KERA's Think What we miss when an app translates for us
Dec 1, 2025
Award-winning translator Ross Benjamin explores the cultural costs of instant translation technology. He discusses how real-time translation may diminish our engagement with foreign languages and the serendipitous experiences that come with struggling through them. Benjamin recalls moments of connection from imperfect communication and the thrill of navigating social situations without full fluency. He also warns that AI may flatten nuanced language, risking the rich experiences that come from human translation and expression.
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Friction Enables Deeper Travel Experiences
- Instant translation tools risk erasing the valuable frictions that teach humility and attention when navigating other languages.
- Ross Benjamin argues those frictions produce richer experiences and unexpected encounters worth preserving.
Cab Ride Where Language Mattered Less Than Goodwill
- Ross recounts an Uber where imperfect Spanish led to smiles, shared stories, and a candy gift.
- The connection mattered more than precise information exchange in that ride.
Begin Language Learning Early
- Start foreign-language education earlier because cognitive science shows earlier exposure helps.
- Ross recommends valuing language learning for experience, cognition, and moral perspective beyond necessity.
