Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2015 17:33:29 -0800
Reply-To: Jeff Schwaia <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Jeff Schwaia <vw.doka@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Friday LVC Language observation
In-Reply-To: <CAFnDXk2W+HgL4gELwVc+j8dhhZeaKjqmqi2Bz=G18NiHR=KDvw@mail.gmail.com>
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I like some of the instructions in repair manuals.
For instance... the first instruction when replacing spark plugs: "turn off engine."
I think that takes all the fun out of it!
Cheers,
Jeff
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Jim Felder
Sent: Friday, January 09, 2015 4:55 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Friday LVC Language observation
Once I bought some gadget at the hardware store and when I got it home, I read that it was "fabriqe au dinde" (made in Turkey) meaning in French the turkey bird not the Turkey country (Turkei).
I read once the possibly apocryphal story that when Coca Cola first tried to introduce their drink into China, it was back in the 1980s when coke was using the "Coke Adds Life" slogan. They were surprised when sales boomed from day one, then discovered that the translation was interpreted as meaning "Coke brings your ancestors back to life." The corrected the translation to find that their new translation was interpreted as "bite the wax tadpole."
Sales of Chevrolet's Camaro didn't fare so well in Spanish-speaking countries where it was interpreted to mean "shrimp" and I am sure that everyone recalls hearing about their Nova car as being interpreted as "No go."
Jim
On Fri, Jan 9, 2015 at 6:40 PM, Eric Caron <ecaron1@comcast.net> wrote:
> Hi folks,
>
> One of my Christmas presents this year was a battery booster found
> from a link provided on this list. I love languages and am currently
> doing a poor job learning French so please don t take the following
> comments in any way but respectful.
>
> My product was made in China. I asked my girlfriend to read the
> instructions so i could record them for future reference. this turned out
> to be impossible because my girlfriend could not stop laughing at the
> unusual language created through translation.
>
> My favorite line was about what to do after connecting the battery
> booster. It said something like tighten Key and launch vehicle.
> Launching a vanagon is truly something I would like to see!
>
> I create my own amusing language with dictation on my computer and
> unfortunate spell checker choices. some of which are probably in this
> message!
>
> Does anyone have any translation quotes they would like to share?
> Once my vanagon touches down I ll loosen the key and come in to check
> them out.
>
> Eric Caron
> 85 GL Auto Westfalia
> Currently circling the planet 2 miles up
>
