Tammy
Signage translation
This in the Tapei Times today (8/2): DPP councilor slams Taipei bus signs
Apparently the trouble started when somebody noticed strange English translations on signs for a local bus line. When the company who made the signs learned of the problem, they said they were going to fix it right away, but how would they even know [...]
Effectiveness of evaluating translation quality through trial translations
Generally speaking, here at Pristine Communications we find that “trial translations” are not necessarily an effective means of evaluating the quality of a translation agency’s work. Much of our work is online, and a better example of the breadth and depth of our capabilities. For individual translators with a limited portfolio of work, however, trial [...]
Sexist nature of the Chinese language?
It’s not surprising to me that the Chinese language exhibits sexist attitudes towards women, given the historically dominant patriarchal family structure in China.
http://www.chinasmack.com/stories/sexist-chinese-characters-discriminate-against-women/
User-generated translations making world’s news available in Chinese
This interview at Danwei with Jiamin, the founder of Yeeyan, on his work with The Guardian, publishing books and the facts of translation provides some insight into how Chinese readers learn of world news and events.
Doing our best to choose articles and reports based on facts: Yeeyan and translation
Translation Hall of Shame: Prohibited items according to customs bureau (thanks Doug Weinstein)
“In addition to items prohibited by Dangerous and Prohibited Goods & Packaging Post Guide and ECI International Courier Regulations, Taiwan prohibits: Antiques Asparagus Beverages, non-alcoholic Camphor Coin collectors items Firearms Gambling items Jewellery Lottery tickets and advertising Molasses Ornamentals, made of glass or mother-of-pearl Saccharine and similar substances Sugar”
On the merits/issues of simplified and traditional Chinese characters
The New York Times took on this often heated topic for debate recently. The experts comments provide the initial fodder, but it is the hundreds of comments that prove the most interesting and enlightening. And though complete conversion to a romanized based language is bravely (ignorantly?) proposed by a few, many posters note that reading [...]
The Linguists
Finally a film that gives linguists their due:
“Like modern-day explorers, the two academics featured in The Linguists travel to forgotten places around the globe to unearth rare treasures—in this case, endangered languages. On a shoestring budget, professors David Harrison and Gregory Anderson navigate difficult terrain, searching for speakers of these forgotten and mostly hidden languages. [...]
Decisions
Localizing visual media presents interesting challenges.
Decisions from 中翊 ED on Vimeo.
Translation and the damage done
An article appeared today in the Liberty Times:
成年（adulthood）變通姦（adultery） 英譯太離譜
民進黨立委陳瑩昨日指出，由台灣史前文化博物館所出版的「跨越與連結－臺灣與南島文化」一書中部分英文翻譯嚴重錯誤，有侮辱原住民之嫌。（記者王敏為攝）〔記者林曉雲、黃明堂、趙靜瑜／綜合報導〕原住民的紋面是成年的標誌，有肯定、尊敬的正面意義，但由國立台灣史前文化博物館出版的「跨越與連結｜台灣與南島文化」一書，英文說明卻把成年（adulthood）錯譯成adultery（通姦），導致外國人誤認紋面是通姦的標誌；立委陳瑩、卑南族長老陳冠年及英文教授張武昌直批「太離譜」！
It is the often-told story of a translation gone bad — a poorly executed Chinese-to-English translation at that. In this case, Taiwan’s indigenous peoples are claiming damage to their cultural dignity and demanding that the offending translated book be recalled immediately.
After a bit of sleuthing (seems that [...]
The Back Dorm Boys and The Song of the Alpaca Sheep
So, what does this have to do with anything, you might rightly ask?
Both are popular YouTube videos, which have had an impact beyond “cyberspace”.
YouTube and similar social Internet tools have opened up a rich world of new modes of expression in China. While the first video has landed a group of young men a recording [...]
