When translating the term “mano” into English using Google Translate, internet users noticed a serious deviation from the tool. In some of the moments when the term is in a bad context, the word used as a direct translation is racist.
When translating phrases like “this is the guy who stole my family”, for example, the Google platform uses the n-word to translate the term “mano”, resulting in “this is the n-word that stole my family”.
However, when translating other phrases with a more positive meaning, such as “esse é o mano que é meu amigo”, the platform uses another term, making use of “homie” (resulting in “that’s the homie that’s my friend”).
Check out the captured images:
The story has reverberated on social networks, and we confirmed on our own – as you can see in the screenshots above – that the Google tool is indeed showing the deviation.
So far, Google has not yet commented on the case and, as we have seen, has not corrected the translation of the term. Doing this type of translation, even more so in negative contexts, can help propagate racism; something inconceivable in the times we live in.
Known as The N-wordthe word nigga (“negro” in Portuguese), is totally avoided in the English language, mainly in the United States; being an extremely offensive and racist term, carrying a very negative history.
