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English As She is Spoke

Sun, 12/05/2010 - 16:53 — chloe_reynolds

Our class discussion about language translation last week reminded me of the book "English as She is Spoke."  It is a Portuguese-English phrasebook created by first going from Portuguese to French, and then from French to English, the latter step purportedly using dictionaries (literal translation).  The outcome was bad, and funny. 

Given translation Idiomatic translation
The walls have hearsay. (The) walls have ears.
He go to four feet. He crawls / He is crawling.
That pond it seems me many multiplied of fishes. Let us amuse rather to the fishing. This lake seems like it's full of fish. Let's have some fun fishing.
The created plow the land real. The servant plowed the royal land.
I know well who I have to make. I know very well what I have to do and what my responsibilities are.

More examples here:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_As_She_Is_Spoke

There was a later side-by-side comparison to Babblefish translations too.  Below are a few samples of that.  ES is the "English As She Is Spoke" version; B is the Babblefish version.

Barriga cheia, cara alegre.
A full stomach makes for a content face.
ES: After the paunch comes the dance.
B: Full, expensive belly glad.

É provável que já Vm. componha algum discursozinho em francês.
Probably you are already giving some little speeches in French.
ES: Do you compose without doubt also some small discourses in french?
B: It is probable that already Vm. composes some discursozinho in Frenchman.

Zombo deles; o meu navio é armado em guerra, tenho equipagem vigilante e animosa; e as munições não me faltam.
I laugh at them; my ship is armed for war; I have an alert and courageous crew, and I have plenty of ammunition.
ES: I jest of them; my vessel is armed in man of war, i have a vigilant and courageous equipage, and the ammunitions don't want me its.
B: I jeer of them; my ship is armed in war, has vigilant and animosa equipage; e the ammunition do not lack to me.

Ainda não é tempo delas; mas os damascos brevemente estarão maduros.
It isn't the season for them; but the apricots will soon be ripe.
ES: It is not the season yet; but here is some peaches what does ripen at the eye sight.
B: Still it is not time of them; but the damson plums briefly will be mature.

Este lago parece-me bem piscoso. Vamos pescar para nos divertirmos.
This lake looks full of fish to me. Let's have some fun fishing.
ES: That pond it seems me many multiplied of fishes. Let us amuse rather to the fishing.
B: This lake seems me well piscoso. We go to fish stops in amusing them.

Já não sei como me hei-de haver com esta casta de gente.
I don't know what to do any more with this sort of people.
ES: I don't know more what I won't with they servants.
B: Already I do not know as have-of having me with this chaste one of people.

More at http://www.zompist.com/spoke.html