Comment Translation 'errors' masking deeper truths? (Score 2) 112
One can't help but wonder if such translation 'errors' don't hide deeper linguistic truths. Here's a couple of examples that ring true to me:
The first was the result of early ('first wave') AI research. Mid 50's or so, right at the height of the Cold War. For some reason, the Feds thought English/Russian translation would be easy as (warm apple) pie. Alas, the phrase:
"The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."
came back from its round trip as:
"The vodka is strong but the meat is rotten."
Pretty good intelligence-gathering, I say.
Better still, some philosopher translated the line from Shakespeare"
"Many a bad wedding has been prevented by a good hanging." [possibly I have mangled this one myself]
into German. Some other philosopher translated it back as,
"It is better to be well hung than ill-tempered."
which is so true, it may be the one thing all slashdotters could actually agree on!
The first was the result of early ('first wave') AI research. Mid 50's or so, right at the height of the Cold War. For some reason, the Feds thought English/Russian translation would be easy as (warm apple) pie. Alas, the phrase:
"The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak."
came back from its round trip as:
"The vodka is strong but the meat is rotten."
Pretty good intelligence-gathering, I say.
Better still, some philosopher translated the line from Shakespeare"
"Many a bad wedding has been prevented by a good hanging." [possibly I have mangled this one myself]
into German. Some other philosopher translated it back as,
"It is better to be well hung than ill-tempered."
which is so true, it may be the one thing all slashdotters could actually agree on!
