For those who don't think English is my first language

[AngryHobbit]

it's the rhyme, Alligator....See you later
You'll know after a while, Crocodile....

 

[AngryHobbit]

Is that a no?

 

[granfire]

 

[JR 137]

Also, can somebody explain to me, what is so amazing about "bee's knees"? Why is it, when something good, it's considered "bee's knees"? Don't get me wrong - I like bees. I have nothing against bees. But why are their knees considered so fabulous. I can see how a pair of attractive human knees can be awesome - especially in fishnet hose (and yes, I said "human" and not "female" because I don't want to leave out Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, and John Leguizamo in To Wong Fu, thanks for everything, Julie Newmar!) But bee's knees? Do bees wear fishnet hose? Do they even have knees?

Bee’s knees, cat’s pajamas, cat’s meow, etc. Never understood why any of those are good.

Dog’s bollocks? No idea why the dog’s bollocks are great, but bollocks are bad. Speaking of dog’s bollocks... one of my favorites to read and hear - the mutt’s nuts.

 

[AngryHobbit]

Bee’s knees, cat’s pajamas, cat’s meow, etc. Never understood why any of those are good.

Dog’s bollocks? No idea why the dog’s bollocks are great, but bollocks are bad. Speaking of dog’s bollocks... one of my favorites to read and hear - the mutt’s nuts.

This reminds me... in a fairly old Russian translation of Arthur Hailey's Strong Medicine some unfortunate translator interpreted "a**hole" as "donkey's belly button". Don't ask... I don't know what he was thinking.

 

[AngryHobbit]

Bee’s knees, cat’s pajamas, cat’s meow, etc. Never understood why any of those are good.

P.S. Cat's pajamas? If I tried to put pajamas on either of my cats, they would murder me in my sleep.

 

[Xue Sheng]

This reminds me... in a fairly old Russian translation of Arthur Hailey's Strong Medicine some unfortunate translator interpreted "a**hole" as "donkey's belly button". Don't ask... I don't know what he was thinking.

You should have seen some of the translation error in Beijing for the olympics.
Please remove arms on escalator
Broken people bathroom
Go, Olimpic Go, China

 

[granfire]

This reminds me... in a fairly old Russian translation of Arthur Hailey's Strong Medicine some unfortunate translator interpreted "a**hole" as "donkey's belly button". Don't ask... I don't know what he was thinking.

That is hysterical though!
I might have to steal that!

 

[AngryHobbit]

You should have seen some of the translation error in Beijing for the olympics.
Please remove arms on escalator
Broken people bathroom
Go, Olimpic Go, China

Well duh! Where else do you remove arms if not on escalator? And where do you store your broken people? ;-)

 

[AngryHobbit]

That is hysterical though!
I might have to steal that!

It is hysterical, but for me, as a translator who prides herself on the knowledge of idiom in both languages of choice, it's also a bit cringe-worthy.

 

[granfire]

It is hysterical, but for me, as a translator who prides herself on the knowledge of idiom in both languages of choice, it's also a bit cringe-worthy.

well, that, too.
But hilariously funny!
should fit in nicely with using Oedipus as swear...

 

[AngryHobbit]

well, that, too.
But hilariously funny!
should fit in nicely with using Oedipus as swear...

Using Oedipus as swear? Is that a thing? I mean... how many people actually know who Oedipus is? With the decline in education quality these days, wouldn't it be totally lost on like 70% of the population?

 

[granfire]

Using Oedipus as swear? Is that a thing? I mean... how many people actually know who Oedipus is? With the decline in education quality these days, wouldn't it be totally lost on like 70% of the population?

hence the ease of use if I can remember it...

 

[Xue Sheng]

对于那些认为英语是我的第一语言的人来说。你是对的
Duìyú nàxiē rènwéi yīngyǔ shì wǒ de dì yī yǔyán de rén lái shuō. Nǐ shì duì de
(For those who think English is my first language. You're right)

 

[Hyoho]

That actually sounds fascinating. As a translator, I regularly spend time hanging between two languages. So, the idea of creating a conceptual analogy between the study of martial arts and the study of languages sounds really interesting.

Doing translation work I find that some sometimes its best to leave some words it the original language with a short (sometimes long) explanation of the roots of that word. Translating into English, one of the most bastardized languages has draw backs as you can manipulate a word to mean something entirely different. This is why many wordsmiths that have never even practiced an art give us some strange versions and variations.

 

[AngryHobbit]

Doing translation work I find that some sometimes its best to leave some words it the original language with a short (sometimes long) explanation of the roots of that word. Translating into English, one of the most bastardized languages has draw backs as you can manipulate a word to mean something entirely different. This is why many wordsmiths that have never even practiced an art give us some strange versions and variations.

Ugh... I know what you mean. It's a constant debate between providing adequate explanations and distracting the reader with overly long footnotes.

 

[AngryHobbit]

Doing translation work I find that some sometimes its best to leave some words it the original language with a short (sometimes long) explanation of the roots of that word. Translating into English, one of the most bastardized languages has draw backs as you can manipulate a word to mean something entirely different. This is why many wordsmiths that have never even practiced an art give us some strange versions and variations.

Might I ask what type of translation you do? And from which languages?

 

[PhotonGuy]

Problem is....Martial Arts and Math are not languages....although an argument could be made for math

language - the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way

I've heard of some people refer to the martial arts as a language although you're right, if taken by its technical definition martial arts is not a language.