For the most basic amount of communication necessary to get by? Sure. For professional translation or having a meaningful conversation with a friend or colleague? Hell no. Machine translation does not and never will be able to grasp things like context, wordplay, or slang. Especially when languages are constantly evolving.
You think?
I dunno, I tthink even chatgpt is pretty good at slang and different ways of talking.
I asked chatgpt this:
Here is a paragraph of text:
"I went to the supermarket and bought some things for dinner. My wife and I felt like having a big celebration, so we invited some friends around. It was a really good time."
Can you rewrite the above paragraph into several different regional ways of speaking:
1. As a Scot from Glasgow 2. As someone from New orleans 3. As a Victorian era londoner 4. As a cab driver from new york
Here's what it gave me:
"Ah went doon tae the shoap n' got some stuff fur dinner. The missus 'n me fancied a big bash, sae we asked some pals o'er. It wis pure magic, like, a right guid time."
"I headed on down to the market, picked up some grub for supper. Me and the missus, we was feelin' like throwin' a real shindig, so we called up some folks, y'know? Turned out to be one hell of a good time, let me tell ya."
"I ventured forth to the mercantile establishment, procuring sundry victuals for our evening repast. My esteemed spouse and I harbored a desire for a grand festivity, thus extending invitations to acquaintances. It proved to be a most delightful soire, indeed."
"So, I swung by the market, grabbed some stuff for dinner, y'know, the usual. Then the old lady and I, we figured let's throw a bit of a bash, so we rounded up some buddies. Turned out to be a helluva night, driving folks around, swapping stories, good times, you know the drill."
I can't really speak for 2 or 4, but 1 and 3 are really not far off at all. Maybe a little bit overwrought, but not exactly wrong.