Select Language:
Many people wonder why they can’t use Apple’s intelligent voice features, like Siri, in their native language while their device is set to English (either UK or US). If you’re fluent in Dutch, Italian, or other languages and often speak those languages—mainly Dutch—you’d expect Apple’s tools to work seamlessly in those languages. But that’s not always the case.
One reason this is difficult is because the system typically doesn’t allow you to pick different languages for the device interface and for voice or intelligence features separately. For example, you might have your phone set to English for the system interface, but wish to use Dutch for Siri or live translations. In theory, it would make sense to set the system language to English and then choose Dutch specifically for voice recognition or translation, especially in countries like the Netherlands where users often switch between languages.
However, under the hood, Apple’s operating system detects the main language when you’re using features like live translation. The input language (what you speak or type) can be different from the system language, but there’s often no straightforward way to select these independently. Achieving that flexibility would likely require a major redesign of how the system manages languages, which means it’s probably not going to happen anytime soon.
This can be frustrating for multilingual users who switch between languages regularly. Many hope that soon Apple will enable more granular language settings, allowing you to set your device’s main language separately from your Siri or translation language preferences. Until then, users will need to work within the current limitations, which can be annoying but are understandable given the complexity of language support in modern technology.
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