Saturday, April 26, 2014



Funny translation mistakes

 

Translation mistakes can be very very funny. Since we are all studying here at the department of translation studies to become professionel translators one far day, we know a lot about the reasons for these mistakes. Many people think that in times of “google translate” and a number of other online translating programs, they are able to translate whole texts with only one simple click. Weird and funny sentences, like the ones on the pictures below, are the results of that. Students of transcultural communication know that this happens because of the fact that these online programs only translate single words. They do not pay attention to cultural differences, register or the different rules of grammar.  And that’s definitely a positive thing, because it makes sure that we all won’t be replaced by computers one day. And even more: we don’t have to miss signs like these ones, enjoy the pictures!!!

 

 






 
 

 
 




  

 







 

 

 


correction: House Swap Letter




Dear Rachel,

Thanks for the email with all the details I need to know about your house. There are just a few more things I need to ask. First of all, you said that your neighbour would hand me out the keys, but since I assume that there are several houses, which one do you mean? The next thing I’m unclear about is your cat. Should I take care of the cat? If so, please give me some information what I should feed it. Everything else is clear to me, so everything should work fine. Now, let me tell you about my apartment and a few important things about Graz.

First, I want to explain to you how to get to the apartment when you arrive at the main station. In front of the station are a number of bus stops. The right bus for you is the one with the number 58 going to “Mariagrün”. Take this bus two stops until you are at Lendplatz. When you got off, you should immediately notice a small Turkish grocery store with the name “Akdac”. On the other side of the street, just opposite this store, is a beige house, my place. Just ring the bell where my name is written. My roommate will be there to welcome you and give you the keys.

In the apartment, you should not have any problems. The electronic devices and all other things are fairly self-explanatory. I just want to mention that the DVD player is not working and the hot water is used up very quickly.

For grocery shopping, you can find quite cheap supermarkets just a few meters from the apartment at Lendplatz, such as Spar and Billa, for example. To get fresh produce, you should definitely visit the Farmer’s market on Lendplatz. If you want to eat out, I can recommend Bierbaron or Posaune near the university. There you can get cheap but gorgeous food.

Last but not least, I would like to give you a few tips on the sights you should see. Since it is not a very big city, there are not many well-known sights to visit. Perhaps you have heard of the Schlossberg, which is well worth a visit. To get up there, I recommend the Schlossbergbahn. You’ll see why. Around the main square there are some very nice old little streets. If the weather is good, it’s definitely nice to go there for a walk and drink a coffee in one of the many cozy coffee places.

I am sure that you want to explore the nightlife of Graz. Kottulinsky, for example, is always crowded and good fun. If you prefer pubs and bars, you will find them close to the main square. A hot tip is also the culture museum, if you are interested in things like that.

 

I think that is everything. If you still have any questions or need anything, please write me.

 

Nina

correction: The most awesome meal ever




The most awesome meal ever

An excellent meal depends not only on the food itself, but also on the external circumstances. The best circumstances under which I ever had a meal, were on a beach in Portugal one sunny day last summer. After wandering around a long time starving, a friend and I luckily found a small pizza place close to the beach. Hungry as we were, we decided to take a pizza and sit down at the sea. The sound of the sea, the sun and our rumbling stomachs, all that made this pizza the most awesome meal I have ever had. Since then I have tried many other pizzas, but none was as good as the one at that beach.