CA Britline

[Mik_Bennett]

@George1

Like you, I rate Copilot highly and was very impressed when it recently asked me -for a translation - if I wanted informal, formal or “publication standard”

I recently had a problem with the electronic key entry to my car. I did a few tests to eliminate easily fixed problems and concluded that the problem was with the actual sensor on the car. I needed to explain this to the garage but it was well above my French language pay grade.
I wrote it all out in English and asked CoPilot for a French translation that was clear but very friendly.
When I went into the garage to collect my car the service manager complimented me on my clear and beautifully written email explaining the problem (he knew my level of French was marginally above “vache espagnol”.)

[Mik_Bennett]

@David_Spardo

@Mik_Bennett

You need to hit the Windows Key + C

Just tried it and it led me into a long discourse about what it thought I wanted it to do.
Not all bad news though, on the way there I realised that highlight + right click + translate, which I have been using, is co-pilot.

Stick with it David it is extremely useful. You can copy and paste text or even add a photo of a document or handwritten note in French and then ask CoPilot to translate it for you. If you still have technical problems with your smartwatch or phone simply ask CoPilot how to resolve them.
The advantage of CoPilot over other AI solutions is that it seems to have unlimited free time allowance compared to other AI solutions such as Chat GPT.

EDIT: here is a copy of a real world example from this morning of how useful it is. I wanted to SMS my plumber to ask when he is coming. This is a screen shot of the translation CoPilot offered

[David_Spardo]

Interesting, thank you, I will explore.

[JaneJones]

@Mik_Bennett

my plumber to ask when he is coming

You tu-toi your plumber?

[Mik_Bennett]

Yes, of course.I have been using him for 10 years.

[JaneJones]

It took us over 10 yrs to tu-toi! At one point we broached the subject and he said yes of course, and then continued to vousvoyer us for another few years . So probably 15 in all.

[Mik_Bennett]

When it comes to speaking French I make far worse mistakes than using tu and vous incorrectly. I could fill a book with them - in fact I think I will.

[David_Spardo]

@JaneJones

It took us over 10 yrs to tu-toi! At one point we broached the subject and he said yes of course, and then continued to vousvoyer us for another few years

I had a useful introduction to the system, all lorry drivers tu-toiyer from the off and, surprised, I asked a friend and he explained the ‘brotherhood’ system.

But apart from that I wait usually to be asked myself. But a friend/health visitor used to chat with me so much during her weekly visits that I actually asked her if we could tu-toyer. She said yes, of course, straight away and, although I started to she to this day continues to vous-voyer me. It has become a big joke between us, once I mistakenly used vous when speaking to her and her immediate reply was a mock affronted ‘vous, vous, whatever happened to tu?’ Since Fran died she no longer visits but if we meet in the street we do bisou without hesitation. It is all very confusing.