Eroneous Translations

[davem2005]

Many years ago I used to sell pumps to industry and regularly recieved a news letter from an Italian firm. This was translated from Italian to English...proably using an italian/ dutch dictionary and then a dutch to english dictionary.

Some of the wording used had us in stitches...and occasionally baffled by what they actually meant.

I was reminded of this when at the local market was selling a model helicopter with a large sticker on it proclaiming " Worlds Smallest Big"...which judging by the ones next to it which had been properly translated was meant to read "Worlds Lightest Model"

I have noticed that a lot of websites have translations along the same line, particularly from those old soviet nations. An example I have been reading tonight is the enforcement rules for the Kornati National park where I am going next year.

Control
If you make your contribution in our effort to prevent our nature suffering any damages, you are good and welcome visitor. Do not leave your traces on Kornati Islands! Those visitors whose attitude towards protection of nature is not very conscientious, we must remind that our rangers have the authority to punish anyone who does not respect rules and regulations stated in the "Book of Rules in Kornati National Park Area". Penalties for such disrespect go from 500,00 Kn to 5.000,00 Kn (about US$ 80 - US$ 800). "

You know what it says but have to read it twice to be sure...

Must be other examplesout there.

Cheers
Dave

 

[willywetegg]

We met some great couples when we were in Turkey this year Dave and some of them were from Holland. We had a few nights out with some of them and promised to keep in touch. We have had a couple of Emails backward and forward and some of it is very confusing but very humorous. The best thing about it is, after reading them a couple of times I did fully understand them but only because we had spent so much time together lol.

Jim.

 

[davem2005]

I have been looking at big game fishing in croatia websites...and if you consider that quote is from a national body you can imagine what some of the private websites contain.

The link to the original document is

Kornati Online - Croatia - Dalmatia Adriatic

as what I posted was just a small example

Cheers
Dave

 

[willywetegg]

Lol Dave, take it with you mate. At least you know how you stand then.

Jim.

 

[Charlie_Thompson]

Ah! The language barrier When the family first went abroad to France in the 70's my Uncle Bob looked out from our balcony in Calais docks at the scene below and uttered the immortal words - "This is very Continental isn't it?" He also used to get by in the shops very well, I remember him asking in a french bakers shop for "Oon Coorrante Bun" We needed 12! He got one something. I was in Italy and got the words for champagne and thinly sliced pork mixed up went to a bar and confidently asked for "A Glass of Bacon" . Closer to home - when I lived down south we used to go to Whitstable to show off and gorge on oysters and feel ill. I went into a pub and asked for 96 beers and a Coke in a northern accent. "A Coke?" "Yes a Coke!" "You want A Coke?" "Yes A Coke" The woman behind the bar (Australian) looked a bit confused, consulted with her colleagues, scraped around in the bin and came back with 96 pints and a cork

Indian shoe shine boy story to follow.

 

[mark]

some of the online translation sites are a hoot.

gets better when you translate it back and forth a few times from the same language

one famous one on babelfish in the early days was from english to french
" I just bough a PC CHips motherboard for my computer and it blew up"

back and forth 3 or 4 times and the english version became

"My computer just blew up my grandmother with a bag of chips"

amused me anyway

 

[willywetegg]

Lol thats class Mark.

Jim.