (UTC)Re: more weirdness
Date: 2007-01-27 08:21 pm (UTC)that's really hard to imagine..
гугль жжот!!!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 08:35 pm (UTC)=
Arise, curse zakleimenny whole world hungry and slaves! Boost our intelligence angry and death battle to ready!
it's my favourite toy now...
Date: 2007-01-27 08:59 pm (UTC)silly penguin timidly hiding body fats in diseases
наши люди в булочную на такси не ездят!
our people in the bakery taxi is not going!
а не тяпнуть ли нам по рюмашке? - заметьте, не я это предложил!
not tapnuti we rumashke on? - note, I have not suggested it!
Re: it's my favourite toy now...
Date: 2007-01-27 10:45 pm (UTC)Tell me more, tell me more! Pokrovskie Vorota - a brilliant idea!
no subject
Date: 2007-02-07 12:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-27 09:47 pm (UTC)"Matryoshka" = "MP3"
древо обезьяны = Web Monkey
"древо обезьяны" = "Monkey Tree"
Web-page translations are good, too. That little LiveJournal bar at the top turns from "Вы читаете журнал drevo_obezyani. Создать аккаунт в ЖЖ." into, "You read magazine drevo_obezyani. Create account in the planned."
And apparently, "A President is a very good book." ("А по-английски это очень хорошая книга" - which for some reason translates [almost] properly in the text translator).
I think i'll have a bit of fun and draw some of these.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-28 02:16 am (UTC)It's quite funny to read, for example, translation of http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft to English from Spanish (or http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft from Russian).
no subject
Date: 2007-01-28 12:42 pm (UTC)Lenin is, I know, not much soldiers and all they fought. Whether it happens on the street, sees the window pot of geranu worth. Lenin it - hwati and how shmaknet the wall ... A land not vkidaval, giving farmers.
Russian to English BETA:))
Date: 2007-01-28 01:26 pm (UTC)Орлёнок, Орлёнок, лети выше солнца - Chernobyl, Chernobyl, 4,029,294 above the sun
no subject
Date: 2007-01-30 03:56 am (UTC)ships manager managing an imaginary menagerie
штирлиц шел по лесу и напоролся на сук. суки с визгом побежали. визг бежал впереди сук.
stirlic been on the forest and hit the bough. bitches with vizgom ran. pushing ahead fled bough.