Tuesday, May 09, 2006

"Italians" - Letter About Translation Bloopers

Beppe Severgnini's Italians today published a letter by Mauro Luglio ("Le traduzioni dei manuali d’istruzione") about translation errors, especially in instruction manuals.

Among the bloopers quoted: "Attenzione! Noi vogliamo farvi godere!" (on the user's manual of an electric shaver)
"Attenzione! L'orologio non deve mai essere messo sulla testa!" (from the instructions of a cuckoo clock)


  1. My favourite is this: "Attenzione! Sul viadotto non c'è via di scampo!" :-)

  2. "lasciate ogni speranza, o voi ch'entrate"

  3. Another blooper, but from Japanese to English, in a hotel room leaflet: "You may take advantage of the maid"
    Can you tell me what those mean in English? I must admit I didn't pay much attention in my Italian course at high school.


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