| Konudaki sayfalar: < [1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9] > |
Off topic: What is the funniest mistake you have come across when proofreading? Konuyu gönderen: Paul Dixon
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| This is so funny | Apr 17, 2012 |
thanks for sharing all those hilarious examples.
I got one, too.
Once I did a proofreading job for a German-English finance text which had been done by an American, who obviously didn't have any idea of the finance sector.
We have the German word "Festgeldkonto"(an account for fixed term deposits) and he translated literally "party money account".
I didn't believe my eyes....
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trent2101
Local time: 18:57
Hollandaca > Çekçe
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| kings and rabbits | Apr 17, 2012 |
Unfortunately, I couldn´t find the original text anymore, but many years ago I got a text that needed both proofreading and translating, because the translator gave up. It was a text about history in Czech to be translated into Dutch and I soon realized why the translator gave up:
he/she repeatedly translated the word "král" (=king) as " konijn" instead of "koning", so instead of a kings the text was full of rabbits....
You could make a similar mistake in Czech ( king= král, rabbi... See more Unfortunately, I couldn´t find the original text anymore, but many years ago I got a text that needed both proofreading and translating, because the translator gave up. It was a text about history in Czech to be translated into Dutch and I soon realized why the translator gave up:
he/she repeatedly translated the word "král" (=king) as " konijn" instead of "koning", so instead of a kings the text was full of rabbits....
You could make a similar mistake in Czech ( king= král, rabbit= králík)
my all- time favorite are subtitles for a classic western. (I think that it was Last Train from Gun Hill)
the character enters a room where a woman is sleeping.
She wakes up and says: Can´t a girl get some sleep?
the subtitle said: Chceš holku? ( could be translated as "do you want to have some fun (=sex)?)
The rest of the subtitles was similar.....
[Upraveno: 2012-04-17 12:14 GMT]
Last week I bought a soy yogurt where it said that it was "gluten- vrijdag" (" gluten Friday") instead of "gluten-vrij" ( "gluten- free").
Once a "closet homosexual" in a movie was turned into " klozetový homosexuál" ( literally "toilet homosexual").
[Upraveno: 2012-04-17 12:16 GMT]
[Upraveno: 2012-04-17 12:22 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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Alison Sparks (X) 
Local time: 18:57
Fransızca > İngilizce
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Crêpes Gourmandes = greedy pancakes
Hors d'oeuvres = mixed bits
Constant sources of amusement!
Likewise once spotted outside a wine shop:
Le bojolait nouveau est arrivé! and that in France.
Does anyone know if the Paradores in Spain have finally got around to using professional translators? We always used to find their translations from Spanish to French and English abso... See more Crêpes Gourmandes = greedy pancakes
Hors d'oeuvres = mixed bits
Constant sources of amusement!
Likewise once spotted outside a wine shop:
Le bojolait nouveau est arrivé! and that in France.
Does anyone know if the Paradores in Spain have finally got around to using professional translators? We always used to find their translations from Spanish to French and English absolutely hilarious. ▲ Collapse
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Good thread! Brightened up the end of my work day. the following aren't proofreading mistakes but they're in a similar vein so...
Noix de Saint Jacques: Nut of Holy Jack... presumably only two were ever sold! I saw this in a crêperie.
Back when I was first learning French at uni, I lustfully told my French girlfriend that she had "des jolis jambons" (nice hams... a real passion killer). I got jambes (legs) and jambons (hams) mixed up.
And to complete this ... See more Good thread! Brightened up the end of my work day. the following aren't proofreading mistakes but they're in a similar vein so...
Noix de Saint Jacques: Nut of Holy Jack... presumably only two were ever sold! I saw this in a crêperie.
Back when I was first learning French at uni, I lustfully told my French girlfriend that she had "des jolis jambons" (nice hams... a real passion killer). I got jambes (legs) and jambons (hams) mixed up.
And to complete this trio of saucy mistakes, I have a friend who, instead of describing himself as "anally retentive", said that he was "anally attentive". I've been laughing about that one for years. ▲ Collapse
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| Letter of credit | Apr 17, 2012 |
In a financial document: "revolting letter of credit" (for "revolving letter of credit").
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Gail Bond
Birleşik Krallık
Local time: 17:57
Üye (2009)
Fransızca > İngilizce
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| Shellfish in the spotlight | Apr 17, 2012 |
Seen on a menu last week in Avignon (shame I didn't have my camera):
Crevettes décortiquées
Analysed prawns
Were they being analysed psychologically, I wonder? I had visions of rows of prawns on couches, revealing their innermost thoughts...
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| You rang, M'Lord? | Apr 17, 2012 |
Polish subtitles to the episode one. Dinner guests recollect 1926 general UK strike, and lady Agatha Shawcross says that the authorities should "read them [strikers] the riot act". Polish translation for DVD release: "the authorities should raise the race riots"....
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Paul Dixon
Brezilya
Local time: 13:57
Portekizce > İngilizce
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KONUYU BAŞLATAN | More gems from Brazil | Apr 17, 2012 |
Phillippa May Bennett wrote:
"A well-known fruit and veg chain in Rio de Janeiro has the following product (among other gems - I really must take photos!!):
"blond in powder" (louro em pó - ground bayleaf or bayleaf powder).
This had me laughing for ages..."
More gems:
AGAINST STEAK for contra filé (rib-eye steak)
HUNTER THE CHINCKEN for frango à caçadora (Chicken Cacciatore)
SLEEVE JUICE for su... See more Phillippa May Bennett wrote:
"A well-known fruit and veg chain in Rio de Janeiro has the following product (among other gems - I really must take photos!!):
"blond in powder" (louro em pó - ground bayleaf or bayleaf powder).
This had me laughing for ages..."
More gems:
AGAINST STEAK for contra filé (rib-eye steak)
HUNTER THE CHINCKEN for frango à caçadora (Chicken Cacciatore)
SLEEVE JUICE for suco de manga (mango juice). Explanation: the word "manga" in Portuguese means both "mango" and "sleeve" ▲ Collapse
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Heinrich Pesch
Finlandiya
Local time: 19:57
Üye (2003)
Fince > Almanca
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| I got one assignment | Apr 18, 2012 |
Alison Sparks wrote: Does anyone know if the Paradores in Spain have finally got around to using professional translators? We always used to find their translations from Spanish to French and English absolutely hilarious.
Last week I translated the menu for a restaurant in Barcelona from English into Finnish. First a lot of mistakes had to be corrected in the "original" (they would not send me the Spanish version.) But they would not give up on "Smos", which I had to keep and put the explanation into brackets.
And they even paid within a few days! Amazing.
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bowmanrich wrote:
Drag and drop...translated to
Draguer et laisser tomber
Hilarious!
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| Man from the Caucasus | Apr 18, 2012 |
My favorite also reveals a kind of professional deformation, as I was definitely not proofreading at that time.
When watching the Czech version of the movie "8mm" starring Nicholas Cage, during the film I had practically fallen asleep (guess why).
Suddenly I was woken up by the Czech Nicolas Cage saying:
"muž z Kavkazu" (describing a crime scene on the phone)
obviously the English original is "male caucasian" - but the backtranslation from Czech would be "a man from the ... See more My favorite also reveals a kind of professional deformation, as I was definitely not proofreading at that time.
When watching the Czech version of the movie "8mm" starring Nicholas Cage, during the film I had practically fallen asleep (guess why).
Suddenly I was woken up by the Czech Nicolas Cage saying:
"muž z Kavkazu" (describing a crime scene on the phone)
obviously the English original is "male caucasian" - but the backtranslation from Czech would be "a man from the Caucasus"
Another actual proofreading mistake I even stumbled over twice in Czech-German: In a description of a building "požarní hydrant" (a hydrant providing water for fire fighting) was translated as "Feuerwasserhydrant"
However in German "Feuerwasser" is a synonymum for Whisky (mostly used in old Western movies and books). ▲ Collapse
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trent2101
Local time: 18:57
Hollandaca > Çekçe
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| This is exactly why I don´t like dubbing | Apr 18, 2012 |
Daniel Meier wrote:
My favorite also reveals a kind of professional deformation, as I was definitely not proofreading at that time.
When watching the Czech version of the movie "8mm" starring Nicholas Cage, during the film I had practically fallen asleep (guess why).
Suddenly I was woken up by the Czech Nicolas Cage saying:
"muž z Kavkazu" (describing a crime scene on the phone)
obviously the English original is "male caucasian" - but the backtranslation from Czech would be "a man from the Caucasus"
I once heard of Attorney General being translated as " generál Attorney":-)
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Jan Willem van Dormolen (X)
Hollanda
Local time: 18:57
İngilizce > Hollandaca
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| Store casualties in side cupboard | Apr 18, 2012 |
Today, I came across this:
When injured, place victim in side storage.
Translated from the German 'Stabile Seitenlage' (Recovery position), which apparently was misinterpreted as 'Stabile Seitenlagerung'.
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LEXpert
Amerika Birleşik Devletleri
Local time: 11:57
Üye (2008)
Hırvatça > İngilizce
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| And who helps the injured rescuers? | Apr 18, 2012 |
Jan Willem van Dormolen wrote:
Today, I came across this:
When injured, place victim in side storage.
Translated from the German 'Stabile Seitenlage' (Recovery position), which apparently was misinterpreted as 'Stabile Seitenlagerung'.
Not to mention the fact that the odd phrasing is sure to leave some readers wondering how they are supposed to reposition the victim "when [they themselves are] injured". 
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trent2101
Local time: 18:57
Hollandaca > Çekçe
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| A sign in a friend´s house: | Apr 19, 2012 |
Lock the door please.
Always every time.
Yesterday the police arested unknow man in this house.
He behaved unbearably.
We do not want to be theft!
[Upraveno: 2012-04-19 19:37 GMT]
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