Someone kindly sent in an example of bad translation into Spanish which is thus officially off-topic but so interesting and amusing that it deserves inclusion. It’s from La copa de Verlaine, a collection of Madrilenian sketches by fellow-decadent Emilio Carrere, discovered and described at “Bremaneur”‘s excellent Biblioteca fantasma. In “Elegía de un hombre inverosímil” we…
Cash-starved governments all over Europe are busy rediscovering VAT, and it seems that their inspiration may have come from that hitherto little recognised hive of intellect and invention, Malaga Airport: Attention V.A.T REFOUND Please remember that you must show the items in the V.A.T. refound office before checking them.
An Iberian proposal would slash wage costs, free up time and talent for cashflow-friendly shagshow opportunities, and assimilate football to mainstream Peninsular cultural practice.
There’s no translation angle on this one, but you won’t find many Spanish eggcorns better than this contributed example from 2008: For the machines amongst you: Se ofrece señora para atención a personas mayores y discapacitadas Con titilación y experiencia y labores domesticas… Who says you can’t find staff these days?
What does the English translation of the official presentation website for Vinoble 2010 tell us? That the Mayoress of Jerez cares more about how her hair looks than about how her words are interpreted? That her administration is as thick as pigshit and happy to wallow in it? Well, not necessarily. Our etymology department has…
With an excerpt from a plea for more state funding by the Bostonian Western Rail-road, in which we are given to understand that snow is not necessarily a bad thing.