It’s out with 2017 and in with 2018 – and if there’s one thing we’d like to firmly leave behind in 2017, it’s bad translations. It may seem ludicrous to all the loyal customers of our language translation services that any reputable business could fail to take the delicate art of translation seriously – but oh yes, it does happen.
There is an upside to awful translations however: integrity and culture’s loss, is humour’s gain – so if we can’t solve every translation mishap in the world, we might as well make ourselves feel better by laughing at them. Knock yourselves out:
When exactly is rent due?
‘Payment of rent must imperatively be December, pay later than Thursday 20th December 2017,’ begins this rather bizarre and misleading translation. In fact, the memo seems to make you more confused about when rent is due than you were before reading it.
I’ll take your word for it…
As you’ll probably know from our previous articles – we are no fans of Google Translate. But if you’re going to use it, you might as well be honest about it. So next time you’re in the area, why don’t you try the ever famous local delicacy ‘I can’t find on Google but it’s delicious?’
Flush twice
‘Please help us save water,’ the notice begins, ‘Press flush button twice.’ We’re not entirely sure where this example comes from, but clearly it’s a spooky and mysterious land where all the natural laws of conservation are subverted.
The ancient profession…
This shop has taken a completely novel approach to recuperating the losses they’ve suffered through theft… We’re not entirely sure this is legal though and two wrongs don’t make a right!
Pizza like you’ve never seen it before
You’ve heard of pizza with pineapple, you’ve heard of chocolate on pizza, but have you heard about this exciting new trend of ‘various and confused’ pizzas? It truly is all the rage these days.
Bath massage thing
The practical, no-nonsense types among you will be delighted to hear that there’s a bath product out there specifically designed for you. This ‘bath massage thing’ quite literally does what it says on the tin – it is a thing that creates a massage-like sensation whilst you’re in the bath. And now you too can step into the new century with this revolutionary new ‘healthcare thing’.
‘We serve vegetarians’
Perhaps the headline of this particular sign would be just about okay if it wasn’t for the accompanying tagline ‘Just let us know how you like them prepared.’ It seems there truly is a delicacy out there for everyone.
Do not enter here
This translation of the English ‘Do not enter here’ is less of a ‘translation fail’ and more of a ‘translation failed to bother’. According to this sign, the helpfully labelled ‘Spanish’ translation of this phrase reads: “Entero somewhere elso.”
As amusing as it to laugh at all the people who get translation wrong each year (and we like to, whenever we get the opportunity), there are of course important ramifications to those businesses who fail to employ the translation services they require.
The last thing you want is for your overseas marketing campaign to end up on our ‘2018 translation fails’ roundup – so why not do the proactive thing this year, and take up our professional language translation services?
