Lost in Translation

Last week in my world politics class we were discussing the main points of multinational relations and globalization. To make it more entertaining my professor read off a list of examples in which companies were advertising in other languages and made horrible errors in translation. 

Some of them were quite obviously mistakes:

Sweden: in the window of a Swedish furrier: Fur coats made for ladies from their own skin.

Russian/Russia: in the lobby of a Moscow hotel across from a Russian Orthodox monastery: You are welcome to visit the cemetery where famous Russian and Soviet composers, artists and writers are buried daily except Thursday.

Romania: in a Bucharest hotel lobby: The lift is being fixed for the next day. During that time we regret that you will be unbearable.

Denmark: in a Copenhagen airline ticket office: We take your bags and send them in all directions.

An American T-shirt maker in Miami printed shirts for the Spanish market which promoted the Pope's visit. Instead of the desired "I Saw the Pope" in Spanish, the shirts proclaimed "I Saw the Potato".

English text on products made in Japan solely for Japanese consumers: 

Message printed on an eraser: "Mr. Friendly Quality Eraser. Mr. Friendly Arrived!! He always stay near you, and steals in your mind to lead you to a good situation.". On the bottom of the eraser is a further message: "We are ecologically minded. This package will self-destruct in Mother Earth."

In Italy, a campaign for Schweppes Tonic Water translated the name into Schweppes Toilet Water.

Though others were potentially offensive:

When translated into Chinese, the Kentucky Fried Chicken slogan "finger-lickin' good" came out as "eat your fingers off".

In a Paris hotel elevator: Please leave your values at the front desk.

Italian/Italy: In a Rome laundry: Ladies, leave your clothes here and spend the afternoon having a good time.

When Parker Pen marketed a ball-point pen in Mexico, its ads were supposed to say "It won't leak in your pocket and embarrass you". However, the company's mistakenly thought the Spanish word "embarazar" meant embarrass. Instead the ads said that "It wont leak in your pocket and make you pregnant".

Taiwan:  the translation of the Pepsi slogan "Come alive with the Pepsi Generation" came out as "Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead".

Most of these were just humorous, but when we got to the pepsi one, and another one about a suntan lotion billboard in Saudi Arabia that had women in bikinis on it, i began to wonder how offended people might become over these translation errors. What if the advertisers violate their culture or values without even realizing it. This has a lot to do with perception of religion. Things still often get lost in translation between countries and cultures, this makes it difficult for us to completely understand each others beliefs. 

end of world cancelled- due to lack of interest

People often do strange things because of religion. I read an article about a group of people in Russia who had barricaded themselves in a bunker with enough supplies to last them until the end of the world, which according to them is coming up in May. Attempts were made to negotiate with them and failed. They threatened to blow themselves up if anyone made an attempt to remove them using force. Yet local residents recently reported a lot of movement in the area, and have reason to believe that some of the members may have left.   

How can they make such a drastic move and then change their minds about it? Could this be considered rational behavior? Where do we draw the line between religion and cults? Many people commit inappropriate or unacceptable acts in the name of religion, but how can you justify something like murder on the basis of your belief system. Religion often inspires people to do great things yet it also often causes a lot of grief and sometimes fighting. Is religion a good thing or a bad thing for our society?

Ask friends #1 and #2

When i was thinking about what to write for my blog this week i decided to ask two of my friends the same questions about their beliefs. Read their answers and then i will tell you about the individuals. 

Friend #1

Explain your strongest religious convictions.

I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that He died for the sins of the world. Salvation is possible only through acceptance of His death and resurrection for your sins.


What if anything could make you question your beliefs?

I have questioned my beliefs before; I believe everyone with a desire for knowledge and deeper understanding does. But through my life experiences, nothing can now make me doubt my beliefs. 


How do you feel about other religions? Do you think you are accepting?

I am accepting in that I accept people. Jesus accepted people just as they were, and so do I. Jesus loves people just as they are, and so do I. There is a difference between acceptance of people and acceptance of beliefs. Just because I accept, or "tolerate" people, does not mean I believe their religious convictions are right. 


What do you say to people who you feel violate your moral code?

If they are friends of mine, and are hurting themselves or doing something to harm those around them, I will step in and say something. But I do not point my finger at everyone who is not a Christian and say they are wrong. People have every right to live their lives the way they so chose, and unless they are my friends, or what they are doing is blatantly destructive, it is no business of mine what decisions they are making. 


Have you ever had a very religious, spiritual, or miraculous experience? If so, What?

God has shown Himself to me in many different ways. I've heard His voice through prayer and through talking with others, and I've seen Him move in my life and lives around me. His prescence is undeniable. When I was in the ICU after an intensive surgery, I started singing my favorite hymn. But when I reached a verse that I could never remember, I closed my eyes, and stopped breathing. As the nurse escorted my mother into the lobby, they tried to resuscitate me, and were successful. This is one example of the many reasons I know God has a plan for my life, and He is watching over me. 

Friend #2

Explain your strongest religious convictions.

I believe that there isn't one absolute set of beliefs that someone must have to gain a state of grace, but that being a good person inside and out and being a contributer to the greater good is enough.


What if anything could make you question your beliefs?

A person of my own faith who twists religion into something cruel and unaccepting. Someone who exemplifies the dark parts of religion.

How do you feel about other religions? Do you think you are accepting?

I accept other religions because you own beliefs are not of utmost importance, only your actions and your goodness can truly define you. There are good... and bad people of all faiths. 

What do you say to people who you feel violate your moral code?

Unless their moral code violates another person's will in some way, there is nothing that needs to be said.

Have you ever had a very religious, spiritual, or miraculous experience? If so, What?

Everyday. Learning more about the world only deepens my wonderment at it. 

Friend number one is someone who is extremely vocal about her beliefs and she often upsets people in the way that she discusses it. She is loud and enthusiastic about most things. Friend number two is rather private about his views, he will be happy to share them with you if you ask, but usually won't otherwise. He loves to joke around and is extremely intelligent and knowledgeable. While they agree on many things they live their lives quite differently. 

Reading their responses to my questions made me wonder how someone would perceive each of them just from these answers without having met them. Also how these beliefs affect the way that they view the world and treat others.

Do you see the whole elephant?

I was recently reminded of children's book that I used to read as a kid. I am not sure what it was called, but it was about five blind men and an elephant. The way that i remembered it, the men encounter an elephant but are unsure of what it is, so they each decide to investigate it. One man touches the elephants leg and he tells the others that it is a large tree. The second man approaches the elephant from behind and when he touches the the elephants tail he proclaims that it is a rope. The third man decides that the elephants side is like a wall. The fourth man who feels the ear declares it is a fan, and the fifth man compares the trunk to a snake. The men argue and none of them would concede to being wrong, they were all so sure of what they felt. Then a young boy comes upon them and tells them that they are all right but they are also all wrong. None of them were able to see the big picture. They were so focused on what was right in front of them it crippled their ability to actually understand what it was. 

I searched online and found a version very similar to this one that i liked.

It was six men of Indostan

To learning much inclined,

Who went to see the Elephant

(Though all of them were blind),

That each by observation

Might satisfy his mind

The First approached the Elephant,

And happening to fall

Against his broad and sturdy side,

At once began to bawl:

“God bless me! but the Elephant

Is very like a wall!”

The Second, feeling of the tusk,

Cried, “Ho! what have we here

So very round and smooth and sharp?

To me ’tis mighty clear

This wonder of an Elephant

Is very like a spear!”

The Third approached the animal,

And happening to take

The squirming trunk within his hands,

Thus boldly up and spake:

“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant

Is very like a snake!”

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,

And felt about the knee.

“What most this wondrous beast is like

Is mighty plain,” quoth he;

“ ‘Tis clear enough the Elephant

Is very like a tree!”

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,

Said: “E’en the blindest man

Can tell what this resembles most;

Deny the fact who can

This marvel of an Elephant

Is very like a fan!”

The Sixth no sooner had begun

About the beast to grope,

Than, seizing on the swinging tail

That fell within his scope,

“I see,” quoth he, “the Elephant

Is very like a rope!”

And so these men of Indostan

Disputed loud and long,

Each in his own opinion

Exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right,

And all were in the wrong!

Moral: 

So oft in theologic wars,

The disputants, I ween,

Rail on in utter ignorance

Of what each other mean,

And prate about an Elephant

Not one of them has seen!

To me this story illustrates the way that a lot of  people view religion. It is a common area for people to make assumptions and be rather closed minded. I think whether or not you are religious it is important to make an effort to understand someone else's beliefs and culture before you judge them. After all you cannot accurately assess something if you don't have sufficient knowledge about it.