On simplicity

I was translating a pedagogical evaluation report and decided to research the term "niepełnosprawność intelektualna w stopniu znacznym" - perhaps there was an English equivalent, so I thought I may as well look for it. In English it could be translated as "severe intellectual disability". I found the Polish term on one of the websites/portals. But I highly doubt that the client would be pleased with this translation :)

PL: "niepełnosprawność intelektualna w stopniu znacznym"  / "severe intelectual disability"
EN: "idiot"

:)

Once per month is not very impressive, but hey, I INTEND to post more often ;) - commas part 2.

I am collecting bits and pieces about the silly stuff that happens to me in my everyday work, but somehow I always run out of time to post it. 

One can always hope to be able to post more often...:)

So, a language trivia for today - why commas are sooo important. 

A friend of mine - Polish philology graduate - shared this with me recently:

PL: "powiesić nie można uwolnić"
EN (literal): "hang no can release"

Depending where you put the comma, the sentence completely changes its meaning. 

Version 1

PL: "powiesić, nie można uwolnić"
EN: "hang, (he/she/it) cannot be released"

Version 2

PL: "powiesić nie, można uwolnić"
EN: "don't hang, (he/she/it) can be released"

Version 3

PL: "powiesić nie można, uwolnić"
EN: "(he/she/it) cannot be hanged, release (him/her/it)"

In Polish this sentence contains an implied subject (he/she/it). Without this addition, it would not make much sense in English. 

One of the best English equivalents of the same situation is as follows:

Version 1

EN: Woman, without her, man is nothing.
PL: Kobieta bez swojego mężczyzny jest niczym.

Version 2

EN: Woman: without her, man is nothing.
PL: Kobieta, bez niej mężczyzna jest niczym.

Who would have thought, such a tiny thing like a comma, so very important...:)

The importance of commas

Every single translator should be very aware of the importance of commas. Sounds obvious, but is it really? I have had several projects, which looked as if a chain of constant, endless thoughts without a single comma, hardly any full stop and very few capital letters. It was extremely tiring and exhausting, even though the topic itself was really simple. So, what is it about with those commas? :)

Here are some of my favourite "missing-in-action" commas (or rather, lack of them):

Source: reddit.com

Umm...well. I hope this is not a new medical standard?

Source: reddit.com

Those children are extremely experienced...

Source: reddit.com

Is that a competition?

Source: reddit.com

If you wash them...and THEN sew...then perhaps...

So...

Source: f/grammarly

Without a doubt! :)

Old authentic scene - English high school

I used to work as a TA (teaching assistant) in an English high school. 
It was Thursday, lesson 1, Science in Year 10 (14-15 years old boys and girls). A class of 'mixed abilities': 15 girls and 3 boys. 

Three of the girls begin talking at once, asking several questions for the teacher. He is very popular and passionate about his subject but clearly struggles with discipline. At one point he can't stand it and loses (or not?) it:

"Girls, enough. STOP THAT VERBAL DIARRHOEA!'

Silence. They got it. 

Braces

My son is a child actor and takes part in various plays, mostly in his drama group. He was recently preparing to a play with action in the 1920s. Few weeks before the dress rehearsals he comes back quite upset.

[Me]: What’s wrong? Anything happened?

[Son]: Noooothing…They told us that we would have to wear braces. I’m not too keen on them.

[Me-clearly confused]: Why? What’s wrong with braces?

[Son]: I don’t know, I don’t think I would enjoy it…

I collected him after first dress rehearsal. He comes out laughing to tears.

[Me]: Tell me what’s so funny.

[Son]: Braces! You know, I told you that we would have to have braces in this play.

[Me]: Yes…and what about them? What’s so funny about braces?

[Son]: I was sure they would make us wear teeth braces! Not the piece of old fashioned clothing! I made the teachers laugh to tears!

Well, I still don’t know how he thought people wore teeth braces in the 1920’s. I am sure if there were any, they were quite gruesome and not widely available. And how on Earth the staff would force kids to make a performance in them? :)

Swollen gums

I spent the last week on short holidays in Poland. It was unbelievably hot and dry. This clearly impacted my ability to use English properly. 

I was waiting with our son in the car for my partner to pay for the petrol. 

Here is the conversation that took place between us in English:

[Son]: Muuuum, when we were on the plane my gum was swollen…

[Me]: Oh dear, it can happen, you should be more careful. [I could swear he meant “I swallowed a chewing gum on the plane”]

[Son]: Well, it sort of came back later…

[Me – clearly shocked – did he mean “I swallowed the chewing gum and then vomited it”]: What? What do you mean it came back?

[Son, as if nothing happened]: It came back to normal later…

[Me]: You swallowed a chewing gum, vomited it and continued chewing?

[Son laughing]: What are you talking about? My gums in my mouth – you know, the ones with teeth – got swollen, hurt but later it was fine…

Verbs: Swell – swelled – swollen

            Swallow – swallowed – swallowed

Tiredness + poor grammar = linguistic confusion… :)

My very own near-miss

This is why translators should NOT reply to offers when they are tired. Very tired in particular.

Some years ago I was asked to submit an offer for an interesting project for popular bookmakers. The rate was promising, option to begin longer cooperation, deadline reasonable. 

Unfortunately, I started replying to this offer very late at night. I was extremely tired and could not be bothered to focus. I prepared a lovely, straight-to-the-point cover letter with relevant experience and approximate word count. 

I was very pleased with myself, with...my love of books, reading and basically anything to do with published word. Yes. I read the offer as "book maker" - without the space and around 1:00 am I was 100% convinced it is a different name of a publishing house. 

Basically, I wanted to reply to an offer of a bookmaker's company with my passion for books and reading. I was saved by frozen computer and after restart I did not bother with one more email. 

The next day I walked past bookmaker's office in my town. Oh...Suddenly I felt very hot and so immensely grateful I did not send that email with my offer. :)

Seriously, do not do that. Don't reply to offers late at night. Even if you are night owls.