This forum is getting more boring lately, it's hard to find good threads, but instead of complaining too much about it: Let's play a game!
I thought about resurrecting the old Lost in Translation and see if we can do better this time. The old one had the problem that we jumped too much around in similar languages - I couldn't find the thread, maybe it was not archived.
This time if possible I will try to make more radical jumps between germanic, latin, slavic, chinese, japanese and whatever language we can get.
About the game:
I will make a graph of all participants that is the path for a text issued by me. The first one will get the text, translate it into the language specified and send it to the second... until I receive the final text again. Both the original and the last version will then be posted and we'll see what has been lost in translation!
The timeline is as follows:
1. We'll be searching for participants from now until Sunday or Monday (because I'll be on a festival from Thursday to Sunday, I cannot post inbetween). Everyone please post what languages you can translate FROM and what languages you can translate TO. Also state if it's your native tongue and if you speak it fluently or not. Don't worry about not being able to speak a language very well. I will try to find or create a text that does not use complicated words. If you think you can translate from a language that you don't speak but by using similarities with other languages that you do speak post it under "for fun". I will try to make the text cross some of these to increase the chance for it being fubared.
2. I will then compile a graph and post who has to translate what language into which and send to whom. Probably mid next week.
3. The text will be issued. Mid to end of next week.
The rules:
You must not use the help of the computer for translating (no internet, no babelfish, no offline dictionaries, no word thesaurus). Allowed is only a "physical" dictionary book for looking up single words.
When you pass the text on to the next, you must also send a copy to me (use private message).
When you receive the text you should aim to translate and pass it on within the next 24 hours.
An example layout of what participants should post (that would make my life easier):
My french has really gotten a big blow lately.Code:Atahualpa Translate FROM: native: german fluently: english, spanish non-fluently: french for fun: italian (by deducing mainly from spanish and french) Translate TO: native: german fluently: english, spanish
Ofc, I don't participate, so it's up to you now!
UPDATE:
Final list:
Moved here
THE GAME IS OVER!!
Go here for the results
Last edited by Atahualpa; September 2, 2005 at 13:02.
Summary?
No, all right..
Code:Winston Translate FROM: Native: Danish Fluently: English, German, Swedish, Norwegian Non-fluently: *none* For fun: French, Italian, Spanish, Icelandic Translate TO: Native: Danish Fluently: English, German Non-fluently: Swedish For fun: *none*
Code:Az Translate FROM: Native: Hebrew, Russian Fluently: English Non-fluently: French For fun: Spanish, Arabic Translate TO: Native: Hebrew, Russian Fluently: English Non-fluently: *none* For fun: *none*
I thought this was to be about a sequel to the movie ...
Why can't you be a non-conformist just like everybody else?
It's no good (from an evolutionary point of view) to have the physique of Tarzan if you have the sex drive of a philosopher. -- Michael Ruse
The Nedaverse I can accept, but not the Berzaverse. There can only be so many alternate realities. -- Elok
Who would want to see a sequel to that godawful movie?
Code:Adagio Translate FROM: Native: Danish Fluently: English Non-fluently: german For fun: *none* Translate TO: Native: Danish Fluently: English Non-fluently: *none* For fun: *none*
Last edited by Adagio; August 16, 2005 at 08:49.
This space is empty... or is it?
Code:Spiffor Translate FROM: native: French fluently: english, German for fun: Spanish (by deducing from French) Translate TO: native: French fluently: english, German
"I have been reading up on the universe and have come to the conclusion that the universe is a good thing." -- Dissident
"I never had the need to have a boner." -- Dissident
"I have never cut off my penis when I was upset over a girl." -- Dis
Keep 'em coming!
Code:Aivo˝so Translate FROM: Native: Finnish Fluently: Swedish, English Non-fluently: Norwegian, Danish, German For fun: French, Italian Translate TO: Native: Finnish Fluently: Swedish, English Non-fluently: German For fun: Norwegian, Danish
Ah, why not.
Code:Pave Translate FROM: native: finnish fluently: english non-fluently: german, swedish for fun: russian Translate TO: native: finnish fluently: english non-fluently: german, swedish for fun: *none*
The Chuck Norris military unit was not used in the game Civilization 4, because a single Chuck Norris could defeat the entire combined nations of the world in one turn.
- Chuck Norris Facts
code:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Lord of the Mark
Translate FROM:
native: English
fluently: none (sadly, i must be realistic)
non-fluent:French (Well not too bad, but still nonfluent), Hebrew (VERY nonfluent - maybe should be "for fun")
for fun: Spanish (VERY fun)
Translate TO:
native: English
fluently: none (ditto above)
non-fluent: French (again, not bad, but not quite fluent) Hebrew (again, very non-fluent)
for fun: Yiddish
Dont have me translate between French and Hebrew, and expect anything halfway intelligble to come out(unless Im VERY lucky in choice of topics). We tried that already.
"A person cannot approach the divine by reaching beyond the human. To become human, is what this individual person, has been created for.” Martin Buber
If you won a strange languaje, I know one of the most ancient languajes in Europe... but I think I'm the only one in Poly.
Translate FROM:
native: spanish
fluently: basque
non-fluently: english
for fun:
Translate TO:
native: spanish
fluently: basque
non-fluently: english
for VERY fun: french (by deducing from spanish)
Perhaps the 24h. limit to pass the message is too short for me, specially if it is week end. If I can't take part for this, no problem.
Cuando la gente tiene lo suficiente para vivir,
se advierte que no sabe para qué habría de vivir.
Viktor Frankl
Actually the main problem was exactly what LOTM said.
95% of the distortion happened in one translation, because he didn't know Hebrew that well, so all the other people's effort were wasted in a sense.
I think this activity is more fun if each translation is very accurate. The fun is seeing how many very accurate translation can still fail miserably given much time, not in seeing how one translation can totally **** it up.
I would participate, but I will be away in Japan for a few weeks.
Kassiopeia
Translate FROM:
native: Finnish
fluently: English
non-fluently: French, Swedish
for fun:
Translate TO:
native: Finnish
fluently: English
non-fluently:
for fun:
Cake and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of the test. Thank you for helping us help you help us all!
er, AND because the topic was some fairly abstruse philosophical rumblings from Nietsche. I mean when i suggested i could trasnlate from Hebrew, I assumed something more, shall we say, conversational. Thus Cheesy Hobbits.Originally posted by Lul Thyme
Actually the main problem was exactly what LOTM said.
95% of the distortion happened in one translation, because he didn't know Hebrew that well,
"A person cannot approach the divine by reaching beyond the human. To become human, is what this individual person, has been created for.” Martin Buber
I agree, the text was way over the top. We should try something a bit more down to earth this time, like a news article.
Cake and grief counseling will be available at the conclusion of the test. Thank you for helping us help you help us all!
I thought it was hilarious.
"Pour cause de coupure budgetaire, la lumiere au bout du tunnel sera dorenavant eteinte"
Due to budget cuts, the light at the end of the tunnel will be extended to a navy of small fishing boats.
"A person cannot approach the divine by reaching beyond the human. To become human, is what this individual person, has been created for.” Martin Buber
Why the hell not. I like this gameBut I think it will be hard to avoid running into the same "problems" as last time, ie we'll probably get many easy translations + a few very hard ones...
----------------------------------------------
Translate FROM:
native: norwegian
fluently: english, german, danish, swedish
non-fluently: czech, dutch
for fun: latin, any latin language i guess
Translate TO:
native: norwegian
fluently: english
non-fluently: german, danish, swedish
-----------------------------------------------
CSPA
A news article could be an idea. Although I think it's logically too consistent and too straightforward. I don't like to give too much details about it now as that will already introduce some bias.Originally posted by Kassiopeia
I agree, the text was way over the top. We should try something a bit more down to earth this time, like a news article.
Translate FROM:
Native: English
Fluently: Spanish
Non-fluently: Korean
For fun: French, Levantine Colloquial Arabic
Translate TO:
Native: English
Fluently: Spanish
Non-fluently: Korean
For fun: *none*
Stop Quoting Ben
I really think a tough text with a lots of translations is the way to go.
If ppl can understand the global idea of the text, it makes translation easier.
Optimally you want the translations to be perfect word for word, but meaningless from a global point of view.
You need a hard text for that.
I agree with this. I also think it should be no longer than 100-150 words or thereabouts. This has to be fun, not like a major homework assignment.Originally posted by Lul Thyme
Optimally you want the translations to be perfect word for word, but meaningless from a global point of view.
And preferably not too many obscure words/phrases specific to some technical or academic field that only a few people command.
Translate FROM:
Native: Dutch
Fluently: English, German, Flemmish
Non-fluently: French
For fun: Lotusscript, Javascript, Java, QBasic
Translate TO:
Native: Dutch
Fluently: English, German, Flemmish
Non-fluently: French
For fun: Lotusscript, Javascript, Java, QBasic
Formerly known as "CyberShy"
Carpe Diem tamen Memento Mori
And preferably not too many obscure words/phrases specific to some technical or academic field that only a few people command
Yes, because then someone might accidently mistranslate a couple of words, leading to a chain of wrong translations. And that wouldn't be funny at all, would it?
As always, you're wrong.
What do you think about using a poem?
Sounds like a good idea, as long as it's relatively contemporary (not much earlier than the 20th century).
Actually, using a poem is a great idea!
Originally posted by lord of the mark
"Pour cause de coupure budgetaire, la lumiere au bout du tunnel sera dorenavant eteinte"
Due to budget cuts, the light at the end of the tunnel will be extended to a navy of small fishing boats.
"I have been reading up on the universe and have come to the conclusion that the universe is a good thing." -- Dissident
"I never had the need to have a boner." -- Dissident
"I have never cut off my penis when I was upset over a girl." -- Dis
No matter what, we have got to have LOTM on this game.
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