When translation goes wrong — again
The January sales have been on in France, and I can only presume that some of the English slogans on the t-shirts were identified as mistakes, and sent to the sales to be sold on the cheap. Pictured are a …
Tag: translation
Haggling in your second language
I recently came back from a week in Morocco, where I was able to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the cities. French is the second language in Morocco — a country where the locals are comfortable speaking many different …
Does absence make the heart grow fonder of France?
I’m back in St Jean de Sixt now after a month away from France. Visiting Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria and Greece, I planned ahead to fit in as much action and relaxation time as possible. I expected I would look …
Does absence make the heart grow fonder of France? Read more »
Fancy a door pudding?
Flicking through a catalogue the other day, I spotted these door puddings! Okay, they’re draft stoppers, but the description says “boudin de porte” which translates to “door pudding”. In France, draft stoppers are indeed called door puddings. If only the …
Le Farto fromagerie in Thones
Continuing on from other great French terms and business names that don’t translate well in English, such as Milk et Bousse (manure) dairy farm, Shag Café and Lad’s (sic) Services of La Clusaz, pictured is Le Farto fromagerie in Thônes. …
When conversational French isn’t good enough
The other day in Annecy, I was sitting by the lake and watching some ducks. I was also watching three boys wading through the shallow water throwing something at the ducks. At first, I thought it was food. They were …
Dave the recycler
Important French musical history with Dave who sang Vanina
Let me introduce you to Dave. Dave was born Wouter Otto Levenbach in the Netherlands, but has remained relatively unknown in his home country despite having a few chart hits in France. One of his first big hits in the …
Do you have the French fry?
Watching French television the other night, a woman wore a t-shirt that said: 40 balais, la frite This directly translates to “forty brooms, the chip”. Any idea what that means? It sounds as though it’s related to a long session …
A baby aperitif anyone?
Some of you may remember the French menu translated into English that included salad of goat, greedy coffee and a stove of Saint Jacques. That menu was easy to giggle about — although perhaps the ‘rib steak of the butcher’ …
When translation goes wrong
Finding a restaurant with an English menu is a rare thing in La Clusaz — and many other parts of France. Growing popularity with non-French speakers has led to some restaurants taking the leap into English menus. Some do it …