wanderwonder
Really Experienced
- Joined
- Jan 25, 2007
- Posts
- 106
Online translators: Just say no
This happens to be one of my greatest pet peeves. German people speaking in German and then throwing in a phrase like "guten tag." They're speaking German already, it's their native language, so tell us that they said "thank you."
Here's my basic rule: If you don't speak the language, don't use it. Especially if you have to rely on an online translator; those are great for vocabulary, but the cultural context may be completely wrong. For example, I was in a dressing room in France, and tried to tell the next woman in line that I was finished using it. The American English phrase is "I'm done." The direct translation into French is "Je suis fini." When I said this, the woman gave me a funny look, but thanked me and moved into the dressing room. I recounted the incident to my landlady that evening, and she almost fell off her chair, she was laughing so hard. Sure, my grammar and accent were great. However, when the French mean "I'm finished/I'm done," they simply say "Terminé." "Je suis fini," translates as "I'm dead."
I do, however, slip up and use an English word in a French accent if I don't know the proper vocabulary, hoping someone will catch my drift. In a narrative, it might read like this:
The real experience had me trying to buy lemon coffee cake by saying "lemon" with an exagerrated French accent and wondering why the lady behind the counter was so confused. But you get the picture. The foreign word was an accident, one that only registered once I had been corrected. And if I only knew the word in English, I would describe it as best I could in French with a lot of hand motions involved, then the person I was talking to would usually supply the vocabulary.
Non-native speakers also usually use very formal language, the kind one learns in school. Colloquialisms only come extended exposure (and have to be explained first), so a first time visitor to America will probably ask if you please direct him to a very close public telephone, rather than ask if there's a phone nearby.
Also, "How do you say," and "What is the word for," are two of the phrases everyone learns first. I can even say it in Spanish, and I don't speak any more of that particular language than the Taco Bell dog. Have you ever honestly heard anyone ask, "Eh, how you say…"? That's just insulting.
Moral of the story is to write like it's a native language, but go back and read it like it's the first time you've encountered it. If it doesn't make sense to the reader (for the foreign text to be present, that is), nix it. That's my beef.
P.S. For those of you who want to use France French anyway, nobody hip calls anyone "cher" or "chèrie." It's like saying "my darling." They call each other "chou." I can't speak for les quebeçoise or anyone from Louisiana. Or Haiti. Or the DRC. Or Algeria. Etcetera.
This happens to be one of my greatest pet peeves. German people speaking in German and then throwing in a phrase like "guten tag." They're speaking German already, it's their native language, so tell us that they said "thank you."
Here's my basic rule: If you don't speak the language, don't use it. Especially if you have to rely on an online translator; those are great for vocabulary, but the cultural context may be completely wrong. For example, I was in a dressing room in France, and tried to tell the next woman in line that I was finished using it. The American English phrase is "I'm done." The direct translation into French is "Je suis fini." When I said this, the woman gave me a funny look, but thanked me and moved into the dressing room. I recounted the incident to my landlady that evening, and she almost fell off her chair, she was laughing so hard. Sure, my grammar and accent were great. However, when the French mean "I'm finished/I'm done," they simply say "Terminé." "Je suis fini," translates as "I'm dead."
I do, however, slip up and use an English word in a French accent if I don't know the proper vocabulary, hoping someone will catch my drift. In a narrative, it might read like this:
I stepped up to the counter, eyeing the pound cake under the glass. I knew how to say cake, but I wanted to make sure it was lemon pound cake and not something disgusting. What was the word for lemon again? "I would like a piece of the cake. Is that cake—" I couldn't remember the word for lemon, so I opted to use a word I knew "—a citron flavor?"
The saleswoman smiled blankly. "Citron?"
"Yes, yes," I nodded emphatically, "Is it citron cake?"
"I'm sorry?" she asked, a polite smile softening the bewilderment in her tone. The customers in line behind me began to chuckle at the stupid fat American trying buy a piece cake.
I gave up. "What is the flavor of that cake?"
"Ah," she smiled broadly. "It is citrus"
The saleswoman smiled blankly. "Citron?"
"Yes, yes," I nodded emphatically, "Is it citron cake?"
"I'm sorry?" she asked, a polite smile softening the bewilderment in her tone. The customers in line behind me began to chuckle at the stupid fat American trying buy a piece cake.
I gave up. "What is the flavor of that cake?"
"Ah," she smiled broadly. "It is citrus"
The real experience had me trying to buy lemon coffee cake by saying "lemon" with an exagerrated French accent and wondering why the lady behind the counter was so confused. But you get the picture. The foreign word was an accident, one that only registered once I had been corrected. And if I only knew the word in English, I would describe it as best I could in French with a lot of hand motions involved, then the person I was talking to would usually supply the vocabulary.
Non-native speakers also usually use very formal language, the kind one learns in school. Colloquialisms only come extended exposure (and have to be explained first), so a first time visitor to America will probably ask if you please direct him to a very close public telephone, rather than ask if there's a phone nearby.
Also, "How do you say," and "What is the word for," are two of the phrases everyone learns first. I can even say it in Spanish, and I don't speak any more of that particular language than the Taco Bell dog. Have you ever honestly heard anyone ask, "Eh, how you say…"? That's just insulting.
Moral of the story is to write like it's a native language, but go back and read it like it's the first time you've encountered it. If it doesn't make sense to the reader (for the foreign text to be present, that is), nix it. That's my beef.
P.S. For those of you who want to use France French anyway, nobody hip calls anyone "cher" or "chèrie." It's like saying "my darling." They call each other "chou." I can't speak for les quebeçoise or anyone from Louisiana. Or Haiti. Or the DRC. Or Algeria. Etcetera.
