Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Topic started by: Auntie Helen on 16 April, 2012, 09:31:22 am

Title: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 16 April, 2012, 09:31:22 am
I'm sure there must be a thread like this already but Search couldn't help me find it!

Anyway, I had the following email from a nice German chappie I've been in communication with about an App for my phone to log my position on my forthcoming bike ride:

Quote
The current GPSLogbook Version is capable of fitting all your needs, including an embedded map view in your blog.

I will answer your mail in detail tomorrow as it is now getting too late.

Best Regards and be anxious!
I am now anxious!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: why1040 on 16 April, 2012, 09:53:03 am
Oh gods, I love mistranslations...we use them quite deliberately within the family for amusement.  Colloquialisms (like playing it by ear) in particular make for really funny expressions when direct translated!  Swenglish ftw!

My father was once introduced as the department VD by an overenthusiastic co-worker...(VD in Swedish=vice director/vice president...it's used daily as a title)   :facepalm:

I had great difficulty for a while with the old-fashioned Swedish word karrott (=serving bowl), which sounded too much like carrot to make sense...lol   ;D

Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: snail on 16 April, 2012, 10:35:26 am
Kind of a reverse-translation funny. I do some private tutoring and have been teaching a Thai lady. I use lots of English names in the sentences so we have "Dave goes to the shop" and "Jim eats cake". Every time I said "Jim" she howled with laughter.

A few weeks later I discovered that the way I say "Jim" sounds exactly like the Thai word for vagina.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 16 April, 2012, 10:39:36 am
I had exactly the same when teaching a class of Polish 16-year-olds comparatives and superlatives. We were using a text book which had taken prices as its theme for this topic, and "cheaper" sounds just like the Polish for "vagina" or rather something more colloquial but not quite obscene, say "pussy".
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: barakta on 16 April, 2012, 01:17:27 pm
I once tried to sign (in British Sign Language) "English is a stupid language, it's for Germans" to excuse myself for being crap at English. 

I mis-signed 'German' and signed 'Shark' instead.

Now when I am tired I will sign English is for sharks to let Kim know I will probably not be making sense any more.

I'm not very good at BSL. 
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: andrew_s on 16 April, 2012, 01:53:15 pm
I noticed that google translate was getting into product placement the other day
"laatste wielernieuws" comes out as "Shimano disc brake movies last".
Even I can work out it should be something along the laines of "latest cycling news", and my knowledge of dutch is verging on non-existent.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Wowbagger on 17 April, 2012, 04:27:19 pm
When I was an HMCE person of a computery persuasion I obtained a Certificate of Proficiency in SSADM. I've forgotten the name of the company that trained us, but the model we were using was based upon designing a system for a local football association. It was abbreviated to "LoFA".

The chaps training us told us of an occasion on which the course almost broke down in riotous hilarity when the class was mainly made up of Hungarians. It would appear that "lo fa" in Magyar means "horse's todger".
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Deano on 17 April, 2012, 04:39:32 pm
My mate in Iran told me that Iranians, when speaking a foreign language, often make literal translations from Farsi.

Colloquial Farsi for "I fucked up/made a mistake" translates literally into English as "I ate shit".

So the story goes, an Iranian in New York parks on double yellow lines and, when he returns to the car, a no-nonsense New Yoik cop is giving him a ticket.

By way of apology and explanation, the Iranian tells the cop "I ate shit!"

The cop comes over all concerned for the welfare of this poor bastard who's eaten shit and doesn't seem to speak much English, and he calls for an ambulance, telling them that "there's a guy here who ate shit - I think he should see a doctor."

Becoming ever more flustered, the Iranian is taken into an ambulance and off to a hospital. The doctors ask him what the problem is.

He tells them: "I ate shit when I said that I ate shit!"
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 22 April, 2012, 02:10:59 pm
A comment on my blog:

Quote
Bite the street Helen!!!! You're a great one!!! Greetings from Italy David
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 24 April, 2012, 12:47:22 pm
From the label of a garment made in China, bought in Poland:

Do not blanch.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 24 April, 2012, 06:05:36 pm
From the instructions of the Lidl-Barbieri chain cleaner:

Use rage or paper towel to catch fluid in excess from the chain.

TBF I think that's a typo or cupertino rather than an actual translation error.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: ferret on 24 April, 2012, 07:14:26 pm
I translate gwynt y ddraig as the dragons fart either way if you come across this, it comes very highly recommended

I think it's supposed to be the dragons breath
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Andrij on 24 April, 2012, 07:29:31 pm
I translate gwynt y ddraig as the dragons fart either way if you come across this, it comes very highly recommended

I think it's supposed to be the dragons breath

I wouldn't think there's much difference!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 26 April, 2012, 06:01:16 pm
Warm Hint:

Remember: Should keep in the place where the small children cannot touch. In case they swallow the parts.

Remember: Do not play on the head, in case it hurts when it falls down.

Remember: Do the experiment in the place where can be wet.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Feline on 26 April, 2012, 07:00:24 pm
I've no idea what language these iphone case instructions were translated from, or to for that matter!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v171/feistyfeline/iPhonecase.jpg)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 27 April, 2012, 10:32:55 am
I think Feature 3 means you can put in your fish pond to scare away herons.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Palinurus on 27 April, 2012, 12:49:31 pm
Warm Hint:

Remember: Should keep in the place where the small children cannot touch. In case they swallow the parts.

Remember: Do not play on the head, in case it hurts when it falls down.

Remember: Do the experiment in the place where can be wet.

I'm trying to guess what it might relate to. Haven't a clue.

I like "warm hint"!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 27 April, 2012, 01:54:51 pm
Warm Hint:

Remember: Should keep in the place where the small children cannot touch. In case they swallow the parts.

Remember: Do not play on the head, in case it hurts when it falls down.

Remember: Do the experiment in the place where can be wet.

I'm trying to guess what it might relate to. Haven't a clue.

I like "warm hint"!
It's a model of a water mill for kids to assemble, which explains "Do the experiment in the place where can be wet." I've no idea what "play on the head" is about!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Arch on 09 May, 2012, 08:48:00 pm
One of my colleagues had a foil pack of Chinese "Nurition Pickles for Students" with his lunch today. It had this warning on the back:

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8157/7166545742_1b0d331f24.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59866846@N02/7166545742/)
Picture 0145 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/59866846@N02/7166545742/) by Panticle (http://www.flickr.com/people/59866846@N02/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 12 June, 2012, 02:00:41 pm
Rose Versand sent me an email about Willingen Bike Festival, although not where Willingen is. In searching through their menus in the English language section I came across a broken link which said:

Quote
Page Not Found

Reason: Page is not available in the requested language (strict).
Not entirely sure of the purpose of the 'strict' there!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 12 June, 2012, 02:05:14 pm
Probably in the pragma sense: The PHP or Perl or whatever interpreter's saying that it's been instructed not to allow certain otherwise legal shortcuts/sloppinesses (depending on your view) in the code, which helps avoid stupid bugs.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 30 June, 2012, 08:41:05 pm
Just had a rather sweet comment on my blog from a German chap:

Quote
searching for Einbeck, I found Your travel diary. Since June 18th I am working at Kayser Automotive in order to design active carbon filtering devices for fuelled vehicles. It's good to hear something about the accomodation possibilities in the region. You writing manner is a good one for me, I like to be a witness if Your big journey. I am currently living in Wuppertal (remember the famous suspension railway!) and it necessary to gear up to Einbeck over 290km every Monday and Friday. My guesthouse is located in Kuventhal and there You can stay overnight for less than 30€! Totally quiet place, sometimes it seems like a graveyard (smile). Keep on writing, Dear Auntie!
I love the ever-present German "possibilities" that they use all the time; we would often say "options" instead. Möglichkeiten cover a multitude of sins!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Gasman on 01 July, 2012, 09:32:07 pm
12 months in Estonian (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j65dLyAu47s)

I heard a story of a Scottish football coach who took a team of boys on a trip to France to play a few games.  During one match he was alerted to a commotion at one end of the pitch where his goalkeeper was having a set-to with some local lads.  He went and broke up the fight and asked the goalie what was going on.

"He was calling me a wanker!" the goalie protested indicating one of the French boys.

The coach went to investigate, returned shortly after and cuffed his goalie about the head saying,

"Not 'wanker' ya pillock, 'vainqueur' he's just asking if you're winning!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 26 July, 2012, 10:49:17 am
Ultimate visibility
Homogeneous light-ring
thus very good distance estimate descendant vehicles!
Good visibility from the side

from http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k999/a59791/saferide-led-rear-light.html

I love 'descendant' for 'approaching from behind'.  :)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Arch on 09 November, 2012, 09:44:10 pm
At work we've recently bought two sets of scales for weighing rubbish. I was tasked with plugging them in to charge today, and when a green light came on, I looked in the manual to see if that meant 'charging' or 'charged'.

The manual was helpless on that subject, but I found the following:

"It is forbidden that weld the indicator. When there is thunderstorm, please make solution for avoiding the thunder. in this way it can protect the safe of scales and stuff"

Oh. Right.

Lightning's not a problem then?

Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 10 November, 2012, 09:04:14 pm
A solution of thunder sounds good - I imagine it would involve a lot of electrolysis!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Wobbly John on 15 November, 2012, 12:47:33 am

Instuctions on these 'Silicone Bandages' (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-PCS-Bicycle-Bike-Silicone-Elastic-Bind-Strap-Bandage-Flashlight-MP3-GPS-Holder-/330653583833?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item4cfc7d49d9)  ???
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Palinurus on 18 November, 2012, 07:01:26 pm
  • Regardless and by oneself the lamp,
  • the stop-watch,
  • repair a foetus first aid pack,
  • tool set, inflate a bube
  • canteen,
  • cellular phone etc.
  • all ability easy install

Instuctions on these 'Silicone Bandages' (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5-PCS-Bicycle-Bike-Silicone-Elastic-Bind-Strap-Bandage-Flashlight-MP3-GPS-Holder-/330653583833?pt=UK_SportGoods_CyclAcces_RL&hash=item4cfc7d49d9)  ???

That's beautiful!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 26 May, 2013, 01:31:24 pm
Posted on Facebook by a friend - the English translation of an Italian Swimming Pool's rules & regulations

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/971138_473499139395791_1405048649_n.jpg)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: clarion on 26 May, 2013, 03:13:39 pm
Well that's perfectly clear.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: jamesld8 on 28 May, 2013, 07:14:15 pm
OK it`s maybe not a translation error but a quip by TomTom software de signers??

Ross On Wye was shown on TomTom screen last time I was in vicinity, approaching from Monmouth as "Pussy In Wye" ????? mmmm interesting

Maybe this should be another thread?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 28 May, 2013, 07:34:57 pm
OK it`s maybe not a translation error but a quip by TomTom software de signers??

Ross On Wye was shown on TomTom screen last time I was in vicinity, approaching from Monmouth as "Pussy In Wye" ????? mmmm interesting

Maybe this should be another thread?

I think I posted about amusing transient Google Maps errors previously.

White City in West London became Weisse Stadt at some but not all levels of magnification.
Southampton Row WC1 became Northampton Row,

Errors disappeared with updating.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 29 May, 2013, 06:20:25 pm
Some funny ones in the Ortlieb catalogue that arrived today with ye CTCe Gazette. Their panniers have "genial functionality" and they also admit to a "velcro fixation", while Scotchlite panels are "incandescent".
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 11 June, 2013, 12:18:11 pm
Perhaps not exactly an error, in that the meaning is correct, but hidden under a chain of words:
projects in the phase of recognition of possibilities for development and market
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 26 June, 2013, 06:27:25 pm
What does "food cost" mean? It's clear in English, but when the English words are used in a Polish text,  they must mean something slightly special, because otherwise you would say "koszt jedzenia" - which in turn means I'm not sure if the Polish-English has been correctly translated into English as, of course, "food cost". Not that I really have any option but to leave it - there's enough to correct in there anyway, Marta!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 26 June, 2013, 06:42:28 pm
Same context, which is a cookery presentation:
He/she collects feedback and, if needed, provides it to relevant recipients, e.g. channel marketing, catmix, etc.

Cat mix?!!  :o  :D

(Again, it's the same word in English - presumably "category mix")

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41rx4mwUGEL.jpg)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Biff on 06 July, 2013, 03:36:19 pm
Not sure how accurate this is as I don't speak Spanish. Could be a wind-up. Apparently its all to do with the accents:

Mi papá tiene 47 años = my dad is 47 years old
Mi papa tiene 47 anos = my potato has 47 assholes
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 11 July, 2013, 05:07:11 pm
Quote
You must be zaloguj się żeby dodać komentarz.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 15 July, 2013, 06:53:46 pm
The ship should have an ice class enabling it to cruise in crushed ice.


And you thought they no longer had the floating gin palaces!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Greenbank on 15 July, 2013, 07:40:37 pm
The ship should have an ice class enabling it to cruise in crushed ice.

And you thought they no longer had the floating gin palaces!

The Royal Yacht Britannia?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 24 July, 2013, 02:52:16 pm
I've got a poet-translator. Which is great, but not quite what you want in a technical document about dams and barrages. By the references, I've got past swearing at him and have started laughing:
Quote
However, make no mistake - Mr. Majewski himself is an author of over 300 Polish and English publications in the field of water resources management and engineering. To cut a long story short, a great engineer and scientific authority.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Pickled Onion on 24 July, 2013, 03:18:02 pm
Not sure how accurate this is as I don't speak Spanish. Could be a wind-up. Apparently its all to do with the accents:

Mi papá tiene 47 años = my dad is 47 years old
Mi papa tiene 47 anos = my potato has 47 assholes

I'm learning Spanish, and yes this is more-or-less true. "Anos" is closer to "anuses", and papa only means potato in Latin America, more globally it can also translate to Pope... The sentences would be pronounced quite differently, but it's a good example of why you can't just leave the accents out if you can't find them on your keyboard!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 29 July, 2013, 07:03:15 pm
Then, rich raftsman folklore poetised by poets and pictured by painters came into being.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 29 July, 2013, 07:17:54 pm
And the neolithic is the later period of the stone age, not the earlier! When you call it młody, that's young, or new as we say, not early! Hrrrrrrrrm!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 30 July, 2013, 12:04:01 pm
Numerous tourist guides encourage discovering anthropogenic values near the river.

Along with numerous references to the Baltic See and consistent misuse of tenses and articles, this one is really pissing me off. I think I'd better stop now before this becomes a personal rant thread. But a lot of it makes me laugh too.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Gus on 30 July, 2013, 09:21:35 pm
(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a618/Nagasawa25/999703_10201744781449821_1881875018_n_zps10d015f9.jpg) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/Nagasawa25/media/999703_10201744781449821_1881875018_n_zps10d015f9.jpg.html)

 :facepalm: :facepalm: Long live the danish railroads & google translate.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 18 August, 2013, 10:31:30 am
About a charitable organisation: "Besides granting material aid, the Foundation promotes knowledge related to health prevention."
That would be an anti-charity!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 18 August, 2013, 01:46:19 pm
(http://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a618/Nagasawa25/999703_10201744781449821_1881875018_n_zps10d015f9.jpg) (http://s1286.photobucket.com/user/Nagasawa25/media/999703_10201744781449821_1881875018_n_zps10d015f9.jpg.html)

 :facepalm: :facepalm: Long live the danish railroads & google translate.

 ;D ;D ;D

I grew up with this kind of thing!
Danish relatives who couldn't *quite* get it right, ship personnel likewise, as well as many trips to Klampenborg & Helsingør.
Google translate has a horrid habit of not translating hard words...
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Feanor on 12 September, 2013, 11:50:44 am
I need to repair some Surface-Mount things, and need a temperature-controlled hot air reflow gun.
Amazon came up with this:

The sensor closed path, microcomputer zero crossing triggering controls warm, LED demonstrated that the power is formidable, the elevation of temperature is rapid, temperature precise stable, Not amount of wind influence. The air current may adjust, the amount of wind is formidable, and the wind is gentle, the temperature control is convenient, suitably in multiple functions. The system establishment automatic cold wind function, may lengthen the heating device service life. The fuselage exquisite, is durable, is artistic. Uses the original installation import not to brush the electrical machinery, the life is extremely long, the noise is minimum, Ues the high quality heating element the efficiency to be possible to enhance one time under the same power, but lengthens, heating element's working life effectively and saves energy Source.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/858D-Rework-Digital-Station-Solder/dp/B007F9HM28/ref=pd_sim_sbs_diy_1
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 28 July, 2016, 03:49:23 pm
(https://c8.staticflickr.com/9/8633/28530263671_f80b3af5a1_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Kt84pM)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 28 July, 2016, 04:26:44 pm
Is that a TIGER puncture kit?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 28 July, 2016, 04:41:07 pm
It is indeed a Tiger lappegrej. I have every intention of avoiding all use of the "growbars" but I thought the tin was nice. Perhaps I'll turn it into a cycle touring first aid kit (by filling it with tea bags  :thumbsup:).
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 28 July, 2016, 04:49:39 pm
My cousin Philip Bier1 is one of TIGER UK's bigwigs.

Their white 'Blu Tack a-like' is called 'Elephant's Snot'....

1) Susanne Bier2's younger brother.

2) Oscar-winning film director
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 28 July, 2016, 04:53:32 pm
Oooooh, can we get freebies by dropping his name at the till?  :D
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 28 July, 2016, 05:12:23 pm
 ;) ;) I doubt it...

Went to a Tiger store for the first time with my Mum (née Bier) a couple of months ago. Bought various bits and bobs, as you do.

Bell I bought for my wheelchair has disintegrated. :(
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 28 July, 2016, 05:16:39 pm
One of those big painted bells? That's a shame. It does strike me as a bit like Ikea for gadgets and gimmicks!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 28 July, 2016, 05:35:25 pm
One of those big painted bells? That's a shame. It does strike me as a bit like Ikea for gadgets and gimmicks!

It's a little 'ping' bell, about 3cm diameter, with a plastic flower.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 01 August, 2016, 09:10:57 am
Also from Danish but from a book. A church is being given a new roof:
Quote
A small team of plumbers is casting the lead outside the church, and for that purpose they're equipped with a tray of sand which they hold at an angle, and onto it they pour the molten lead.
Too much technical precision, not enough usage!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 03 September, 2016, 05:55:04 pm
In an article in a Polish magazine about the Orthodox Church, the Patriarch of Moscow is referred to in a caption as Kirył and then in the text as Cyryl. The saint is mentioned too, as Cyryl.

(Okay this is proofreading fail but translation, or at least transliteration, related.)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Andrij on 03 September, 2016, 06:13:44 pm
In an article in a Polish magazine about the Orthodox Church, the Patriarch of Moscow is referred to in a caption as Kirył and then in the text as Cyryl. The saint is mentioned too, as Cyryl.

(Okay this is proofreading fail but translation, or at least transliteration, related.)

I would have thought the correct transliteration would be Kirił, but I'm not sure that is the Polish version of Cyril.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 03 September, 2016, 07:19:03 pm
Cyryl is the Polish version both for the saint and as an everyday name. Having looked up the Patriarch, I agree that Kirił (or even Kiriłł) would be a better transliteration. The version used in the caption seems to be a mix-up of the two.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 04 February, 2020, 07:51:28 pm
Quote
A system of bicycle infrastructure design principles that road infrastructure experts may find useful to
think about with regards to designing cycle infrastructure are the following principles of design that
both the Dutch and Danish bring into the design and implementation of their cycling infrastructure.
Uggh! I'm not sure what language this has been translated from, but this and a few other phrases (in NL cyclists can be fined for "not holding your right" and might be subject to a "speed control") make me think it is translated rather than badly written.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: The French Tandem on 06 February, 2020, 09:09:49 pm
^^ No translation error in my view, just plain, basic, politician's double talk...

A
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 07 February, 2020, 08:59:57 am
No, it's from the European Cyclists Federation:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10iWb4SJPVt6irFsb-LcX1VocRBNnNRhI/view
It's not intended to be double talk (I think), just clumsily worded with all that "infrastructure".
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 26 November, 2020, 05:29:03 pm
As this is the nearest we have to a Random Thread For Small Translation Things That Don't Need A Thread Of Their Own: I'm editing (proof-listening on paper, you might call it – not that there's actual paper involved, of course) an interview in English and Swahili. The odd thing is that the interpreter is mixing his Swahili with a lot of French. Not just what you might expect as loan words, such as days of the week and words like 'Inspector General' but even numbers and phrases like 'answer the questions truthfully and completely'. The interviewee is Congolese, which explains the French, but I don't know whether it's just easier for them this way or possibly the interpreter's Swahili isn't quite as good as it should be. I guess most likely though it's just Congolese creole.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 26 November, 2020, 06:38:12 pm
DNA, however, is DNA, in English, not ADN like French. They also use English for 'hand-crafted shoes'. Yes, DNA, Inspector General and hand-crafted shoes in the same interview; this could be a good one!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: fuaran on 26 November, 2020, 09:01:22 pm
The yew tree spreading its "seeds".
(https://i.imgur.com/Hcis6QX.png)
from https://www.facebook.com/heinrich.wagner.1420/posts/2491414261095539
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 26 November, 2020, 09:43:19 pm
I love the word for red sqrl in German
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 27 November, 2020, 05:18:19 am
I love the word for red sqrl in German
But can you say it?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: ElyDave on 27 November, 2020, 06:47:57 am
Yes, but only with an appalling comedy accent.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Mr Larrington on 27 November, 2020, 07:51:01 am
I love the word for red sqrl in German
But can you say it?

According to some of Miss von Brandenburg's dodgy mates the ability satisfactorily to pronounce Eichhörnchen is the ultimate test of whether a non-German can call themselves a speaker of their lingo.  This Unit passed :smug:
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: andytheflyer on 27 November, 2020, 08:51:20 am
According to some of Miss von Brandenburg's dodgy mates the ability satisfactorily to pronounce Eichhörnchen is the ultimate test of whether a non-German can call themselves a speaker of their lingo.  This Unit passed :smug:
My Dutch colleagues used to do the same with Scheveningen.  Being from Holland, Lincolnshire, and having webbed feet, I passed.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 27 November, 2020, 04:53:03 pm
My late grandmother holidayed in Scheveningen when I was young so its pronunciation was no challenge.

Friend has posted heart-warming tale of hospital ward wedding in FOREIGN land.

Bride's mum is unwell...
Quote
a senior doctor who was on duty, checked one of the patients - a 62-year-old woman, a violent cancer patient, whose condition is deteriorating quickly.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 27 November, 2020, 05:05:40 pm
I love the word for red sqrl in German
But can you say it?

Well I can say what it looks like, but I doubt that would be correct :)

And having just watched this I was close at the beginning but failed with the -chen
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KYjXiKzZWgs
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 27 November, 2020, 05:30:20 pm
Here are lots of Germans saying squirrel and at the end Klaus saying Eichhörnchen

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F161094258&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true&show_comments=true&color=false&show_user=true&show_reposts=false#
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 27 November, 2020, 05:33:33 pm
Here are lots of Germans saying squirrel and at the end Klaus saying Eichhörnchen

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F161094258&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true&show_comments=true&color=false&show_user=true&show_reposts=false#
I don't know why that made me laugh but it did.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 27 November, 2020, 05:41:12 pm
Here are lots of Germans saying squirrel and at the end Klaus saying Eichhörnchen

https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F161094258&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true&show_comments=true&color=false&show_user=true&show_reposts=false#
So what does
Quote
Scheißbuchfertigstellungbedürfnis
mean? Something along the lines of ''the need to finish a shit book''?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Mrs Pingu on 27 November, 2020, 05:42:17 pm
Ok I think I can say it if I do it really fast repeatedly ;D
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: L CC on 23 December, 2020, 01:44:51 pm
Quote from: Randonneurs Tokyo
注意 Cautions
Heavy traffic are expected at major route (national route). Please watch very carefully at city area where cars tends to go into shops and restaurants along the road. Please make much time for your riding plan. Please have enough sheep time, it will be very dangerous to ride without proper sheep.

https://randonneurs.tokyo/?p=11173

Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 23 December, 2020, 01:53:05 pm
I have a merino baselayer, will that do?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 08 January, 2021, 01:13:50 pm
Transliterating placenames can be tricky. There are rules or conventions but most well known places are exceptions, and then the conventions themselves are subject to change, eg Peking > Beijing. I've been reading a story set in nineteenth century Poland but translated from Yiddish. It mentions many small towns which, obviously, are given the Yiddish versions of their names. It's a bit odd seeing eg Lentshno instead of Łęczna, but of course most readers won't be familiar with these names at all, so that doesn't matter. In addition, the Yiddish names are more accessible for the English reader: Shebreshin looks quite readable, whereas Szczebrzeszyn might make you  ??? and  :o . But world events can change even the most anonymous small town in the middle of nowhere or Central Europe. When the translation was made, no one had heard of Tchiernobil...
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 09 January, 2021, 01:58:56 am
I usually have little trouble dealing with transliterated entities.

I'm often puzzled by names ending with ...cki.

Is that pronounced ski or key?

Seems like the named one chooses...
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Rod Marton on 09 January, 2021, 07:59:31 am
Its pronounced -tski.

The place I always find strange for transliterated placenames is the Czech Republic. Because historically both Czech and German were spoken there, all the towns have names in both languages. Unfortunately Czech contains sounds which don't exist in German, and vice versa, so the transliteration gets somewhat mangled. The town of Winterberg, for example, is awkward in Czech and comes out as Vimperk. Or in the other direction, Kroměříž is unpronounceable in German (or pretty much any language other than Czech) and ends up as Kremsier.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 02 March, 2021, 12:50:05 am
Just spotted a Chinglish translation of 'Live' and 'Neutral' (in the electrical sense) as 'Zero line' and 'Firewire'.  Put those on your tragic hipster toilet doors.   :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Steph on 02 March, 2021, 03:48:53 am
Now, I admit I have advantages in that I am someone who picks up languages easily, as well as pronunciations, and I do lack the attitude seen in too many people I know*, but I found the immediate refusal to even attempt to pronounce this easy one depressing. All it is is a tongue click and a guttural voiced 'g'...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56182349


*I was attempting to explain how to pronounce Liechtenstein to a colleague, who is a tit. Attempting to explain the blindingly simple rule in German that 'ei' and 'ie' are pronounced (in essence) by simply saying the English name of the second letter, I was met with "You've got a degree in this shit. How are ordinary people supposed to remember?"

Actually listening to what I say would probably be a good starting point.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Beardy on 02 March, 2021, 08:12:05 am
Now, I admit I have advantages in that I am someone who picks up languages easily, as well as pronunciations, and I do lack the attitude seen in too many people I know*, but I found the immediate refusal to even attempt to pronounce this easy one depressing. All it is is a tongue click and a guttural voiced 'g'...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56182349


*I was attempting to explain how to pronounce Liechtenstein to a colleague, who is a tit. Attempting to explain the blindingly simple rule in German that 'ei' and 'ie' are pronounced (in essence) by simply saying the English name of the second letter, I was met with "You've got a degree in this shit. How are ordinary people supposed to remember?"

Actually listening to what I say would probably be a good starting point.
Being deaf and dyslexic means that language has always been a challenge for me, even English and I’ve been trying to use that with varying levels of success for nearly 60 years. Being somewhat aspergic also adds my almost teenage tragicomic inability to read even the most basic of human emotion/body language to the mix so I in effect walk around in my own personal fog of confusion. Fortunately Sarah is mostly tolerant of my apparent stupidity and can get cross with people who start to treat me like an idiot because I’ve reacted in an unusual way to some attempt at their communication with me.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: T42 on 02 March, 2021, 08:50:50 am
Just spotted a Chinglish translation of 'Live' and 'Neutral' (in the electrical sense) as 'Zero line' and 'Firewire'.  Put those on your tragic hipster toilet doors.   :thumbsup:

The toilets in a restaurant we ate in once had a rooster on the door of the gents.  After my son had been, I asked him where it was.

Son: Round there at the back. You can tell it's the gents, it has a cock on the door.
MrsT: What's on the ladies?
Son: Dunno... a knocker?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 02 March, 2021, 10:46:44 am
Now, I admit I have advantages in that I am someone who picks up languages easily, as well as pronunciations, and I do lack the attitude seen in too many people I know*, but I found the immediate refusal to even attempt to pronounce this easy one depressing. All it is is a tongue click and a guttural voiced 'g'...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56182349


*I was attempting to explain how to pronounce Liechtenstein to a colleague, who is a tit. Attempting to explain the blindingly simple rule in German that 'ei' and 'ie' are pronounced (in essence) by simply saying the English name of the second letter, I was met with "You've got a degree in this shit. How are ordinary people supposed to remember?"

Actually listening to what I say would probably be a good starting point.
By a spooky coincidence, in 2019 I spent a short time working with a trans woman called Steph who had recently moved from PE, as she called it ("So whereabouts in South Africa did you live?" "PE" "Umm... Pietermaritzburg?")
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 11 March, 2021, 07:24:00 pm
(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/431d3b415fa1af9e996fb4efb17586f0d7bc1038/0_0_3500_2100/master/3500.jpg?width=620&quality=85&auto=format&fit=max&s=f54f0de60dcb985a3044d27c4e99729c)
Not an error or a translation, just a FOREIGN LANGUAGE pun. Bać means fear, so the placard says "I fear fascism". Except it says more than that, because they've used the infinitive rather than the first person of the verb (go straight to Grammar thread, do not pass go, do not collect 200 złoty!). This makes it only one letter away from the verb jebać, so it also means "Fuck fascism".
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: CAMRAMan on 11 March, 2021, 07:38:23 pm
When taking my degree course in the early-90s, I wrote an essay in Swedish about the First Gulf War. My point was supposed to be that we only made the effort because of the oilfields. Only I got my German & Swedish mixed up and used 'ölfält', which actually means 'beerfield', rather than 'oljefält'. Knowing me as she did, my lecturer thought it rather appropriate.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Salvatore on 08 April, 2021, 10:28:52 am
Transliterating placenames can be tricky.

You'd think that machine translation would have enough problems translating Finnish, with its 14 cases, non-gendered pronouns, vowel harmony, agglutinating and compound nouns etc etc etc, and you'd think that placenames would be comparatively easy. But no

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51102500822_5e46068fdf.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kRKF7o)

This is from a couple of years ago, and I think it's improved now, but Jaala=Nottingham?
I also remember Moskova=London, even though Finnish has it's own name for London - Lontoon.
BTW Hki = Helsinki, Sln=Savonlinna
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Steph on 08 April, 2021, 10:36:42 am
Now, I admit I have advantages in that I am someone who picks up languages easily, as well as pronunciations, and I do lack the attitude seen in too many people I know*, but I found the immediate refusal to even attempt to pronounce this easy one depressing. All it is is a tongue click and a guttural voiced 'g'...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-56182349


*I was attempting to explain how to pronounce Liechtenstein to a colleague, who is a tit. Attempting to explain the blindingly simple rule in German that 'ei' and 'ie' are pronounced (in essence) by simply saying the English name of the second letter, I was met with "You've got a degree in this shit. How are ordinary people supposed to remember?"

Actually listening to what I say would probably be a good starting point.
By a spooky coincidence, in 2019 I spent a short time working with a trans woman called Steph who had recently moved from PE, as she called it ("So whereabouts in South Africa did you live?" "PE" "Umm... Pietermaritzburg?")

PMBurg, or, as it became in Tom Sharpe's books, Piemburg
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 21 September, 2021, 04:19:06 pm
Not an error (AFAIK) and not even a faintly amusing story, but what a wonderful word!
Quote
“I am greatly concerned about the radicalisation of the Querdenker [Germany’s movement of pandemic sceptics]”, she added.
Google translates it as "lateral thinker" but it reminds me of the Russian инакомыслящий, the dissidents' own word for dissident; literally a "different thinker" or (guesstimating from the German) "counter-grain thinker".
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Rod Marton on 21 September, 2021, 04:55:24 pm
Not an error (AFAIK) and not even a faintly amusing story, but what a wonderful word!
Quote
“I am greatly concerned about the radicalisation of the Querdenker [Germany’s movement of pandemic sceptics]”, she added.
Google translates it as "lateral thinker" but it reminds me of the Russian инакомыслящий, the dissidents' own word for dissident; literally a "different thinker" or (guesstimating from the German) "counter-grain thinker".
A present active participle! You don't see those in the wild very often. As such, a more literal translation of инакомыслящий would be "who is thinking differently". Incidentally, Querdenker is a direct translation of lateral thinker (or thinkers).
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 23 September, 2021, 04:28:55 pm
Bandcamp fed me this cheerless ditty. I guess Nicholas Michaux is French. Only a foreigner would use a word like tocsin, and only human-created captions would spell it correctly!
https://youtu.be/BUtW80yI_vY?t=122
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: JennyB on 23 September, 2021, 04:59:31 pm
My mother, living in the Northern Irish village of Ballinamallard, once ordered something by phone from England. It came, eventually, addressed to Ballingham Allard.  The perfect location for a cosy mystery?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 24 September, 2021, 09:07:40 am
Irish place names, other than really well known ones such as Dublin and Belfast, always need spelling out for non-Irish people. As do English names as well.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Mr Larrington on 24 September, 2021, 11:47:50 am
Indeed.  I for one used to struggle with Cork.  Or was it corks?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 24 September, 2021, 12:24:19 pm
This morning I have had Henderson as Tennyson, Ranui as Runway, Swanson as Watson, and Waiomoko and Piha weren't even attempted. (These are in Kiwiland not Ireland.)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 14 October, 2021, 08:24:33 pm
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/oct/14/squid-game-netflix-translations-subtitle-problem
Do you really need to ask if something was lost in translation? Translation is the art of knowing what to lose. And occasionally the joy of being able to add something to the experience. Anyway, this is about subtitling and the difference between translated subtitles, closed captions and dubbing; all of course different to the original.
Quote
“Closed captions” were initially devised for deaf viewers and include audio description. (“A door slams.”) The dialogue used on closed captions is usually a direct transcript of the dubbing script. Subtitles use another script entirely.
Back when I was doing subtitling, which admittedly was a long time ago, before Netflix even existed, that's not how we did it. We prepared a "Master English File", essentially what the characters were actually saying, which was the basis for both translated subtitles and closed captions (which we called SDH – "subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing"). The MEF was timed and adjusted to fit the limitations of screens, reading speeds and so on, and the SDH team then added the necessary sound descriptions for their stuff. They may have had to remove a little more, because after all they still had to fit on the same screen, but they were starting with the exact same material.

Quote
A dubbing script translation is always going to be less accurate as it faces two challenges. First, it must translate a phrase in such a way that it takes exactly the same amount of time to say out loud in both languages. Second, if there is any opportunity to copy the mouth movements, then you’re supposed to take it. This is why in Squid Game the Korean honorific “oppa” was translated as “old man” in the dubbing script. It’s “babe” in the subtitle script. In fact, in Korean it’s a term of respect meaning “older brother.”
In what variety of English is "babe" a term of respect or anything vaguely comparable to "older brother"?

Quote
Deryagin has been subtitling English to Russian for 11 years and worked on the Russian subtitles for the Netflix films Birdbox and Mank, the streamer’s series Orange Is the New Black, and David Lynch’s short film What Did Jack Do?, also released on Netflix. He watched the latter 15 times before trying to translate it (“I was so excited that I could barely sleep. Any complex film is exciting to translate as you need to understand it to convey it. Imagine doing that for Twin Peaks.”)
Ideally this would be the case, not just for translating but also for creating the captions, subtitles and dubbing script in the original language. In practice it rarely is.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Beardy on 14 October, 2021, 08:39:50 pm
As a closed caption user the issue _I_ have with Netflix subtitles is that they are really complete CC in that they usually miss the sound effects. Worse though are the translation subtitles, because they not only miss the sound effects, but if the characters speak English at all, they don’t subtitle the dialogue. This is often a crucial plot element as well. For,some reason, they use the same translation subtitles on audio dubbed foreign language programmes with the bits spoken in English also missing.

This is frustrating, especially when Metfilx are by far the pest streaming provider for providing subtitles with Amazon falling a long way behind. The BBC has a habit of transcribing the subtitles in real time on magazine programmes, which are generally a waste of time in any case. They then include the ‘live’ subtitles with the catch up service. C4 are better, especially on the catchup. ITV (on my TV) don’t have any subtitles on the catch up service, though I don’t know if this is universal, or a failing with the app maintenance as my TV is getting on a bit now. We’ve not used Apple TV much, but what we have used has had subtitles.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 14 October, 2021, 08:49:58 pm
If the closed captions are created for the hearing impaired, they should include sound effects like "doorbell rings" as well as all dialogue regardless of language. Dubbing is for translation, so doesn't need to include anything other dialogue (although see below) and also doesn't need to include dialogue in the audience's language (so English dialogue in a Korean movie, for instance).

Some signs and other on-screen text also needs to be included in dubbing and translated subs, for instance we need to know that someone's walked in through the door marked "exit". (There is a name used for this stuff but I've forgotten it.) But that doesn't need to be in the closed captions for the hard of hearing – except where the whole movie is being translated. So in that respect, the CC or SDH or whatever other names it might go be needs two different sources: one for the "native" audience and one for the rest of the world.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Beardy on 14 October, 2021, 09:41:37 pm
The point is that if translation subtitles have been produced, they hardly ever bother with creating CC/SDH subtitles. At least that seems to be the norm on the streaming services these days. It’s very annoying.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 14 October, 2021, 09:51:09 pm
I see. That would be especially infuriating as once you've made the translation subtitles, you're most of the way to having the CC – but lacking some vital components. Plus I thought there were actually laws requiring CC/SDH (but maybe that's only in USA and maybe it only applies to broadcast TV or something).
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 14 October, 2021, 11:00:20 pm
Ofcom has rules about closed captioning, audio description and BSL interpretation. Different channels have different quotas, according to how big they are. I don't know the specifics, or whether they consider live captioning acceptable.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 14 October, 2021, 11:03:29 pm
Oh, the other thing you sometimes get in SDH is deliberate simplification of the language, on the basis that deaf people may be using a second language, or have lower than average reading skills due to systemic flaws in education.

The practice is at least as contentious as the sub vs dub debate.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 15 October, 2021, 09:22:46 am
I'm not familiar with deaf schools (though my neighbour, who is herself hearing impaired*, has a son at one) but it's easy to imagine such schools could be dumping grounds. But then recognising that seems both pragmatic and accepting a sort of education apartheid.

Also, aren't most people using captions just old people who've gone through standard schooling?

*Her term. Whether, to her, it represents something distinct from deaf or hard of hearing, I don't know. 
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: barakta on 08 November, 2021, 08:55:47 pm
OfCom rules haven't historically applied standards or quantity wise to "on demand" services. I can't remember if that is set to change or not.

Agree about it being frustrated when foreign language is captioned but English is not.

No idea why some people would use the term "hearing impaired" about themselves, but some do. Just cos 'the deaf communities' as much as a community is 'defined' hate the term, doesn't mean individuals agree.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 08 November, 2021, 09:03:45 pm
I'm not familiar with deaf schools (though my neighbour, who is herself hearing impaired*, has a son at one) but it's easy to imagine such schools could be dumping grounds. But then recognising that seems both pragmatic and accepting a sort of education apartheid.

It's a complicated subject with need for more than one highlighter pen, but there's something to be said for a less academically successful school where you stand a chance at being able to communicate with staff and your peers, rather than being dumped at the back of a mainstream class and intermittently tormented by a peripatetic teacher-of-the-deaf whose qualifications typically stop somewhere short of being able to communicate effectively with deaf people.

(With your other highlighter pens you can add sign vs oral, immigration/cultural/class issues and generational trends in education.)

But yes, the well-educated native BSLers are a vocal minority, outnumbered by those denied access to education thorugh a combination of lack of resources and staunch oralism.  And they're all vastly outnumbered by people with normal English skills who've lost hearing later in life (a decent proportion of which are too in denial to use assistive technology like captions anyway).
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: chrisbainbridge on 08 November, 2021, 09:18:05 pm
Quote
a decent proportion of which are too in denial to use assistive technology like captions anyway
Or even like my FiL to use his hearing aids.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 09 November, 2021, 01:38:34 pm
No idea why some people would use the term "hearing impaired" about themselves, but some do. Just cos 'the deaf communities' as much as a community is 'defined' hate the term, doesn't mean individuals agree.
I suppose this is a bit like black, coloured, of colour, negro, BAME or BAMER – or indeed white, caucasian, etc – in that the generally accepted term varies from time to time and place to place and by context, but within that, individuals will have their own preferences for themselves.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 09 November, 2021, 05:28:55 pm
And talking of that^, the Grauniad has an article today about the meaning of the word 'woke'. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/09/woke-word-meaning-definition-progressive
It's American in context and it seems that for Americans, 'woke' is purely connected with racial politics. I don't think it has that specificity here. And then one of them mentions 'hotep'. A word taken from Ancient Egypt and given a meaning in America which explicitly links its etymology to Egypt but seems to me totally unconnected.
https://youtu.be/iw5bYlTs9Wk

The more words I know, the fewer of them I understand as words, rather than parts of sentences.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Pingu on 04 December, 2021, 03:38:47 pm
Zuckerberg's Walled Garden offered up a translation of I Zimbra by Talking Heads  :facepalm:
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 12 January, 2022, 02:54:38 pm
Not an error, but an interesting discussion of the difficulties in translating Macron's statement, "Les non-vaccinés, j’ai très envie de les emmerder.". It is, of course, complicated with many factors modifying each other, not least the fact that it's spoken by the President of France in his official capacity.

But it also struck me as interesting that different languages or cultures use different bodily excretions for this purpose: the French use shit, in English we might also use shit but tend to use piss, in Polish it's vomit. I wonder about non-European languages?

https://theconversation.com/piss-off-annoy-shit-on-why-macrons-use-of-the-french-swear-word-emmerder-is-so-hard-to-translate-174627
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 03 March, 2022, 05:44:38 pm
The language of love: a Chinese man and a Brazilian woman met at a Star Trek convention. The only language they had in common was Klingon.

This much appears to be a true story. What I really want to be a true story, but isn't, would be that they had children, whose first language was naturally Klingon.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Salvatore on 10 March, 2022, 08:29:40 am
Automatic translation from Finnish is a reliable source of errors. Yesterday from a Finnish cycling youtuber on twitter

Quote
Millaisia ovat Oulun kehutut kävely- ja pyöräilybaanat ja miten niitä ylläpidetään? Päivän videolla tutustun Oulun talvipyöräilyolosuhteisiin
translated by google as
Quote
What are the acclaimed walking and cycling bananas in Oulu like and how are they maintained? In the video of the day, I will get to know the winter cycling conditions in Oulu
pyöräilybaanat - pyöräily=bike, and the -t at the end shows it's plural, so baan must be tracks, but I can't find it in any Finnish dictionary, so I assume it's a loan from Swedish bana or somesuch.

Anyway, I like the idea of cycling bananas. Especially acclaimed ones.

I'm reminded of a former colleague who used 'banana' as a general-purpose noun, both as a substitute for 'whatsitsname' and also to avoid cliche. "Not that old banana" for "not that old chestnut". I can imagine him saying "Shall we ride on the road or the cycle banana?". I wonder if nuncio knows who I mean?

BTW I can vouch for Oulu's cycle bananas. In summer at least.

Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Nuncio on 10 March, 2022, 11:34:40 am
Rings a bell but I can't place them. ('I'll know when you tell me'.)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Salvatore on 10 March, 2022, 12:39:08 pm
Rings a bell but I can't place them. ('I'll know when you tell me'.)
One of two brothers who worked there.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: rafletcher on 10 March, 2022, 03:54:49 pm
Automatic translation from Finnish is a reliable source of errors. Yesterday from a Finnish cycling youtuber on twitter

Quote
Millaisia ovat Oulun kehutut kävely- ja pyöräilybaanat ja miten niitä ylläpidetään? Päivän videolla tutustun Oulun talvipyöräilyolosuhteisiin
translated by google as
Quote
What are the acclaimed walking and cycling bananas in Oulu like and how are they maintained? In the video of the day, I will get to know the winter cycling conditions in Oulu
pyöräilybaanat - pyöräily=bike, and the -t at the end shows it's plural, so baan must be tracks, but I can't find it in any Finnish dictionary, so I assume it's a loan from Swedish bana or somesuch.

Anyway, I like the idea of cycling bananas. Especially acclaimed ones.

I'm reminded of a former colleague who used 'banana' as a general-purpose noun, both as a substitute for 'whatsitsname' and also to avoid cliche. "Not that old banana" for "not that old chestnut". I can imagine him saying "Shall we ride on the road or the cycle banana?". I wonder if nuncio knows who I mean?

BTW I can vouch for Oulu's cycle bananas. In summer at least.

There was, of course, Team Raleigh Banana...

https://www.google.com/search?q=raleigh+banana+team&rlz=1C1GCEU_enGB984GB984&sxsrf=APq-WBtHXg7mHWksLiALNefcF8kSCGUPmQ%3A1646927584035&ei=4B4qYsmzAfaBhbIPq52PuAs&oq=raleigh+banana+&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAEYAzIECCMQJzIFCAAQkQIyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCRAjIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMggIABCABBDJAzIFCAAQgAQyBQgAEIAEMgUIABCABDoHCCMQsAMQJzoHCAAQRxCwAzoKCAAQRxCwAxDJAzoGCAAQFhAeSgQIQRgASgQIRhgAUIUHWNcKYLQpaAFwAHgAgAGVAYgBgQOSAQMzLjGYAQCgAQHIAQnAAQE&sclient=gws-wiz
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Tim Hall on 10 March, 2022, 05:05:19 pm
Jurek does sterling work with handlebar-curve-matching bananas and tactical velcro. I can't find a picture right now though but I think they count as cycling bananas.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 10 March, 2022, 06:06:11 pm
Shirley a cycling bananananana is how the uninitiated refer to a Kingcycle?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 10 March, 2022, 08:10:54 pm
Ah yes, thanks. It was a Kingcycle I saw the other day pulling a little one-wheel trailer. I knew I had known the name!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Salvatore on 11 March, 2022, 09:28:49 am
pyöräilybaanat - pyöräily=bike, and the -t at the end shows it's plural, so baan must be tracks, but I can't find it in any Finnish dictionary, so I assume it's a loan from Swedish bana or somesuch.

The singular is in fact baana - road, and it's in every Finnish-English resource I've consulted, so no excuse for Google translate. And it is a loan from Swedish bana.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: hellymedic on 20 March, 2022, 09:59:22 pm
pyöräilybaanat - pyöräily=bike, and the -t at the end shows it's plural, so baan must be tracks, but I can't find it in any Finnish dictionary, so I assume it's a loan from Swedish bana or somesuch.

The singular is in fact baana - road, and it's in every Finnish-English resource I've consulted, so no excuse for Google translate. And it is a loan from Swedish bana.

Same origin as German Bahn or false friend?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Salvatore on 02 April, 2022, 11:13:12 am
pyöräilybaanat - pyöräily=bike, and the -t at the end shows it's plural, so baan must be tracks, but I can't find it in any Finnish dictionary, so I assume it's a loan from Swedish bana or somesuch.

The singular is in fact baana - road, and it's in every Finnish-English resource I've consulted, so no excuse for Google translate. And it is a loan from Swedish bana.

Same origin as German Bahn or false friend?

I assume germanic origin ('germanic' including north or west germanic languages, so Scandinavian tongues as well as German, English, Flemish etc). There are plenty of germanic load words in Finnish, usually via Swedish, but they've been Finnishified so difficult to spot, e.g.
ranta = beach (from strand in Swedish, Finnish doesn't like initial clusters so dropped the 'st'), or
kahvi =coffee, or
penkki = bench, Swedish bänk, or
gatu = street, gata in Swedish, -gate in scandinvian-influenced bits of England.

The word kuningas (=king) is also a germanic loan word, but in this case it was loaned many centuries ago, and is much closer to the original form in Finnish than in less conservative germanic languages (king, kung, konge etc, but Konungur in conservative Icelandic). I heard this fact in one of the first lectures I attended in September 1975, and remembered it in 2013 when I was in Finland with swarm_catcher on the way to Russia and there was a statue with an inscription including the word 'kuningas', and I suddenly recalled Rudi Keller's wise words.

Sorry, not very amusing.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 27 June, 2022, 08:38:26 pm
Quote
“It’s a real financial blow,” Belotti said. He added that motorised two-wheelers were an ecological plus, even if less green than bicycles.

“They’re much cleaner and less imposing than a car and [public] space is optimised. Fuel consumption is low and for the same distance you’re riding for much less time,” he said.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/27/parisian-motorcyclists-mourn-end-of-freedoms-with-introduction-of-parking-charges

Motorcycles might be less imposing than a car but I don't think that's what Belotti meant. Maybe "burdensome" would have been a more suitable word (obviously impossible to say without knowing what the original was).
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: CAMRAMan on 27 June, 2022, 09:09:31 pm
Beck translator: 'Dra åt helvete!' normally means 'fuck off!', not the more literal 'go to hell', kthxbai.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: T42 on 12 July, 2022, 01:30:33 pm
Beck translator: 'Dra åt helvete!' normally means 'fuck off!', not the more literal 'go to hell', kthxbai.

So is Switzerland Hell or just another whorehouse?

Meanwhile, looking for pulleys (poulies) on the Bricomarché site yields a slew of stuff for chickens.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Macleach on 12 July, 2022, 02:20:27 pm
Was once e-mailed by a Spanish colleague who wanted to inform me that a delay was taking place with the latest project milestone. I got a missive informing me "some retard had been involved with the project"! Yeeeesss, I think he probably has..... ;).

My own personal best was when I was a much younger man (sigh) and standing with my German girlfriend in the queue for the buffet at our hotel whilst on Holiday in Spain. I wanted to ask her if the buffet was self service (selbstbedienung) but said selbstbefriedigung instead. The latter is what back in my days schoolboys were told not to do too much of unless you wanted hairy palms... ;D. Blush! Although not half as much as my poor girlfriend did. ;D
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: T42 on 12 July, 2022, 04:36:28 pm
Back when I was working in Stuttgart I went into the office one morning with a nasty dose of conjunctivitis in both eyes.  Our department secretary asked me what was wrong and I replied "mir tun die Eier weg" instead of "mir tun die Augen weg"*,  Augen being eyes and Eier being eggs and both being balls of a sort.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Macleach on 12 July, 2022, 05:30:06 pm
Back when I was working in Stuttgart I went into the office one morning with a nasty dose of conjunctivitis in both eyes.  Our department secretary asked me what was wrong and I replied "mir tun die Eier weg" instead of "mir tun die Augen weg"*,  Augen being eyes and Eier being eggs and both being balls of a sort.

Ha ha yes, the girlfriend taught me that term as slang in her time too  ;D ;D
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Macleach on 13 July, 2022, 02:44:59 pm
Just remembered I also narrowly avoided the sack for having most of the aforementioned entire Spanish project team looking in their dictionaries and phrasebooks for "Bono Estente" and "Scorchio" as expressions of greeting and happiness. They do in fact translate as "bonus shelf" and "scorched" respectively but I thought using them in the Fast Show context was a great laugh, er, I mean genuine mistake made in all innocence..... :demon:
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 13 July, 2022, 06:13:14 pm
Quote
“That’s not the way Donald Trump does things. It’s rambling from one half-vast idea to another plan that falls through and another comes up.”

Let's call this "translation" from speech to text.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 13 July, 2022, 11:07:52 pm
Just remembered I also narrowly avoided the sack for having most of the aforementioned entire Spanish project team looking in their dictionaries and phrasebooks for "Bono Estente" and "Scorchio" as expressions of greeting and happiness. They do in fact translate as "bonus shelf" and "scorched" respectively but I thought using them in the Fast Show context was a great laugh, er, I mean genuine mistake made in all innocence..... :demon:

I irregularly find myself having to explain 'Scorchio' to Young People.   :facepalm:
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Macleach on 14 July, 2022, 12:23:13 pm
Have just received picture from Royal Mail delivery of my parcel of books neatly balanced on the top of my wooden gate at the side of my house. Not a translation error as such but the postie has literally interpreted my instructions of "Please leave over gate to side of house" to the absolute letter :facepalm:. Reminds me of the old Victor Meldrew episode with the rubber plant planted in the toilet bowl after he told them to "put it in the lavatory". Life, sometimes you just couldn't make it up ;)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Salvatore on 22 July, 2022, 08:59:00 pm
After playing for Hamm, Jürgen Welp played one game for red and white food or, as he would call the club, Rot-Weiss Essen


  (https://imgur.com/uwS77Ss.png)
 (https://imgur.com/uwS77Ss.png)

Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: ElyDave on 22 July, 2022, 10:49:25 pm
He played for Gutersloh as well, my dad was stationed there 82-85, those were fun years
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 23 July, 2022, 03:22:05 pm
After playing for Hamm, Jürgen Welp played one game for red and white food or, as he would call the club, Rot-Weiss Essen


  (https://imgur.com/uwS77Ss.png)
 (https://imgur.com/uwS77Ss.png)
;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: rafletcher on 23 July, 2022, 03:36:30 pm
One of my colleagues in Belgium has the surname Gielen. It’s entirely possible for that to be mis-typed as Geilen.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Salvatore on 13 August, 2022, 08:38:04 am
Automatic Finnish -> English translations are a reliable source of amusement. Here's a recent one from Twitter
Quote
Kurkku on tänään paras sitten maanantain. Yskä jäi vielä, mutta johtuisiko siitä, että en kokeillut eilen ehdotettua rommi. Kukkukipu katosi punkulla ja viskillä. Tänään sitten varmaan vielä rommitotit.

Translated from Finnish by google

The cucumber1 today is the best since Monday. The cough was still there, but could it be because I didn't try the rum that was suggested yesterday? Cock2 pain went away with punk3 and whiskey. I'll probably still have rum tots today.

1. Kurkku (I've just learned) is either throat or cucumber (a Finnishified loan from Swedish gurka I imagine) and google plumped for the wrong meaning.
2. Kukko (not kukku) is a rooster, or in this case a typo of Kurkku, so Kukkukipu is probably throat pain (or cucumber pain).
3. I'm guessing punkulla is an obscure form of the inessive (or ablative) case of punkka (bed, loan from english bunk) and that Stefan spent the day in bed to alleviate his cock throat pain.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Mr Larrington on 13 August, 2022, 08:49:04 am
Rommi and viskillä seems a very Finnish way of dealing with a sore throat.  Kimi would approve.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 15 August, 2022, 08:01:55 am
Automatic translation is a good source of amusement even within one language. I went to the pub yesterday with a deaf friend who has a speech to text app on her phone and we spent a lot of time laughing at the things it came up with. Unfortunately I've forgotten most of them, including the actual words I said that came out as "suffering pancakes" but I do remember that it turned "Yorkshire" into "sissy porn".
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 25 August, 2022, 05:37:31 pm
I was searching for the name of a particular individual translator (which I didn't find) and stumbled across this blog in the process. No actual errors, just bad translation and some amusement.
Quote
Barf Detergent – In Persian apparently Barf means snow. But can you imagine the conflict in the mind of an English speaker when seeing a detergent called Barf?

Vicks – When Vicks was introduced in Germany, somebody forgot that the German pronunciation of “v” is “f” which made their “Vicks” brand name sound like slang for sexual intercourse (the name in German speaking countries is now Wick which translates correctly).

Scat Airlines – An airline based in Kazakhstan. Not sure if an English speaker would fly them.

Emerdata – This is the reincarnation of Cambridge Analytica. I find great irony in the fact that the name translations in Portuguese and Italian refer to the act of defecation.

IKEA – IKEA has a unique naming convention that often leads to translation errors. For example, some product names sounded like sex acts. And in many cases, IKEA names just sound amusing to English speakers:
(https://www.duetsblog.com/files/2018/05/fartful.png)
https://www.duetsblog.com/2018/05/articles/squirrelly-thoughts/good-translation-bad-translation/
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: T42 on 10 October, 2022, 11:49:37 am
From the instructions that accompanied my new coffee roaster:

(https://pbase.com/image/173051575.jpg)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: liam_whippet on 10 October, 2022, 11:59:54 am
I hear this in the voice of Stanley Unwin ...
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 10 October, 2022, 03:32:29 pm
"Very hot beans pouring from an old brain child tray" is a rather disturbing image.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: L CC on 30 November, 2022, 08:53:01 am
Quote from: German Glass Manufacturer
Could you please send the samples to my hands? I need them for our report and root cause.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Auntie Helen on 30 November, 2022, 02:14:52 pm
Weirdly that doesn’t seem to work translated back to German.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 30 November, 2022, 02:17:27 pm
Quote from: German Glass Manufacturer
Could you please send the samples to my hands? I need them for our report and root cause.
What is "root cause"?

In other questions, where is Fboab and who is this L CC that has taken her place? Or is it LCC?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 21 December, 2022, 09:28:46 am
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52576452297_6aa217a61a_c.jpg)

See the part of the label between "Made in Bangladesh" and the washing instructions, the part where it oh-so-helpfully tells us it's a t-shirt? The first language on the second line is Polish. How come Polish needs five words to say "t-shirt"?

(click to show/hide)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Paul on 21 December, 2022, 10:38:54 am
That’s interesting. I almost worked that out before reading your spoiler without knowing Polish. The words for (I assume) sugar and gum were recognisable enough for me to be thinking that they shouldn’t be there.
Does the next one translate as something like “shirt without sleeves “?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: T42 on 21 December, 2022, 11:05:56 am
I've always been tickled by the German instruction to wash & iron from the left, which really does mean inside-out.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 21 December, 2022, 11:31:17 am
That’s interesting. I almost worked that out before reading your spoiler without knowing Polish. The words for (I assume) sugar and gum were recognisable enough for me to be thinking that they shouldn’t be there.
Does the next one translate as something like “shirt without sleeves “?
Yes, it's literally "gum for chewing without sugar". I'm not even sure what language the next one is but the one underneath it, in Cyrillic, does translate as "shirt with short sleeves".

I've always been tickled by the German instruction to wash & iron from the left, which really does mean inside-out.
Same in Polish, and I think several other languages.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 25 December, 2022, 07:42:09 pm
Not actually a translation error, but an error of languages rather than language:
Quote
Hindi traditionally has very little presence in southern states such as Tamil-speaking Tamil Nadu and Kannada-speaking Kerala, and eastern states such as West Bengal, home to 78 million Bengali speakers.
Kannada is the language of Karnataka. Keralites speak Malayalam.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: T42 on 26 December, 2022, 09:48:26 am
Looking on-line for a wok brush t'other day, in France of course, one site offered me a grande sélection de tampons abrasifs.

Again, not a translation error but a prime example of faux amis.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Giraffe on 26 December, 2022, 05:30:41 pm
Now I know where 'rough bit of c**t' er, comes from.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: L CC on 09 May, 2023, 06:21:15 pm
Quote
   Fernando
3.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
Presencia 10 pero vacío , pero que es un plumas sin plumas ???
Reviewed in Spain on 27 February 2021
Buen acabado y presentacion , pero deja mucho que desear en contenido de pluma , es decir , que lo usé anoche y que por cierto me he muerto de frío ya lo imaginaba . Tendré que comprar otro y por cierto el primero que pedí , que me perdieron , pero como aún estoy pendiente de que me abonen el dinero pagado .... hasta que no lo tenga en cuenta no gasto más dinero en Amazon , aparte de haberme visto obligado y sin otra opción YA QUE TIENE QUE SER AMAZON PARA NO TENER YO LOS PROBLEMAS COMO ME HA PASADO , que he tenido que dos y quisieron meterme tres que gracias a Dios me di cuenta de la misma y lógicamente e insistiendo mucho , por segunda vez me ha tocado comerme los marrones yo , y encima , y por cierto lo que más me deja alucinado cada día con Amazon ... es que compre yo un edredón , pedido por mi y pagado por mi ... y tengan las narices de cobrarme por su cuenta y riesgo cobrarme otro aparte y preparar para enviar y eso que tarde 15 minutos maximo en descubrir el tema que me habíais preparado y por segunda vez y gracias a Dios que tengo un miedo que tengo que revisar 50 veces todo . Tendré que devolverlo y comprar el que yo quería y de ustedes no darme el servicio correcto , no me quedara otra opción que comprarlo directo a proveedor y Dios sabe que no me gusta actuar así .
El producto tiene un acabado expectacular ....
pero ni de lejos es el producto que yo buscaba y necesito , aparte es sacudirlo a la mañana ..... y como no me voy a morir de frío si se transparenta por el amor De Dios , el peor que he tenido en mi vida y con mucha diferencia . Es más , hasta el de IKEA , que cuesta 4 duros le da mil vueltas

Quote from: Amazon auto-translate
   Fernando
3.0 out of 5 starsVerified Purchase
Presence 10 but empty, but what is a featherless feathers??
Reviewed in Spain on 27 February 2021
Good finish and presentation, but it leaves much to be desired in pen content, that is, I used it last night and that by the way I died of cold I already imagined it. I will have to buy another and by the way the first one I asked for, they lost me, but since I am still aware that they pay me the money paid... until I take it into account I do not spend more money on Amazon, apart from having been obliged and without any other option SINCE IT HAS TO BE AMAZON TO NOT HAVE ME THE PROBLEMS AS IT HAPPENED TO ME, I HAVE had two and wanted to put me three that thanks to God I realized the same and logically and insisting a lot, for the second time I had to eat the browns myself, and by the way what leaves me most amazoned every day with Amazon... is that I buy a duvet, ordered by me and paid for me... and have the noses of charging me for your account and risk charge me another separate and prepare to send and that takes 15 minutes maximum to discover the topic you had prepared for me and for the second time and thank God I have a fear that I have to review everything 50 times. I'll have to return it and buy the one I wanted and from you not give me the right service, I won't have any other option but buy it directly from the supplier and God knows I don't like to act like that.
The product has a spectacular finish...
but not by far is the product that I was looking for and need, apart from it is shaking it in the morning... and since I'm not going to die of cold if it transpares for God's sake, the worst I've ever had in my life and by far. What's more, even IKEA, which costs 4 hard gives you a thousand laps
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: JellyLegs on 06 June, 2023, 09:05:29 pm
I am looking for some new cycling gloves and consulted the sizing instructions.

“Measure the circumference of your hand, right under the ankles”

Now anatomy isn’t my strongest subject but ….
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: geraldc on 06 June, 2023, 10:03:11 pm
The mistranslation in Exodus which turned a sea of reeds into the Red sea.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Moleman76 on 08 June, 2023, 09:40:31 pm
Back before BIG Companies had staff devoted to researching possible cross-language meaning issues, General Motors' (of the USA) Chevrolet division sold a car named the "Nova".  I suppose they were thinking it meant "new" everywhere.

Well, in Mexico "no va" means "doesn't go".  Sales south of the border were low.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Pingu on 08 June, 2023, 11:38:56 pm
Back before BIG Companies had staff devoted to researching possible cross-language meaning issues, General Motors' (of the USA) Chevrolet division sold a car named the "Nova".  I suppose they were thinking it meant "new" everywhere.

Well, in Mexico "no va" means "doesn't go".  Sales south of the border were low.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rffX5VFjAUg
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: mark on 09 June, 2023, 03:16:59 am
Back before BIG Companies had staff devoted to researching possible cross-language meaning issues, General Motors' (of the USA) Chevrolet division sold a car named the "Nova".  I suppose they were thinking it meant "new" everywhere.

Well, in Mexico "no va" means "doesn't go".  Sales south of the border were low.

Sorry, not true. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/chevrolet-nova-name-spanish/
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: T42 on 09 June, 2023, 09:12:32 am
OTOH Toyota did put their fut in it with the MR2, which sounds like "shitty" in French.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Mr Larrington on 09 June, 2023, 11:05:33 am
There are similar tales about the Rolls-Royce Silver Manure (Mist) and the Mitsubishi Wanker (Pajero).  The latter was called “Shogun” in the UK and “Montero” in North America and Hispanophonic countries, so that one’s actually true.

Edit: Motor Racing Developments declined to call their customer racing cars “MRD” in case of Frenchmen.  Also the head of the company was quite well-known as a successful driver in the company’s vehicles, being Jack Brabham.  Also, there is no need to tell me that you translated this page from Spaignish to Ing, Mr Google, because you didn’t.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: quixoticgeek on 09 June, 2023, 11:15:15 am

There was a crypto firm who made a big marketing splash across social media.

They changed their name within 24 hours.

They did not have a Brit on their team.

The company was "Nonce Finance"

It may be a legitimate mathematical term, but the extra meanings on this side of the pond are not good.

J

Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: rafletcher on 09 June, 2023, 11:28:07 am

There was a crypto firm who made a big marketing splash across social media.

They changed their name within 24 hours.

They did not have a Brit on their team.

The company was "Nonce Finance"

It may be a legitimate mathematical term, but the extra meanings on this side of the pond are not good.

J

It may be used in mathmatics, but that's not the origin, which is more like "for the time being"
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Clare on 16 June, 2023, 01:12:18 am
Does Zoom transcription count?

Quote
placental extracellular vesicles

does not equal

Quote
the central extracellular bicycles
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: T42 on 16 June, 2023, 08:16:14 am

There was a crypto firm who made a big marketing splash across social media.

They changed their name within 24 hours.

They did not have a Brit on their team.

The company was "Nonce Finance"

It may be a legitimate mathematical term, but the extra meanings on this side of the pond are not good.

J

There's a sign on the Autobahn to Karlsruhe that reads

NANCY
NOTTINGHAM

They're partner cities
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: L CC on 29 August, 2023, 09:43:34 am
Quote from: Google Translate
A person residing in Saône-et-Loire and having contracted dengue fever stayed, during his period of viremia (presence of the virus in the blood), in Chaintre between August 12 and 17, 2023.

If a tiger mosquito has bitten this person, it is likely to transmit the virus to other people by biting them afterwards, thus potentially starting a chain of contamination.

For this reason, EIRAD (Rhône-Alpes Interdepartmental Agreement for Mosquito Control), ARS operator for the surveillance and control of vector mosquitoes, carried out an entomological survey on August 25, 2023 on the places frequented by the nobody during his stay in Saône-et-Loire.
Harsh.

Quote from: Info Chalon
Pour cette raison, l’EIRAD (Entente interdépartementale Rhône-Alpes pour la démoustication), opérateur de l’ARS pour la surveillance et la lutte contre les moustiques vecteurs, a réalisé le 25 août 2023 dernier une enquête entomologique sur les lieux fréquentés par la personne lors de son passage en Saône-et-Loire.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Legs on 31 August, 2023, 09:51:57 am
At RV hire desk in Denver, at 10:30am, the German couple in front of us were asked what pick-up time they'd booked; she said "half eleven" and the receptionist gave them a look of 'why the hell are you here so early', before hubby realised and interjected "half past ten"!

For the uninitiated, the German language renders 10:30 as halb elf, 'half to eleven'.

Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Pingu on 23 September, 2023, 08:38:24 pm
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53162671885_ed3d81aea9_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2oZNAc8)
IMG_5318_01 (https://flic.kr/p/2oZNAc8) by The Pingus (https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_pingus/), on Flickr

I don't know what hinking is, but I'd give it a go.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Wowbagger on 23 September, 2023, 08:50:16 pm
I hink, therefore...
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: ElyDave on 23 September, 2023, 09:35:55 pm
I hear this in the voice of Stanley Unwin ...
A very germanic accent in my branez
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 23 September, 2023, 09:50:39 pm
Quote
...the true expression of French terroir, the untranslatable concept encompassing...
"It's not untranslatable" I thought to myself. "We might not have a word for it in English, but it's not untranslatable." Then I stopped, struck by the absurdity of what I'd just thought. If there isn't a word for something, then of course it's untranslatable.

Or is it? There are things which are untranslatable – concepts we simply do not have – but terroir, even if it's not common enough in English-speaking thought to have its own word, is still expressible as a concept. As the sentence continues:
Quote
...not just the soil in which the vines grow but also the natural, geological climatic and cultural elements associated with it.

There you are, that's terroir in English. I've even read elsewhere that:
Quote
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) is "EU for terroir".

But I expect that as long as it continues to be a concept most closely associated with wine, we won't develop a word for it. They've probably got one in Australia though!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: TheLurker on 24 September, 2023, 07:54:01 am
Quote from: Cudzoziemiec
...as long as it continues to be a concept most closely associated with wine, we won't develop a word for it.
Yes.  "Untranslatable" is usually shorthand for, "We haven't got a word that is a very close match so we'll have to explain it using several instead."  Wouldn't surprise me if terroir ends up in the OED sooner or later, if it isn't already in there, as yet another word we *cough* acquired.

Hang on a mo.  "Environment", which can encompass all the factors that affect something or someone for good or ill, would be a reasonably good single word substitution.  Doesn't roll of the tongue in quite the same way nor does it have the "showing off" appeal, but still.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Bledlow on 27 September, 2023, 11:54:03 am
At RV hire desk in Denver, at 10:30am, the German couple in front of us were asked what pick-up time they'd booked; she said "half eleven" and the receptionist gave them a look of 'why the hell are you here so early', before hubby realised and interjected "half past ten"!

For the uninitiated, the German language renders 10:30 as halb elf, 'half to eleven'.
Not just German. Norse.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 05 October, 2023, 04:47:04 pm
This one is a "lack of translation" error. Probably.
Quote
According to Ukraine’s former defence minister Oleksii Reznikov, drones have been vital to winning back the Black Sea. Reznikov likened the boom in indigenous drone production to the early days of Silicon Valley, when Steve Jobs built the first Apple computers in his garage. He said: “This war is the last conventional land one. The wars of the future will be hi-tech. The Black Sea is like a polygon. We’re seeing serious combat testing.”

Does "polygon" actually have this meaning in English? I'm sure I've never heard it used in a non-geometrical context. Maybe it is in use with this "firing range" or "proving ground" meaning in military jargon?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 05 October, 2023, 04:51:40 pm
This one is a "lack of translation" error. Probably.
Quote
According to Ukraine’s former defence minister Oleksii Reznikov, drones have been vital to winning back the Black Sea. Reznikov likened the boom in indigenous drone production to the early days of Silicon Valley, when Steve Jobs built the first Apple computers in his garage. He said: “This war is the last conventional land one. The wars of the future will be hi-tech. The Black Sea is like a polygon. We’re seeing serious combat testing.”

Does "polygon" actually have this meaning in English? I'm sure I've never heard it used in a non-geometrical context. Maybe it is in use with this "firing range" or "proving ground" meaning in military jargon?

Is this a reference to Soviet nuclear tests perhaps?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 06 October, 2023, 03:21:26 pm
This one is a "lack of translation" error. Probably.
Quote
According to Ukraine’s former defence minister Oleksii Reznikov, drones have been vital to winning back the Black Sea. Reznikov likened the boom in indigenous drone production to the early days of Silicon Valley, when Steve Jobs built the first Apple computers in his garage. He said: “This war is the last conventional land one. The wars of the future will be hi-tech. The Black Sea is like a polygon. We’re seeing serious combat testing.”

Does "polygon" actually have this meaning in English? I'm sure I've never heard it used in a non-geometrical context. Maybe it is in use with this "firing range" or "proving ground" meaning in military jargon?

Is this a reference to Soviet nuclear tests perhaps?
No. It's a reference to the new military techniques (such as naval drones) Ukraine is trying out in the Black Sea. It's a polygon (military proving ground) for them; for the Russians, it's a danger zone.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 06 October, 2023, 08:32:33 pm
Okay.  The only time I've encountered 'polygon' in that sort of context is the *googles* Semipalatinsk Test Site[1], but maybe it's a standard military term for firing range.


[1] Which I'm pleased to note has an area the size of Wales.  No indication if that's before or after it gets nuked.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 07 October, 2023, 10:38:25 am
I don't know if it's used in English-speaking military circles. I expect they say "firing range" or "testing ground" or something like that.

Okay.  The only time I've encountered 'polygon' in that sort of context is the *googles* Semipalatinsk Test Site[1], but maybe it's a standard military term for firing range.


[1] Which I'm pleased to note has an area the size of Wales.  No indication if that's before or after it gets nuked.
This is a most aexcellent factoid!
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 09 October, 2023, 11:20:13 pm
Not really translation or error, but connected with English and another language (in this case BSL). Yesterday (Sunday) I went on a Deaf Ramble with my friend Jo, who is deaf (but not a BSL native). Needless to say, three lessons of BSL are about as good a preparation for real conversation as a Berlitz guidebook. But before that, on the way to the start of the Ramble (which was Tintern) in Jo's friend's Hattie's car, for some reason the sign for Netherlands came up; a blonde girl with plaits. I said that would have made me think Sweden – Agnetha, for instance. Imagine, dear reader, how flabbered were my ghasts to discover that said Jo's friend had no idea who Agnetha from Abba was!

Telling jokes in foreign language is famously difficult, but later I caused much amusement by simply stating a fact. Hattie was wearing a cycling cap. Said she'd found it on a wall, it must be a child's cap cos it was so small. So I demonstrated how it expanded with the elastic at the back. Oh, that's great, would I like it? offered Hattie. No thanks, said I, I already have <wave three fingers> 13 cycling caps. Cue collapse of Jo and Harriet in gales of laughter. Well, I think I can rely on you, proper forumites, to understand that 13 cycling caps, relating to various clubs, times, places, events, is perfectly normal. Isn't it?

Two of the Deaf Ramblers had come all the way from Swindon. Because, apparently, "Swindon people are horrid. Nasty, back-stabbing people." This was stated as categorically true of all Swindonians though I suppose it was really meant to apply to just the Swindon Deaf Rambling community.

And lastly, I was told today that I've been invited to the Deaf Ramblers' Christmas dinner. By one of the Andrews. There were two and I've no idea which one was which. Don't think I could understand anything either of them said.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 10 October, 2023, 12:57:10 am
I'm sure I'd have 13 cycling caps by now if they didn't keep committing n-1 through being shrunk to SmallestCub-size[1], chewed up by washing machines, sucked into the A38 underpass, left behind at cycling events, bombarded by ultraviolet radiation and - on at least one occasion - failed to withstand an encounter with my head.


[1] Back when he was actually small.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 10 October, 2023, 01:06:50 am
Okay, "failed to survive an encounter with your head" requires an explanation...
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Mr Larrington on 10 October, 2023, 01:19:12 am
Okay, "failed to survive an encounter with your head" requires an explanation...

So does

And today I was told I've been invited to the

Buck House garden party?  White House?  Nobby & Dick's Auto Salvage (Finchley N12)’s Christmas piss-up?
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 10 October, 2023, 08:35:30 am
Okay, "failed to survive an encounter with your head" requires an explanation...

So does

And today I was told I've been invited to the

Buck House garden party?  White House?  Nobby & Dick's Auto Salvage (Finchley N12)’s Christmas piss-up?
All those! Also the gathering of the Larringtonian clans, at Larrington Towers, Walthamstow, Deepest Darkest East London, tomorrow.

(It was a random part-sentence that somehow escaped from the herding of words into sentences and paragraphs, probably on account of its word-herder falling asleep. It shall be deleted. With extreme prejudice.)
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Kim on 10 October, 2023, 12:38:49 pm
Okay, "failed to survive an encounter with your head" requires an explanation...

You know where you put a cap on your head, and you tug it down so it's resting it the correct place and therefore securely attached?  Well, this one made a ripping noise and ended up at chin-level.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Cudzoziemiec on 10 October, 2023, 12:59:25 pm
Okay, "failed to survive an encounter with your head" requires an explanation...

You know where you put a cap on your head, and you tug it down so it's resting it the correct place and therefore securely attached?  Well, this one made a ripping noise and ended up at chin-level.
Whereas the Representative YACFer has short, spiky hair, which might tear a cap in a manner similar to barbed wire, in your case it must have been due to sharp brains.

You have now exhausted your compliment complement, thank you and good night.
Title: Re: Amusing translation errors
Post by: Salvatore on 01 November, 2023, 08:39:15 am
While scrolling through messages of condolence on the page of someone called Sioned, some in Welsh and some in English, I was pressing the 'Translate' prompt to see what the Welsh ones were saying.

Imagine my surprise when I read "Sympathy to the Zionists!". Grammatical and topical, yes, but I though I must have wandered into the wrong thread. Further investigations showed "Sioned" was usually but not always translated as "Zionist(s)".