There is no end to the written translation mistakes that people encounter every day in their native language. And sometimes it is not just the non-native speakers that make them. Although for the most part one can decipher the intended meaning, linguists and native speakers often find humor in the mistakes. Here are some for your enjoyment, including mis-translations and other errors.
ESL Translation Mistakes
English language students often make mistakes in their email correspondence. Below are some examples of messages which resulted in humorous exchanges despite the seriousness of the subject matter:
“Last night, when I ate dinner, I started joking. My friend hit my back very hard until I stopped. I was so lucky he was there!” (From a student’s message)
“My classmates studied hole together in one room.” (From a student’s correspondence)
“You can’t sleep with me because it is too crowded. But you can probably sleep with my sister. That’s what most of my friends do when they visit.” (From a student’s email)
“The department secretary, Ann Goldstein, is a kind and gentile person.” (From a student’s email)
Translation Mistakes in A Recipe:
- First, heat up your pants really hot, then add oil.
- Put the cabbages in salt water. Then sit in the sink until the morning.
- Next, chop all the vegetarians into little pieces.
- Next, add a little Buddha and mix it all up.
- When you are finished cooking, find a suitable bowel and eat it with chopsticks.
“My bed has three blankets and a large guilt my parents gave me.”
“How many people live in your apartment building? I don’t know for sure, but I have wild gas.”
“I have great news! My girlfriend and I got enraged last night!”
“May You Be Full of it this Peaceful Holiday Season!” (From a Student’s Christmas Card)
From an Essay:
“It is dangerous to smoke while you are becoming pregnant.“
“The groom was wearing a very nice croissant.”
“It was so exciting to watch! The cheerleaders threw up high into the air.“
While these errors are comical when they appear in this context, there is nothing funny about mis-communicating critical information, especially when one is conducting business. Our team of expert linguists take careful measures to ensure that our translations are accurate. Our methods ensure that the translations we provide are both linguistically adapted, and that they are carefully reviewed by a separate team of linguists to avoid any embarrassing mistakes.
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