Category:

This translator should be busted by Indiana State Police

4/17/2013

This one is for the books. You're not dreaming ... this is REAL! This translator seems to be making up his/her own language altogether. When the translation is way below industry standards, the image of the hiring Entity diminishes and the message gets "lost in translation" LITERALLY! Feel free to leave your suggestions.

Our Translation
¡No eche gasolina y huya!

Váyase sin pagar y su licencia de conducir puede ser suspendida.

De acuerdo a la ley de Indiana si usted echa gasolina y no paga, puede perder su licencia. El Acta 1066 del Estado de Indiana fue aprobada por medio de ley en el 2001.

Este mensaje de prevención contra el crimen es proporcionado por los vendedores de gasolina de Indiana y la Asociación de Tiendas de Abarrotes.

The Translation Police: English/Spanish Division

4/10/2013

As seen on a Public Transportation Bus in South Florida

Spanish is the second language in the United States and ranking 2nd in the world spoken by 329 million (Chinese 1.21 Billion, English 328 million). Therefore, it should be translated properly and not butchered by “professional translation companies” and independent translators/interpreters charging all kinds of money for a below mediocre translation, which tragically happens on a daily basis in a variety of industries around the world and in this great country of ours affecting the professional image of many corporations and even government agencies and entities. If you are a native speaker and read a label on a product or in the contents of a webpage written in what I call “Tarzan English” (me Tarzan you Jane), you would not think so highly about or even trust the source of the product in question.

We will post such mistranslations on a weekly basis. We welcome your comments and are open to different suggestions of what you think would be the proper and most accurate way of translating the phrase in question.

This is not about proving somebody wrong, but rather making sure that at least a minimal standard of professionalism is kept in this so crucial and important Industry of ours.

MISTRANSLATION OF THE WEEK
Only in Ameri-Qua!

By the way, ‘TOQUAR’ doesn’t even exist in the Spanish language.

SUGGESTED TRANSLATION BY THE PROFESSIONAL TRANSLATION GROUP:
Por favor espere a que se encienda la luz verde. Luego toque la cinta amarilla para abrir.

some news & thoughts

This translator should be busted by Indiana State Police

The Translation Police: English/Spanish Division

Author

Archives

Categories