BajaNomad

When translation programs don't quite work...

bajabound2005 - 5-12-2007 at 06:37 PM

Let me preface this with I sort of found this "joke" a bit racist. But read all the way to the end of the post for a good laugh:lol:

"The Evolution of Math in the United States
Last week I purchased a burger and fries at McDonalds for $3.58.

The counter girl took my $4.00 and I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies.

While looking at the screen on her register, I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried.

Why do I tell you this?

Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1960s...

Teaching Math In 1960
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1970
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is 4/5 of the price, or $80. What is his profit?

Teaching Math In 1980
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80. Did he make a profit?

Teaching Math In 1990
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100. His cost of production
is $80 and his profit is $20 Your assignment: Underline the number 20.

Teaching Math In 2000
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and
inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the
preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20. What do you think of this way of making a living? Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers.)

Teaching Math In 2006
Un ranchero vende una carretera de madera para $100. El cuesto de la produccion era $80. Cuantos tortillas se puede comprar?"

So, I send this off to Beachbum1A who promptly copies the Spanish into the Google translator and gets this back:

"A mess orderly sells a wood highway for $100. The hill of production was $80. Whichever tortillas can be bought?"

That had us roaring with laughter so we started copying it into other translators --most of them came up with something very close to that except one which did make the ranchero a rancher but the tortillas turned into omelettes!:lol::lol::lol: This brought tears to our eyes we were laughing so hard. That one was Spanish Spanish.

So how does a ranchero become a mess orderly???

Oso - 5-13-2007 at 10:41 AM

Highway of wood? Plank road, right? Carretera= highway, Carreta= wheelbarrow. Pretty expensive wood. In Spain, a rancheria is a camp or settlement, rancho is mess or communal meal and ranchero is either the camp cook or settlement leader/ owner of the rancheria. In Mexico the terms evolved into today's common usage.

¿Por que es la carreta la invención mas importante en la evolución del hombre?

Porque enseño a los gallegos como andar en dos pies.

CP - 5-13-2007 at 02:05 PM

"tortillas turned into omelettes"
Actually, the word tortilla as we use it came from the Spanish word for an omelette type dish of eggs and potatoes. More info about that on the web I am sure.
Anyways - LOVED the math stuff. Cracked me up. Funny, but scary, too ya know? Not sure where I fall into it...

S*rew the translation:

Dave - 5-13-2007 at 08:56 PM

How much change did you get back?


Carretera= highway, Carreta= wheelbarrow

Makes sense. So why is a hand truck called a "diablito"?

Oso - 5-14-2007 at 07:41 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Dave
So why is a hand truck called a "diablito"?


Porque lleva todo.:lol:

Aida - 9-28-2007 at 07:22 AM

Talking about automatic translators, I want you to try something:

Step 1: Go to http://www.google.com.my/language_tools?hl=en
Step 2: Enter the following line into the translate textbox:

My mom is nice and cool

Step 3: Translate from english to spanish.

Step 4: Copy the translated text, and translate it back from Spanish
to English.

And this is why human translators still get work hehe :)

fdt - 9-28-2007 at 08:22 AM

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

amir - 9-28-2007 at 09:27 AM

I just tried that translation, and Google said that it will not process the translation request because it looks like an automated request from a computer virus or spyware...

I wonder how many people tried your suggestion, Aida, and now I am also really wondering how that sentence was translated back to English?

By the way, Aida, welcome to this Board!

Iflyfish - 9-28-2007 at 09:37 AM

Good one Aida,

Nice thing to say about ones mother

Iflyfish

amir - 9-28-2007 at 10:59 AM

Took me two times, but it was good. Thanks! :lol:

Aida - 9-29-2007 at 01:59 AM

Thanks for the welcome amir, glad you didn't give up on the first try.

Hi Iflyfish, actually, they changed it, because I dont get the same result as I did before, now its "nicer" because now they do place the accent on the last a on mamá. It was quite funny before when they didn't.

By the way, Im a translator. If you have any questions or doubts, you can ask, just keep it short or I'll charge you LOL:spingrin: