Backgammon Fun and frustration

Fun and frustration

Translation fun

From:   James Eibisch
Address:   jeibisch@revolverW.demon.co.uk
Date:   13 February 1998
Subject:   Re: Translating web pages
Forum:   rec.games.backgammon
Google:   34e42bcf.4166878@news.demon.co.uk

> Enter the URL of any webpage, and altavista will translate it between 2 > languages for you! > > Example: > > Entered http://www.bkgm.com/rules.html in the box and selected English to > French and this is some of the resulting text from that webpage: > > Jeu Standard > > Matériel > > Le jacquet est un jeu pour deux joueurs, joué sur un panneau se composant > de vingt-quatre triangles étroites appelées des points. Les triangles > alternent en couleurs et sont groupées dans quatre quarts de cercle de > six triangles chacun. Les quarts de cercle désigné sous le nom du panneau > à la maison d'un joueur et du panneau externe, et du panneau du panneau > de l'adversaire et externe à la maison. La maison et les panneaux > externes sont séparés de l'un l'autre par une arête en bas du centre du > panneau appelé la barre. Predictably, good clean fun can be had by translating a translation back into its original language. So, let's indulge in "English as spoken by foreigners" just one more time... This is what AV thinks the above is in English: Standard Play Hardware The jacquet is a play for two players, played on a panel being composed of twenty-four triangles narrow called of the points. The triangles alternate colors and are grouped in four quadrants of six triangles each one. Quadrants indicated under the name of panel at the house of a player and panel external, and panel of the panel of the adversary and external at the house. The house and the panels external are separated from other by an edge in bottom of the center of the panel called the bar. Now I understand! Let's try a simple backgammon adage: Splitting and slotting is generally risky, as it exposes men on both sides of the board. French: Duplicates themselves and grooves generally risky, because it exposes men on the two sides of the panel. German: Splits up and notches generally riskily, since it puts men out on both pages of the board. Italian: It is cracking and fluting generally rischioso, poich2e it exposes the men from both sides of the postcard. Portuguese: It is cracking and it carving generally risky, because it displays men in both the sides of the plate. Spanish: It is starting off and grooving generally ventured, because it exposes to men in both faces of the card. One more... This server is on the net to meet people from all countries. All sorts of racists and fascists are not allowed to login here! Rude language will not be tolerated on this server. Be nice. German: This Serveur is on the network for the meeting of the people from all countries. All assortments of the racingists and the fascists are not permitted here to the LOGON! Rude language does not become certified on this Serveur. You are nice. OK, you twisted my arm. Here's a reverse-translation of some handy phrases... 1. Prime versus prime? Bide your time. 2. More men back? Attack, attack! 3. Ahead in the race, hide your face. French: 1. Does perfection counter the perfection? Bide your time. 2. More do men support? Attack, attacks! 3. Ahead in the mass storage subsystem, hide your face. I'll stop now before your race runs out of space :) -- _ Remove the "W" from my address to email me James Eibisch ('v') Reading, U.K. (,_,) N : E : T : A : D : E : L : I : C : A ======= -- http://www.revolver.demon.co.uk --

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