Fagstein » translation http://blog.fagstein.com Can you think of a better name? Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:54:01 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Real sharp translation http://blog.fagstein.com/2010/11/16/number-translation/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2010/11/16/number-translation/#comments Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:19:12 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=9892

Found on a Sharper Image beard trimmer box

Man, francophones get all the breaks.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2010/11/16/number-translation/feed/ 6 I can’t hear! http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/12/16/cbc-translator-blooper/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/12/16/cbc-translator-blooper/#comments Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:01:21 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=7839 Journalists have short tempers when they're under pressure. Fortunately those of us in print don't have microphones capturing our frustrations. We also don't have to worry about not realizing we're live.

Via The Tea Makers.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2009/12/16/cbc-translator-blooper/feed/ 3 Crocs needs copy editors http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/08/26/crocs-errors/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/08/26/crocs-errors/#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:42:52 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/?p=2470 As a copy editor and therefore grammar nut, I'm especially attuned to errors of grammar, spelling and punctuation. But I realize not everyone can be as prefect as me when it comes to proofreadign, so I'm willing to cut them some slack.

Crocs.ca, for example, the website of those awful-looking plastic shoes that everyone seems to love. I can forgive their awkwardly-phrased taglines like "men: that's all you need!" or "lifestyle: every day with style" or "work: even at work!"

I can forgive their aversion to the use of capital letters, their tenuous grasp on the rules of proper hyphenation and their missing commas.

I can forgive small mistakes like neglecting to superscript the "TM" that comes after their trademark.

I might even, on a good day, forgive an accidental misspelling of one's own trademark.

But when your business is creating "comfortable" shoes and you misspell "comfort" multiple times in prominent places right next to the correct spelling, that's just unforgiveable.

I don't know what world these people live in, but translation isn't something companies should hire amateurs to do.

UPDATE: I just checked the website's terms of use, which apparently doesn't allow me to link to it:

you may not create links from other websites to this website, except if expressly permitted by the site owner. (to obtain permission, contact our website administrator at support@crocs.ca.)

Just for kicks, I've gone ahead and asked permission. I'll let you know what their response is. The email was rejected by the server because support@crocs.ca doesn't exist.

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2008/08/26/crocs-errors/feed/ 5 Future Shop needs translators http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/11/16/future-shop-needs-translators/ http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/11/16/future-shop-needs-translators/#comments Fri, 16 Nov 2007 22:53:45 +0000 Fagstein http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/11/16/future-shop-needs-translators/ From Blog Story comes this hilariously awful translation on Future Shop's website:

Obtenir commencé - Future Shop

Yes, folks, they translated "get started" into "obtenir commencé".

UPDATE (Nov. 22): A representative of Future Shop responds below (Comment #5, basically a cut-and-paste of what he sent Pat Lagacé), blaming a U.S.-based subcontractor for the bad translation job. He says the link to this page has been removed (in both languages) and the company has been asked to fix it.

I tried to send a message to the company (iGo Digital out of Indianapolis, IN). But when I filled out their contact form (the only electronic way to reach them), I got this:

Server object error 'ASP 0177 : 800401f3'

Server.CreateObject Failed

/contact.asp, line 15

800401f3

It really inspires confidence.

Blaming subcontractors is becoming a more common tactic for big companies, I notice. It absolves them of responsibility when those subcontractors cut corners. If the error is bad enough, they just cut ties with the company and find a new one.

I don't doubt that an Indiana-based technology company would fail horribly at translating a web page (apparently resorting to some sort of automated translation). But why doesn't Future Shop have proofreaders? Surely someone there must have at least looked at the page in question before it went live?

Related Posts

]]> http://blog.fagstein.com/2007/11/16/future-shop-needs-translators/feed/ 13