Lost in Translation in Different Languages
Last Updated on May 19, 2017 by Charmaine | The Canadian Wanderer
Translating between languages are always fun. There is bound to be some mix-ups, confusion and a loss in meaning when you try translating between languages. If I have learned anything living abroad these few years, it is how languages work and function in society. Being in an ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom, I’m always learning how people learn English and help me to learn their language in result also. When I don’t understand what they are saying, I will try to relate back to their native tongue and try to understand what brings the confusion.
Here are a few classic examples that I’ve picked up in the ESL classroom:
‘Date’ Me
This one is unique to Cantonese speakers. The first time I heard this was when I worked with college students in Hong Kong with a low proficiency, but even if you don’t, you’ll be surprised this is a common mistake. I’ve heard it from local friends who have an excellent proficiency in English, and it still occurs. In English, we express ‘date’ to be a romantic night with a partner of the opposite sex. It’s a time where you dress up, go for a romantic dinner/ scroll and have a fun evening. Occasionally, you can also say I have a date with a friend, but it is not very often people would say this.
However, Cantonese speakers use ‘date’ casually (without knowing the mistake). They would say ‘date me’ on text, but what they mean it’s let’s meetup/hangout. This is because the same word for ‘date’ can also be used in the context of ‘make an appointment’ or ‘booking’ something. It makes me wonder if this was taught in school properly or if teachers also use it incorrectly.
Fun vs. Funny
I’ve heard this mistake the first time from French speakers and then again in Hong Kong. It seems like ESL speakers have a hard time differentiating the difference between fun vs. funny. I’ve often heard, “It was such a funny day,” when I am very sure they meant to say ‘It was a very fun day.’ It sounds a little off when you don’t understand or realize the mistake. The way I teach it is “fun” is used to describe enjoyment, where “funny” is used to describe something that is hilarious, and you laugh about it. Ex. I had a fun time because the actors in the movie were very funny. This helps them to clarify and to understand better.
Hospital vs. Clinic
I first heard this from my friend who has a strong English proficiency with an IELTS score of 8 (close to native level)! In China, clinics are not very common. If you’re sick, you go to the hospital. So when she got sick, she told me she went to the hospital, and I got really worried. Then when she told me it was on the university’s campus, I realized she just meant the ‘clinic.’ This was one of the first time I had heard a mix-up with hospital vs. clinic but I guess that also comes with cultural differences and what you are used to!
Being in ESL classroom has been so interesting. As a native English speaker, I have been very fortunate the opportunities I had across the globe where I get to witness and see how languages unfold. While learning the local language, I start understanding what makes English difficult for them and can relate to the problems. Sometimes, when ESL speakers don’t know the word in English, they just use the word in their native tongue. When I understand the context in how it is used, I learned a new word in the process as well.
Can you think of some examples in languages you know? I’d love to learn about it below!
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Your post is really funny. It took me back to my time in Goa as a child. For me English was the first language that I learned. For others it wasn’t. Many combined the local language (konkani) with English when talking. A popular example would be the term ‘taamde’ English or red English. This basically meant that you were murdering the language. It’s pretty ironic that the person who said it was guilty of the same crime.
Absolutely! Depending on where you live, you get influenced and then transforms English into something else. Love the term!
This is so interesting! The meanings of words are so different in many places around the world, it would be cool learning so many new ones 🙂
Thanks! That is the best part of living abroad 🙂
Good post! The “date me” example is really funny!
In Flemish (Dutch) there isn’t a difference between if and when. So back when I was learning English, I always made this mistake and it caused some weird reactions of non-Flemish people haha.
Those are the worst! But it will remind you to not make that mistake again. A good learning curve I’ll say!
OOOO! I contribute “the surgery” as used by an Englishman. From having lived there I know that in England it would essentially mean the same as ‘clinic’ to a Malaysian. But ‘surgery’ in Malaysia always means like in the hospital, for serious stuff. So when an expat consultant told his client (my colleague) that he was unwell enough that he has to miss a meeting to go to ‘the surgery’ she panicked. I looked at his text message to see the context and was like, chill SS…he’s just going to see the GP. lol
That is something new! I have never heard of this one. So interesting. I only know ‘surgery’ as in being cut open as well so I can’t believe the English will confuse ‘others’ like this! That is actually scary!
As a Malaysian I can say that “surgery” in Malaysia means “operation” as in getting cut open in the operating theatre. A lot of English words here (in Malaysia) have particular connotations that may differ from other English-speaking countries. If you say “the chemist’s”, people gonna think you want to meet the chemist who works in a chemistry lab (we use “pharmacy” here).
And yes, “yeuk wui” 約會 can mean (a romantic) date or appointment. There was a Cantonese drama series years ago called “Ngo Wo Cheun Tin Yau Yeuk Wui” 我和春天有約會 (I Have a Date with Spring). A case of “one-to-many” translation possibilities.
I’d also say that apart from “fun vs. funny”, other stuff like “interested vs. interesting”, “bored vs. boring” do get confused a lot over here as well. -ly and -ing adjectives confuse the hell out of Chinese speakers.
Thanks for contributing! This is so true. I’ve noticed students in Hong Kong always call themselves ‘boring’ when they mean to say ‘they were bored.’ It’s funny - although in the context of - it is very easy to understand! In Canada, operation and surgery are definitely the same, and also ‘chemist.’ I will definitely think of the lab!
My Swiss German students say funny when they mean fun. They also say interesting phrases like, “We met us yesterday.” This one makes me think that a weird form of time travel exists.
My Brazilian students say that they “lost the bus.” When I ask them where they put it last, they only display question faces.
All is fun and interesting in the ESL classroom.
Absolutely agree especially in a multilingual classroom. You never know what you get!
Huge huge fan of this post! I know so many that Italian speakers make now, I could write a book! Fun and funny seem to be hard for them as well, as it seems to be for a lot of ESL people! I guess they ARE hard to think about differently, how do you explain the difference. I mean, a funny person IS fun to be around or maybe a party IS funny because you were laughing at it ahaha. It’s HARD! Italian doesn’t have any perfect progressive tenses, so that’s always hard to teach.