Seven-Step Back Translation Using ChatGPT

Video: https://youtu.be/K1o-3LrULnA

1. Original text EN (Flow quotes from Csikszentmihaly, 1975)

Please read the following quotes:

“My mind isn’t wandering. I am totally involved in what I am doing and I am not thinking of anything else. My body feels good... the world seems to be cut off from me ... I am less aware of myself and my problems”.
“My concentration is like breathing ... I never think of it ... When I start, I really do shut out the world”.
“I am so involved in what I am doing ... I don’t see myself as separate from what I am doing”.
Have you ever felt similar experiences?

2. Alejandra’s translation EN->SP

Lea las siguientes citas:

"Mi mente no divaga. Estoy totalmente involucrado en lo que estoy haciendo y no pienso en nada más. Mi cuerpo se siente bien... el mundo parece aislado de mí... Soy menos consciente de mí mismo y de mis problemas".

"Mi concentración es como respirar. Nunca pienso en ello... Cuando empiezo, realmente desconecto del mundo".

"Estoy tan implicado en lo que hago... No me veo separado de lo que estoy haciendo".

¿Ha sentido alguna vez experiencias similares?

3. ChatGPT’s back translation of Alejandra’s translation SP->EN

Translate this text in English:

Read the following quotes:

"My mind doesn't wander. I'm fully engaged in what I'm doing and don't think about anything else. My body feels good... the world seems isolated from me... I'm less aware of myself and my problems."

"My concentration is like breathing. I never think about it... When I start, I really disconnect from the world."

"I'm so involved in what I do... I don't see myself separate from what I'm doing."

Have you ever felt similar experiences?

4. ChatGPT translation EN->SP

Translate this text in Spanish:

Por favor, lee las siguientes citas:

"Mi mente no está divagando. Estoy completamente involucrado en lo que estoy haciendo y no estoy pensando en nada más. Mi cuerpo se siente bien... el mundo parece estar desconectado de mí... estoy menos consciente de mí mismo y de mis problemas".

"Mi concentración es como respirar... nunca pienso en ello... Cuando comienzo, realmente excluyo al mundo".

"Estoy tan involucrado en lo que estoy haciendo... no me veo como algo separado de lo que estoy haciendo".

¿Alguna vez has experimentado experiencias similares?

5. ChatGPT’s evaluation of Alejandra’s translation

Read first the English text, then the Spanish translation and finally evaluate the Spanish translation:

The Spanish translation is accurate and conveys the meaning of the original English text effectively. The sentences are well-translated, and the overall message and tone are maintained. The translation captures the sense of being fully immersed in an activity and feeling disconnected from the outside world. The expressions and phrasing in Spanish are natural and clear.

Overall, the Spanish translation is well done and successfully conveys the intended meaning of the English text.

6. ChatGPT’s evaluation of its own translation

Read first the English text, then the Spanish translation and finally evaluate the Spanish translation:

The Spanish translation accurately captures the meaning and tone of the original English text. The sentences are well-translated, and the overall message is effectively conveyed. The translation maintains the sense of being fully engaged in an activity and feeling disconnected from the outside world. The expressions and phrasing in Spanish are clear and natural.

Overall, the Spanish translation is well-executed and successfully conveys the intended meaning of the English text.

7. ChatGPT’s comparison of the two translations

Read first the English text, then the first Spanish translation, then the second Spanish translation, and finally compare the two Spanish translations:

Both Spanish translations effectively convey the meaning and essence of the original English text. However, there are some differences in phrasing and word choice between the two translations.

First Spanish Translation:

"el mundo parece estar desconectado de mí" (the world seems to be cut off from me) - This translation accurately captures the sense of feeling disconnected from the world.

"estoy menos consciente de mí mismo y de mis problemas" (I am less aware of myself and my problems) - This translation effectively conveys the reduced self-awareness and focus on the present activity.

Second Spanish Translation:

"el mundo parece aislado de mí" (the world seems isolated from me) - This translation uses the word "aislado" to convey the sense of the world being cut off or isolated, which is an equally valid expression.

"realmente excluyo al mundo" (I really shut out the world) - This translation effectively conveys the act of consciously excluding or shutting out the world during concentration.

Overall, both translations are accurate and convey the intended meaning. The choice between them may come down to personal preference or slight nuances in word choice.