Horrible Translation

[goldenwordsman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Rbw3Nw9ZuA

This is a video about Sun Ming Ming(孫明明)

That woman accompanying Sun Ming Ming is a horrible translator and I thought it was funny.

Check her hesitation at 1:26, and at 3:44 Jimmy asked him:"Is your house normal sized?"

She translated:"你家是多高的...有没有比較大嗎?"

For me it is not a right translation, I would rather say:"你的家是一般大小嗎?" I just cracked up laughing on how she translated English to Chinese. Now Sun Ming Ming is from China and he barely speaks English well so I don't blame him.

At 4:05, Jimmy asked:"What's the worst thing about being so tall?"

She translated:"你..uh...不喜歡什麼事情你那麼高?"

I just couldn't stop laughing on this one, lol. She literally translate word by word(incorrectly) and not interpreting the sentence first.

Now how would you guys translate this sentence? "What's the worst thing about being so tall?"

[skylee]

Consider 你（長得）那麽高，在哪一方面最不方便？

[muyongshi]

Even when she had to translate for him his responses were very fast so I think he understood a lot more than it would appear. But her translations were funny. I hope somebody didn't pay her for that.

[md1101]

she managed to get through it at least.... i felt pretty bad for her. she stuffed up at the beginning big time. seems like her only language training was from her parents..

apart from that. WOW he sure is tall! and he seemed pretty co-ordinated too! (contrary to what i expected from a huge guy). he'd get stared at wherever he is but imagine what happens to him in china!!

[goldenwordsman]

I'd be pretty shameful and embarrassed if I was her. My thread just like this one got deleted here. They are stupid!!! I was only asking a question and they just deleted my thread, I like this forum a lot, you guys are helpful

[Lu]

Haven't watched the video, but want to say, I feel sorry for the interpreter to be taken apart on the internet like this. I'm just guessing, but she was probably just the best they could find, and took the job because she was offered it. That's how these things tend to go sometimes. You know Chinese? Great, we have this Chinese guy coming, can you translate? You say yes because you think you can do it, and no-one actually tests you, because no one else knows Chinese.

And when you're actually there and find the job is actually too hard, you can't just run off, so you struggle through as well as you can. And I'm guessing she did get paid for it.

As to "What's the worst thing about being so tall?", I would make something of it like 你長的那麼高,最不好/最困難的方面是什麼?, knowing that that's not exactly beautiful Chinese, but when I interpret I'm more concerned with getting the meaning across than with good phrases, or correct grammar, for that matter.

[muyongshi]

你个子这么高有什么短处？

How does that sound?

[Lu]

你个子这么高有什么短处？

How does that sound?

Fantastic. In fact, so fantastic that I'd never believe you could come up with it on the spot.

[muyongshi]

I think that is a very unfair statement.

[Lu]

Sorry. I meant to delete it, but then the site kind of got stuck. What I meant was that this is a really fantastic translation, but that when you're standing there and are interpreting on the spot, chances are you couldn't come up with something this fantastic (and maybe even shouldn't, as it would put unintended humor into a straightforward question). It wasn't my intention to question your translation skills.

[goldenwordsman]

你个子这么高有什么短处？ would sound more like "What's the disadvantage/short coming of being so tall?"

[heifeng]

1) | don't think florence is going to get a call from the UN any time soon, but in terms of the American audience watching the segment she did a'ight! Sure she didn't know how to say slam dunk and pumps but hey, like lu pointed out, somethings these type of arrangements just work out this way.

2) She's cute and non-fobby, which I think worked well with the segment It could have been worse and less entertaining if the interpretor was less fun. Also Sun was able to express himself 'ok' too, so she seems to just be there for some general language support

3) She looks super short, which once again worked well with the segment.

4) For all you aspiring interpretors, feel free to register and prove yourself: www.catti.net.cn

[muyongshi]

Sorry. I meant to delete it, but then the site kind of got stuck. What I meant was that this is a really fantastic translation, but that when you're standing there and are interpreting on the spot, chances are you couldn't come up with something this fantastic (and maybe even shouldn't, as it would put unintended humor into a straightforward question). It wasn't my intention to question your translation skills.

Well whether or not I could before I definitely will be able to now:mrgreen:

I do appreciate the clarification.

[dalaowai]

Wow, that was too painful to watch twice. She shouldn't of accepted the job, she could barely speak Mandarin. I highly doubt that she even speaks Mandarin with her family.

I imagine that when it was offered, she immediately thought "Hey, I'll be on TV!" and that's why she took it.

One of my Chinese-American friends was forced to come study Mandarin in China when he couldn't finish a sentence, spoke with butchered grammar, etc. after his parents saw Yao Ming's caucasian translator on TV one night. haha

[mytulip]

What's the worst thing about being so tall?

How about this one: 你觉得长这么高最糟糕的事是什么？

[amego]

Now how would you guys translate this sentence? "What's the worst thing about being so tall?"

你这样高有什么坏处？

[muyongshi]

You would have to say 这么 not 这样 and that is is pretty much what was posted earlier with just a few differences...

[amego]

This is how we say it here.

[muyongshi]

Yeah, I've heard Singaporeans have funny Chinese....joking :mrgreen:

[milesaway]

你觉得长这么高最不好的地方是什么? Avoid 短处. You may offend certain people otherwise.