Fact Sheet
Our approach takes
into account your
company’s business
objectives and the
image you wish to
project
A few translation bloopers
Do your French documents really
say what you think they say?
Hasty or ill-prepared translations are likely to contain errors or ambiguity
that may damage an organization’s image in the francophone market.
To illustrate, here are a few examples:
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Avoid the pitfalls
of translating in
the dark
First Aid (notice accompanying a cleaning product): First AIDS (the disease)
Polish sausage (food packaging): Polish the sausage
Gentle cycle (washing instructions for a shirt): Friendly bicycle
Made in Turkey (label on sweatshirt): Made in turkey (the bird)
I have never felt so strong before (promotion for fitness equipment): I have
never smelled so strong before
Ozone Safe (label on aerosol can): Ozone safe (as in, at a bank)
Luxury in the Bathroom (label on sponge): Lust in the bathroom
Fertilize sparingly (notice accompanying cactus plant): Smoke moderately
Tighten the nuts (technical instructions): Tighten the nuts (the kind you can
eat)
Crane Seat Washer (packaging on mechanical seal): Device for washing
crane seats
Skinning up (attaching skins to bottoms of skis): Roll a joint
Insert CD and run Wizard (instructions for software): Insert the CD and
race magician
Of course, errors in translation are not always as flagrant as the examples
above. Nevertheless, one can never be too careful about making slightly more
subtle mistakes when the original text can be interpreted in a number of ways.
This is especially true when dealing with specialized subject matter or when
links exist between the text being translated and earlier documents.
In order to avoid errors of meaning and ensure the effectiveness and
consistency of your texts, the FIG team takes the time to understand the context
and validate the appropriate terminology, taking into account, among other
things, any existing related documentation.
By also taking into account your company’s business objectives and the image
you wish to project, our approach goes further than mere translation and
beyond the choice of words.
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