Atlas Newsletter – September 2007
‘Chinglish’ translations prove hard to swallow
Chinese authorities have recently undertaken a major project to overhaul hundreds of inaccurate translations in preparation for the massive influx of tourists expected for the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. The Beijing Tourist Bureau has compiled a list of almost 3000 proposed translations for typical Chinese dishes, as part of a bid to eliminate what has been dubbed ‘Chinglish’ - unintelligible English, which is frequently used in menus and on signs in China’s popular tourist destinations.
“Burnt Lions Head” (Chinese-style pork meatballs), “Steamed Crap” (Steamed Carp) and “The temple explodes the chicken cube” (Kung Pao Chicken) are but a few examples of the type of translations that Olympic organisers are keen to eradicate, for fear of scaring visitors off the local cuisine. Authorities plan to publish a list of official, accurate translations for each dish, based on categories including cooking method, ingredients and taste, to be introduced in restaurants nationwide in time for the Games.
Lost in Translation
The German ambassador to Dublin, Christian Pauls, recently caused a diplomatic spat, when he made what were later deemed to be “inappropriate” comments on Ireland in a speech he delivered to a group of German industrialists.
In the speech, which was made in German and translated into English, at an event hosted for the German Federation of Buying and Marketing Groups, Pauls described the countries Health Service as “chaotic” and mocked the Irish Government, claiming that 20% of the population are civil servants and that junior ministers receive higher salaries than the German Chancellor. He also touched on the history of Ireland, saying that it was “even sadder than [that of] Poland” and on the theme of traffic congestion, explaining that tourists from the US have stopped visiting Dublin because they are fed up with the roads being permanently gridlocked.
Ireland’s Foreign Ministry, issued a formal protest against Pauls’ comments stating they were “inaccurate, misinformed and inappropriate at a public forum”. However the German Embassy claimed that it was nothing more than a cultural misunderstanding. According to the Embassy spokesman, Pauls was not intending to insult the Irish but in fact attempting to be humourous:
“My Ambassador is a humorous man and maybe that humour was misunderstood.”
Employers lacking when it comes to languages
British employers have been blamed for the continuing fall in students opting to study a foreign language at GCSE level. Recent GCSE results showed that the number of students taking German had fallen by 10% since last year; there was also a marked decrease in numbers of those taking French.
According to the general secretary of the Association of Schools and Colleges, Dr John Dunford, this trend, which stems from the government’s decision in 2004 to make languages non-compulsory at GCSE level, has been reinforced by employers failing to promote the importance of language skills for the British economy:
“Until [employers] send out a much stronger message to young people that languages are important in the job market, GCSE numbers will continue to be low.
Though businesses have long recognised and valued the importance of language skills as a marketable job skill, their failure to actively encourage students to take them up could have serious implications for the economy. British companies could soon be struggling to compete with foreign rivals in a global market if its workforce fails to adopt these essential skills.
Wanna Bet they’ll understand?
An interpreter was recently called on to the set of Ant and Dec’s new game show Wanna Bet, by producers who were concerned that the American audience would not understand their accents. The language specialist was present throughout the show, which will soon be airing in the US, listening on headphones and alerting producers when he came across words that US viewers may not understand.
According to Dec, one half of the famous duo, both originally from Newcastle, their pronunciation of the word “our” proved trickiest for the Americans.
- News August 2007
- News July 2007
- News June 2007
- News May 2007
- News April 2007
- News March 2007
- News February 2007
- News January 2007
- News December 2006
Press/Public Relations
Press Office
Atlas Translations Ltd
Clare Suttie
Director
Phone: +44 (0)20 7240 6666
Contact Press Office
Site: www.atlas-translations.co.uk
If you would like to automatically receive the latest releases from our company, please contact: Clare Suttie
Thank you!
