I have a nightmare that keeps getting back to me where I'm standing in front of a big crowed saying: "Hi, My name is Jeff and I've delivered a few bad translations in my life as a professional translator".
And the crowed answers: "We love you, Jeff!" I am sure you have all done mistakes, but it seems that in my occupation a mistake might cost a lot more money and embarrassment than in any other.
But are we translators to blame? After all, I've translated millions of words as a professional translator and might have a few dozen wrong.
Anyway, I've decided to gather a few bad translations done by other translators.
Here is a short list of the ones I believe were the worst in the last decade.
Enjoy: 1.
"Translate Server Error" on a large advertisement in China.
I just love machine translation - never stops surprising me.
2.
The most embarrassing translation failure was the one of US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton handing a gift to the Russian one with the text "Reset Button" in English and Russian.
Problem is that the Russian term meant something else ("Overcharged").
Hey, can you hear me over there in the white house- Professional translation should proofread by another translator...
3.
Ke-kou-ke-la - The Coke company did not check the meaning of their name in Chinese and found out too late that it means "female horse stuffed with wax".
They had to destroy 1000's of signs already printed and find a new name.
4.
T-shirt maker printed shirts for Pope visit.
Instead of "I saw the Pope" (el Papa), shirts read "I saw the potato" (la papa) 5.
A label on a Whiskey bottle says "Johnnie Worker Red Labial" - Now, isn't that professional translation? 6.
Ikea launched a new bed in Europe under the name "Gutvik" which is a town in Sweden but also means "good fuck" in German.
For that I would have to say Localization, Localization, Localization.
7.
"Fabriqué en Dinde" is in fact made in Turkey.
But this time it's the one we eat and not the country.
And the crowed answers: "We love you, Jeff!" I am sure you have all done mistakes, but it seems that in my occupation a mistake might cost a lot more money and embarrassment than in any other.
But are we translators to blame? After all, I've translated millions of words as a professional translator and might have a few dozen wrong.
Anyway, I've decided to gather a few bad translations done by other translators.
Here is a short list of the ones I believe were the worst in the last decade.
Enjoy: 1.
"Translate Server Error" on a large advertisement in China.
I just love machine translation - never stops surprising me.
2.
The most embarrassing translation failure was the one of US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton handing a gift to the Russian one with the text "Reset Button" in English and Russian.
Problem is that the Russian term meant something else ("Overcharged").
Hey, can you hear me over there in the white house- Professional translation should proofread by another translator...
3.
Ke-kou-ke-la - The Coke company did not check the meaning of their name in Chinese and found out too late that it means "female horse stuffed with wax".
They had to destroy 1000's of signs already printed and find a new name.
4.
T-shirt maker printed shirts for Pope visit.
Instead of "I saw the Pope" (el Papa), shirts read "I saw the potato" (la papa) 5.
A label on a Whiskey bottle says "Johnnie Worker Red Labial" - Now, isn't that professional translation? 6.
Ikea launched a new bed in Europe under the name "Gutvik" which is a town in Sweden but also means "good fuck" in German.
For that I would have to say Localization, Localization, Localization.
7.
"Fabriqué en Dinde" is in fact made in Turkey.
But this time it's the one we eat and not the country.