Topic: Spanish websites which have been translated into English.

Really. Bless their hearts. REALLY! If only hostel owners, those EXTREMELY hard-working families which "put us up" for very little money in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, Granada, Santiago, and the little villages across Spain as well.

If any hostel owners are reading this now (aside from Antonio) and I seriously doubt you are, I VOLUNTEER to proofread your English-translated websites to make them more... ummm.. "easily read" by the English-reading-mind.

I know. I know. I really shouldn't do this but just can't help myself. First allow me to apologize to Antonio since he is our only hostel own here (of Hostal Chelo ) but it has nothing to do with his fine establishment.

I'm looking over hostel websites in Spanish all the time. MOST are not translated into English but many of those in the big cities are. Some MAKE ME LAUGH!!

HERE'S A FUNNY ONE. I won't tell you where I found it or even in what city, but here's their English translation:

I literally broke out laughing when I read this. It's a respectible establishment too. I apologize. REALLY! I'm sorry. I don't fault them that English is not their 1st language. I just wish they could find someone, a native speaker, to proofread these important websites before they go "live" on the internet.

Well again, bless their hearts. The English is definitely readable, understandable, but a little funny too. Sorry, Spanish-speakers. I REALLY REALLY REALLY REALLY mean no offense.

Saludos, MadridMan

So what?! It is funny indeed! :p You don't have to apologize for it.

If you want to have a good good laugh you should listen my father while he speaks in english like an american indian

Fernando

I'm with you, MM--I will help translate/proofread too! I think the problem is those Altavista translators...you just never know what you're going to get out of one of those.

FOR EXAMPLE: ¡Estoy con usted, milímetro -- voluntad ayudo a translate/proofread también! Pienso el problema soy esos traductores de Altavista... que usted apenas nunca sabe de lo que usted va a salir de uno de ésos.

See what I mean? Just try adding a bit of advertising language to that and you've got a recipe for disaster!

(Love the translation of MM as "milímetro"!!!)

A follow-up...so if you charged, say, a reasonable fee for proofing hostel sites, MM, could you fund a trip to Spain (or could this be a real job IN Spain)? Maybe you shouldn't be so quick to volunteer your professional services!!

And another copy writer volunteer ....

Ditto!

Maybe we could put together our own business then we can ALL go to Spain!!

Sign me up too!
I appreciate spanish speakers trying to translate into other languages.. but it bugs me when some of these peopl sell their services to a hostal or restaurant and don't know what they're doing!
I've read some very interesting menus in english too! (and I have no problem reading spanish, I look at the english menu out of curiosity).
Just goes to show though, you native or not, a quality translation is just what it is, there are no imitations!
I like the business idea...and considering its not stuff that has to be done for anything official... that's an in! jejej!

This brings back memories of poor translations:

My favorite was this sign in a room in Portugal: "On the day of your depart, you must to leave until 12"

And then, when watching ABC News on Canal + in Spain with Spanish subtitles, there was a story about a cabinet member with heart trouble and they said "He's worn a pacemaker since 1990". The subtitle read "Ha ganado un premio por la paz en 1990"

Wish I could find the actual photo/email to share but this is an all-time classic:

Seen at the entrance to the underground car park along the Estepona seafront:

I was once intrigued, indeed mildly titillated by a menu in Sevilla which promised Rape a La Marinera, translated as Rape Sailor Style....

OH - MY - GOD!!!

Okay.. here's another one I just found: