Yesterday I did a few translation experiments with different software, both that from English language websites and Chinese translation websites. So, first off was this simple instruction booklet type of sentence that distorts as it is bounced forwards and back between different language sites:
Open back compartment to insert batteries
对插入物电池的开背部隔间
The opening of the insert back the battery compartment
插入物的开头电池盒
Insert at the beginning of the battery box
在电池箱初的插入物
Early in the battery box inserts
及早在电池箱插入物
Early in the battery box inserts
Here is where it reaches a point of stability and agreement between the two languages and the two translation software programmes. This point of agreement is quite curious as it makes almost no sense at all. I will have to ask if it is as opaque in Chinese as it is in English. I then went onto a longer sentence, the start of my complaint letter to KLM, as a matter of fact:
I am writing to inform of a recent excruciatingly bad experience with Air France / KLM and to ask that you apologise and refund me for it.
我书写通知与法航/KLM的最近极痛苦坏经验和问您道歉并且退还我它的。
I have written notice and Air France / KLM’s recent bad experience and very painful to apologize and ask you to refund my it.
我书面通知和法航/KLM’ s最近坏经验和非常痛苦道歉和要求您退还我它。
I am writing and Air France / KLM ‘s recent bad experience and very painful I apologize and ask you to return it.
我是文字和法航/KLM ‘ s最近坏经验和非常痛苦我道歉并且要求您退回它。
I text and Air France / KLM ‘s recent bad experience and very painful I apologize and ask you to return it.
I like the way that this one ends with me apologising. Using Google translate alone to bounce the text to and fro, comes to the rather direct and charming:
I recently wrote a very bad notice, Air France / KLM and experience, you apologize, refund me.
So from this I can conclude that there are quite some variations between the different translation sites and that words and sentences evolve through stages as levels of distortion amplify one another. There are some further mechanics still to exploit here, time and tense gets very confused because of the differences between the languages.
Taking a walk a little later, a whole other form of language game also revealed itself yesterday: letter substitution, as this rug is a good example of. Also worth noting was the preponderance of amplified voices. There is not the same idea of noise pollution here as in the West and the streets and shops can be a bit of a free for all with voices and music in competition. The distorted headache inducing voice with the ever present threat of squealing feedback is something I am growing used to and might just lift from Xiamen and use myself.
After all this playing around with words and wandering about town we gathered and had a small afternoon party in the new CEAC gallery, which is looking very smart indeed. I heard another gallery will open on the floor above too so this could be the beginning of a new gallery district in Xiamen.
