With AI translation tools, what’s the point of learning different languages?

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The belief that instant translation renders language learning redundant rests on the fallacy that meaning travels neatly across languages. But human language is far more complex than that.

Translation can provide surface meaning. It cannot automatically convey judgment, sensitivity or cultural awareness.

For years, doctors in the United States were advised not to say “I’m sorry” after medical complications because the phrase could be interpreted in court as an admission of liability, a concern significant enough that many states passed “apology laws” to distinguish expressions of sympathy from admissions of wrongdoing.

This is why language operates on more than an informational level. As Nelson Mandela observed, speaking to someone in a language they understand reaches their head. Speaking to them in their own language reaches their heart.

This is why tools designed to bridge languages can paradoxically widen the gap between speakers. They match words and sentences, but strip away the emotional and social frames that give language texture.

Students today have grown up with automatic translation at the click of a button. Tools such as DeepL and Google Translate are now routine fixtures. Increasingly, learners question the need to memorise vocabulary or practise grammatical structures when fluent paragraphs can be generated instantly.

confuses language access with language competence

AI can bridge words. It cannot fully bridge worlds. And that is why learning languages still matters.

Qns:

1. Assess the view that accurate translation between languages is always necessary. (Cam. 2023)

2. “Modern technology will mean the end of education.” Is this a fair statement of your society? (CJC Prelim 2025)

3. 'It is hard to say sorry.' Do you always find it easy to apologise?

Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh cements legacy on Hollywood Walk of Fame

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I hope it also reminds someone, somewhere, that it is possible that where you begin does not define where you can go

Relate to this quote from PM Lee's speech in his last May Day Rally Speech in 2024: In Singapore, unlike in some other countries, your postal code does not determine your destiny.

For issues on geography is destiny....

U2 slam ICE agents in US, Russia’s Putin in new Days Of Ash EP

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Days Of Ash EP is “an immediate response to current events and inspired by the many extraordinary and courageous people fighting on the front lines of freedom”

The EP also sees U2 pay tribute to Renee Good, an American woman who was shot dead by a federal agent as she protested against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in January. In the opening track American Obituary, Bono sings: “Renee Good born to die free.”

U2 became one of the world’s most prominent rock bands through hits like With Or Without You (1987) and their vocal human rights campaigning. Bono, 65, is well known for his activism to eradicate poverty and fight Aids, and has been outspoken against wars in Ukraine, Sudan and Gaza in recent years. Song Of The Future honours a teenage girl who died while protesting in Iran in 2022, while One Life At A Time criticises Israeli settler activity in the occupied West Bank.

Qn: 'There is a lack of appreciation for the value of music.’ How far is this true in your society? (Cam. 2024)

Los Angeles sues Roblox over child exploitation claim

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social media giants, including Facebook, are being sued over claims that their addictive algorithms target young teenagers.

Roblox has a responsibility to keep kids safe, but instead it has allowed its platform to become a place where children can be exposed to grooming and exploitation

Why an AI video of Tom Cruise battling Brad Pitt spooked Hollywood

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Qn: To what extent is artificial intelligence replacing the role of humans? (Cam. 2019)

Forum: Singapore’s AI efforts must not exclude persons with disabilities

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AI, like other technologies, can reinforce discrimination and exclusion. For instance, many AI algorithms and tools are developed by being trained via pattern recognition and arrive at determinations based on typical or common patterns within datasets. Yet, due to barriers in our societies, persons with disabilities and disabled realities are often under-represented or excluded from spaces and organisations that contribute to the data and information that AI is trained on.

With somersaults, nunchucks, China’s humanoid robots thrill at CNY show – but can they make coffee?

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a shortage of data to help the robots understand and adapt to any given environment they are placed in...In the absence of this, they will need “a lot of hand-holding, a lot of fine-tuning” each time they encounter a new scenario, he added....So for now, humanoid robots still have some way to go

 before becoming a staple in homes, or even productive shopkeepers.

“Can’t it do cooking yet?” retiree Yin Xiaofei, 60, wanted to know. The answer was no, as the robot could not come into contact with water, the staff member said.

Qn: To what extent is artificial intelligence replacing the role of humans? (Cam. 2019)

Meta’s Zuckerberg denies at LA trial that Instagram targets kids

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Beyond the blockbuster: Shaw Theatres forges ahead by going into premium tiers

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For issues on whether cinemas still have a future....

NTU to counsel students after CNY lo hei event on campus draws flak over food waste

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Trump revokes basis of US climate regulation and ends vehicle emission standards

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Mr Trump has said he believes climate change is a “con job” and has withdrawn the US from the Paris Agreement, leaving the world’s largest historic contributor to global warming out of international efforts to combat it. He has also killed Biden-era tax credits aimed at accelerating the deployment of electric cars and renewable energy.

RI, Hwa Chong record low cut-off points for entry in 2026; overall dip across JCs

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Qn: 'Being very competitive is not always desirable.’ Do you agree? Why or why not?

More seniors in China growing addicted to the internet; loneliness, boredom cited as key reasons

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their parents are hooked on buying low-priced health products online and spend hours watching paid mini-dramas on short-video platforms....indulging in “ridiculously unreasonable” mini-dramas or computer games and spending large sums of money on online purchases.

as at December 2025, China had about 1.125 billion internet users, with more than 80 per cent of the population having internet access.

Seniors tend to play less important social roles as they age, either in their families or in the job market, and they may feel a sense of loss. The internet becomes an outlet, offering a place to escape from the real world

As artificial intelligence advances and further blurs the line between real and fake content, experts warned that seniors addicted to the internet may face increased risks of online fraud.

It is very important to help seniors regain a sense of personal value, whether by taking care of grandchildren, raising a pet or building social relationships in the real world.

Qn: To what extent is technology an effective solution for human loneliness? (RVHS Prelim 2025)

Neighbour disputes: What if you, in fact, are the nuisance?

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Qn: 'Conflict should be avoided at all costs.' What is your view? (NYJC 2025 J2 MYE)

A love letter to Singapore’s disappearing past

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Qn: Assess the view that traditional buildings have no future in your society. (Cam. 2016)

Forum: HPB encourages more operators to join Healthier Dining Programme

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eateries also display healthier choice identifiers at storefronts or on menus, making it easier for families to spot healthier options that are lower in calories, sodium and sugar, and use healthier ingredients

To encourage more families to choose healthier dining options, we run regular activities through the Eat, Drink, Shop Healthy Challenge on our Healthy 365 mobile app. Consumers can earn Healthpoints redeemable for vouchers when they purchase healthier meals at participating eateries.

Qn: To what extent do you agree that enough is being done in your society to encourage a healthy lifestyle? (Cam. 2025)

AI-enabled CCTV trial ongoing at 14 construction sites in Singapore

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safety supervisors do not need to constantly monitor screens to keep track of workers’ safety. Instead, their phones receive instant notifications of safety violations whenever closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras augmented with artificial intelligence detect unsafe practices.

When the cameras are around, that becomes the permanent safety officer that is constantly watching, and that allows for the right behaviour that we want to see inside the worksites

the AI-enhanced system also reduces time spent on reviewing footage, which is “labour-intensive”

For issues on AI's benefits vs harms....and helping to provide solutions to problems