What a bus tour taught me about human-to-human vs machine-to-human knowledge transfer
Bear with me! Last month, I spent a few days in York with my family. It’s not a huge city, but there was a lot to see in a short time. So we bought tickets for one of those sightseeing buses where you have 24 hours to hop on and hop off and tour the sights.
1. We can hear without listening
One benefit of using those sightseeing buses is the historical commentary you get. On the first bus we boarded, we listened to a recorded commentary that gave us some information about the city and its history, with a few anecdotes thrown in.
This was OK, and we did try to listen. But because it was a recording, it wasn’t always easy. Because there wasn’t any interaction between the speaker and the bus customers, it felt a little impersonal. The voice was static and couldn’t be adjusted to ambient noise. The timing was sometimes a bit off, not always matching the particular sight we were looking at because traffic delays and red lights were delaying us. The entire experience was fine, but not particularly memorable. We simply ‘hopped off’ the bus and continued our day. Meh.
2. Other humans fascinate us
Later the same day, we hopped back onto the last bus (same company) of the day. As we boarded, another customer gestured to me and said ‘he’s good’, pointing at the driver. Well great I thought, I’m glad he can competently drive this thing. But that wasn’t what she meant. Incredibly, this guy would be providing engaging live commentary while also driving a double-decker bus around a busy city on Platinum Jubilee weekend. This went beyond mere competence. I was intrigued.
My intrigue soon switched to amazement. Before starting the engine, the driver climbed to the top level of the bus to speak to us face to face and explain a bit about his credentials – he was York born and bred and had been doing this for decades. This established a great rapport with us as customers and also created trust. We were hooked and already listening intently.
3. Mastery never fails to impress
After this expert driver and commentator had provided fascinating insights about the art gallery next to the stop where we’d boarded the bus, we were off. Everything was timed perfectly, because he was experienced and practised. His voice was clearer, too. He also added more anecdotes as we passed them – pointing out things that cropped up on the day and chatting with locals. There was variety, humour and warmth in his voice. We felt we were benefiting from his vast experience and local knowledge.
We ended up deciding to repeat some sights we’d toured earlier the same day. This time around, his human commentary enabled us to peel back another layer of information.
Because the commentary was live and human-centred, it was more dynamic and therefore more memorable. Because he knew who his audience was, he could tailor the content more carefully. My children were listening and smiling for the entire journey and remembered the historical facts more easily.
4. This is all true for writing and translation, too
I didn’t expect these two tourist experiences to contrast with each other so sharply. They taught me that human-driven, tailor-made services add tremendous value. You can’t beat human flair for communicating knowledge in a way that leaves a lasting, memorable impression.
How does this relate to writing and to translation? Well, for example, when you’re confronted with a post-edited machine translation, you usually know it. Yes, there may be coherent sentences on the page and it seems to tick all the boxes, but there’s something missing: the fizz, the personality, the voice, the connection. The feeling that the writer or translator is speaking directly to you. The stuff that makes that information memorable, as opposed to being a list of statements.
More proof that if you want your publications to be more than just ‘competent’, it pays to work with a professional translator who can help convince your audience.