Outdated English language learning app is removing meaning of words.
The English language is undergoing a rapid change and some learning apps that have adopted foreign terms into their lexicon are unnecessarily stripping the meaning from familiar phrases.
For example, “Vaca” (a Spanish word for cow)is now used to mean “cow” on the VocaEnglish language learning app. Similarly, the word “jardin” has been adopted and translated to “garden” in Mexican VocaSpanish. The new definitions are not only incorrect but also diminish the cultural significance of these words.
The VocaEnglish App has been downloaded by over a million people and it boasts of 30 billion translations. According to the company, its translations are “highly accurate”. But the company is now accused of under-representing foreign languages in its dictionary as they have adopted these Spanish words in their English app with little or no explanation.
Among the terms offered by VocaEnglish are:
“Vaca” = “cow”; “jardin” = “garden”; and “casa grande” = “big house”. These phrases can be used to describe almost any place in the world with only minor variations in language and meaning.
