My attempts to read domaining blogs in french namely Blogodomaines reminded me how limited my knowledge of french is and how crude Babelfish translations still are. However I felt better have seen a couple of articles by the BBC on translations of street signs from English to Welsh.
An email sent online asking for a translation for this sign was replied to and that reply in Welsh was used for the sign. The Welsh reads “I am not in the office at the moment. Please send any work to be translated”
Though I do speak Gaeilge, the Irish language, Welsh is not a close enough language for me to understand. Brings a whole new meaning to out of office messages though.
Somehow “cyclists dismount” changed to “bladder inflammation upset” which may have been due to an online attempt at translation.
I am certainly going to tread carefully in reading and translating French before I make an ass (or inflamed bladder) of myself.
Happy Halloween.
Both BBC articles in full:
E-mail error ends up on road sign
Bladder alert lost in translation
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Barry,
I am lucky enough to be bilingual.
So if you require any french to english (or vice versa)
translation,I’ll be glad to help.
just shoot me an email.
Happy Halloween,
and Happy domaining.
amitiés,
Thanks for the offer. If I get stuck, I will take you up on that.
Happy Halloween
Funny:)