LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Talk |
by Bill Sievert |
Smooth Talk from a Rehopeless' Punster
Even among folks who speak the same language, words and phrases can have very different meanings. To many young people, the term Napster represents a controversial source for downloading music on the Internet. To those of us who still have vinyl albums in our collections, napster more likely labels us by our penchant for afternoon snoozes. When Patti LaBelle first performed "Lady Marmalade" in 1975, its refrain was a sexy come-on line to people my age. Now, when Christina Aguilera and company sing their 2001 rendition of the song, we geezers are likely to translate "Voulez vous couchez avec moi ce soir?" as, "Would you like to lie on the sofa with me and stare at sitcoms all evening?" Adapting the sounds, meanings and nuances of one language to another can be quite difficult, as former Rehoboth Beach resident Jeff Williams has learned. Jeff, a co-creator of Oceana magazine two decades ago and founder of Rehoboth's Rio Mining Company on First Street, spent several years of the last decade living in Paris. There he quickly became known as "International Hostess" to the many "Delmartian" friends who visited him. When he arrived in France, Jeff knew very little of its language (which definitely put him at a disadvantage among Parisians), but he quickly mastered such key phrases as "haste cuisine" (fast French food) and "Harlez-vous Francais" (Can you rent to me a fast motorcycle?). An incurable punster who has been known to refer to his old hometown as "Rehopeless," Jeff has returned to the States, where he has found a way to put his love of the allure of language to work. He does public relations for Lingo Systems in Portland, OR. No, there is not a relationship between Lingo Systems and the renowned family of Rehoboth grocers and real estate agents. In Jeff's job, Lingo refers to the way languages are used internationally. Jeff and associates specialize in helping businesses translate their worldwide advertising campaigns from one tongue to another. Left to their own devices, many firms make grand gaffes that often lead to grandiose guffaws. When the American Dairy Association took its successful "Got Milk?" campaign to Mexico, its officials soon began crying over the negative reaction that spilt forth. It seems the Spanish translation of their choice of words reads, "Are you lactating?" When a Japanese brand of orange punch tried to tout its product in English, the tag line read, "This light and smooth taste drink is the best refreshment to you. Anytime, anywhere, just like your friend." Similarly, Coca-Cola had to change its Chinese translation. The company's initial choice, "Kekoukela" meant "Bite the wax tadpole" in one dialect. After researching more than 40,000 Chinese characters, Coke settled on "Kokou Kole," which reads as "happiness in the mouth." You can find many more such examples of problematic ad translations in a new book put together for Lingo Systems by Jeff and editor John Watkins (who is Jeff's ex-life partner from Rehoboth and Parisian days but continuing business colleague, if I'm using the terminology correctly). Their book has a very dry title, The Guide to Translation and Localization: Preparing Products for the Global Marketplace, selected because it is a serious reference work. But the pages include lots of tasty tidbits called "Oops!" These sidebars could turn their technical tome into a best seller with a general audience: From an English-language advertisement for a resort in Austria: "The comfortable day bar, with its terrace over the valley where everybody feels himself in private, is appreciated by elderly people." From a sign in a Russian hotel: "Ladies requested not to have children in bar." And, from a shingle on the door of an Italian doctor's office: "Specialist in Women and Other Diseases." Some of you will get an earful more of Jeff's artful language anecdotes when he returns to Rehoboth for his annual visit. He was planning on being in town for the Fourth of July, but has delayed his trip east due to a crisis at the office. Seems that a packaged-food client has just announced its new frozen-dinner entre to Asian audiences as "Dreaded veal cutlet." When Jeff does find time to come to town, you will undoubtedly see him in local boutiques where he will inform shopkeepers, "Veni, Vidi, VISA" ("I came, I saw, I shopped"). And certainly you'll find him holding court at his favorite old haunt, the Blue Moon. If you spot him at the bar, be sure to greet him with a fast retort, for Jeff always appreciates a little "quip pro quo." Meanwhile, to contact Jeff or inquire about the book, email him at jeffw@lingosys.com Bill Sievert, a long-time Rehopeless, Delmartian, is currently pursuing a career as a napster in a sleepy southern town. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 8, June 29, 2001. |