MIDDLE OF THE RAINBOW
END OF THE RAINBOW
NEWS FLASH: IT'S BEEN CONFIRMED. THE END OF THE RAINBOW IS IN WAIKIKI...
So every time I think I too much to do and lots of revisioning work I either play computer Mah jong or I get a foreign review that's been well... er... uh...translated?
Here is a portion of the selected review for your reading pleasure:
"Which brings us to the most new book turning right and left gaming, Lottery by Patricia Wood.If you haven’t heard well-nigh this still, you will.And later, suppose that you’re staminate, you’ll exist dragged into perception the movie.
Wood is unfeigned whenever she writes around how she knows: the mentally disabled, sailboats and engaging a state lottery (her engender won one).
She writes likely the beginning contriver (she expressions of gratitude the Maui Writers Retreat) she is well-nigh everything other.
Wood does a good job of giving spoken sound to Perry L.
Crandall, I.Q. of 76."
Okay...Now...
If I'm REALLY lucky I get to work with my foreign translators who ask me what is "hair of the dog that bit you" and "don't get your girdle in a knot." or "education schmeducation."
Hey! I hear you laughing!
I challenge you to translate. It's like a puzzle and totally fun. It can distract me ALL DAY...
and then I go back to playing solitaire...er I go back to editing...
So here's the game.
I'm going to give you phrases that my various translators have asked me about and give you a chance to interpret so the translator can understand... There just MIGHT be a prize involved.
The one who makes coffee shoot out my nose is the winner...
PHRASE #1
"Coffee shoot out my nose..."
Phrase #2
"Don't get your girdle in a knot."
Phrase #3
"From Hell to breakfast."
Phrase #4
"Working under the table."
Okay. Ready. Set. Man your thesaurus.
Go.
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8 comments:
I imagine you can spend all day at this. I would suppose you translate to straight English and they find an equivalent colloquialism in their language?
I'd try my hand at the translations, but I'd be too literal and very unfunny.
As I read I quickly did my version of your phrases & like writtenwyrdd, they're 'literal & unfunny'.
This review is too complicated & I'm thinking there's only a s-lim chance it came from my country. Who would knot themselves up so?
I'm working with my Norwegian translator now and she is really great- I forget how each country has their own sayings and "aphorisms"
and yes Kavita I really struggled understanding what in the world the reviewer was trying to say in between all the words!
I suspect they wrote it in one language and had babelfish translate...
OK, this is a real challenge and I'm not sure I understand entirely if these are th originals or what came back from translators, but, it's just a bit of fun.
PHRASE #1
"Coffee shoot out my nose..."
This has got to be something making you laugh hard and unexpectedly...ow.
Phrase #2
"Don't get your girdle in a knot."
This is a version of the UKs 'don't get your knickers in a twist', or something not worth getting annoyed over...maybe?
Phrase #3
"From Hell to breakfast."
Er, pass. But sounds like a really rough journey - but maybe if there was bacon and waffles at the end of it, it turned out OK?
Phrase #4
"Working under the table."
Oh this sounds like fun. Maybe working out of sight of the tax man may be involved? Or is it the equivalent of "He could drink you under the table" ie: He would do more work than you could in a challenge....
I love the rainbow photos.
Where's the leprechaun and the pot of gold?
Oh, and just what I need, translation games when I Mt. Washmore has already been calling for days.
I must resist the urge to play and stick to my reason for stopping by. I know you from around the blogosphere and thought you would appreciate knowing of "Lottery" sightings. On facebook one of my friends enthusiastically recommended your book to another friend. And just today I saw your book in the "good reads" section of the Spring 2009 Chinaberry catalog (congratulations!).
FYI :o)
Maybe you've got the end of the "regular" rainbow, but I personally saw a "double shot rainbow" over the mountains last week which means we have the one that makes you think you've been drinking!
Translations can be hard, even within the country of origin. At a meeting I once mentioned that there were "more then one way to skin a cat". The lady next to me lit into me tooth and nail, animal crulty etc. Now I grew up hearing that phrase and imagine it would refer to some sort of wild cat. She was off and running and for years she would glare at me when we passed in the hall. After my original reaction of "What!!" I found it very funny, actually hysterical.
Now how about regurgitation of caffine beverage from smelling orifice.
Not getting rigid undergarment into contorted shapes
Traveling from very hot place to morning breaking of fast
Being paid for work done without paying appropriate taxes
Rainbow is wonderful, did you find the pot of gold?
I love that you had to take three pixs to fit the whole rainbow in.
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