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npjnpj
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 05 2007
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 2720
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Topic: Language Problem in Reviews Posted: July 27 2009 at 04:03 |
I don't know if I'm alone with this, but I'd find it hard to believe if it were so.
We've always had a great number of reviews written in English from our foreign contributors from all over the world, and a very good thing this is too.
But lately I've noticed a growing number of reviews that are written in a way that I have either no idea of what they're actually trying to say or involve a tremendous amount of guesswork on my part, and even then I'm often quite baffled.
Any other views on this and, more importantly, how to resolve this issue? I'm sure a lot of these reviews contain very valuable contributions and involve a lot of work and effort, but surely there must be a way to make them decipherable, but damned if I know how.
Edited by npjnpj - July 27 2009 at 04:04
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progkidjoel
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 02 2009
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 19643
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 04:22 |
^^
I believe what you're reffering to is international members using Translators.
The problem is with these is that they are literal, which is often the problem.
Heres a perfect example:
English - John Petrucci is an amazingly skilled guitarist.
Into Spanish - John Petrucci es un guitarrista asombroso cualificados.
Back into english - John Petrucci is an amazing guitarist qualified.
As you can see, these translations are literal, and this is where alot of the sense is lost - In the translation.
Of course, some members may just be quite poor at english, or may only be learners in the language, but it is none the less frustrating for both the reader and the writer, to learn all this work has ended up in massive confusion.
PA says this before you submit a review:
1 - Write in ENGLISH, we regret that we cannot accept reviews in other languages. Avoid the use of on-line translators wherever possible, they will not do justice to your efforts. Do not use ALL CAPITAL LETTERS in your reviews, standard sentence case should be used at all times. Do not use abbreviations or “texting” language. Remember to check your review for spelling, grammar and punctuation. A poorly presented review can distract the reader from the well written content. Reviews accepted should be a MINIMUM 100 words preferably substantially more, no maximum.
About the online translators, they couldn't be more right.
I hope that helps clafiry,
-Joel
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 4900
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 04:23 |
I think everybody should be allowed to contribute, and if their English isn't that good, who cares? At least they are voicing their opinion, and they should be allowed to do that.
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progkidjoel
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 02 2009
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 19643
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 04:28 |
p0mt3 wrote:
I think everybody should be allowed to contribute, and if their English isn't that good, who cares? At least they are voicing their opinion, and they should be allowed to do that.
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I'm in no way against those with not so good english, but, I think it is quite dissapointing for them, as, just like the PA warning says, it does not do their work justice.
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 4900
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 04:36 |
progkidjoel wrote:
p0mt3 wrote:
I think everybody should be allowed to contribute, and if their English isn't that good, who cares? At least they are voicing their opinion, and they should be allowed to do that.
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I'm in no way against those with not so good english, but, I think it is quite dissapointing for them, as, just like the PA warning says, it does not do their work justice. |
Sorry, I was actually commenting on the OP. Late reply on my part. I agree with what you said.
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DamoXt7942
Special Collaborator
Joined: October 15 2008
Location: Okayama, Japan
Status: Offline
Points: 17493
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 04:45 |
Hahhaha, also about me! Sorry
for saying 'bout me, my language Japanese and lots of "Eastern"
languages have quite different structure from English or "Western"
ones. Impossible for me to use an online translator for writing reviews in English because it's USELESS, as Joel has said above. For most of Japanese it's so hard to say what they wanna say owing to their national character. Here are very few Japanese including me hahhaha... I'm now immersed into this forum...discussing a lot with my "no-good" English.
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progkidjoel
Prog Reviewer
Joined: March 02 2009
Location: Australia
Status: Offline
Points: 19643
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 04:45 |
^^
No problems!
Glad to hear you agree
-Joel
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npjnpj
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 05 2007
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 2720
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 06:14 |
I've had another look at some of the more puzzling reviews and it seems to me that Translators aren't the underlying problem. It might help if simpler sentence structures and vocabulary is used.
The biggest head-scratchers seem to occur when the more ballistic approach to thesaurus use is applied.
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
Status: Offline
Points: 29630
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 08:48 |
Kudos to those who manage to pull off reviews in English when that isn't your native language. I know I couldn't do as well in reverse. I was thinking maybe those of us who do speak English as our native language could lend a hand when we read something that could have been stated better and suggest a revision in a private message... Could be a bit of fun particularly if we don't understand what the person was trying to get across.
Edited by Slartibartfast - July 27 2009 at 09:00
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CPicard
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 03 2008
Location: Là, sui monti.
Status: Offline
Points: 10841
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 08:49 |
I wonder if some mistakes in English don't also reveal some mistakes in the reviewers' own languages. I often saw French language dismembered on the forums I'm surfing on. I shiver just thinking what these people could write in other languages.
By the way, is it "language" or "linguage"? Or should I stick to "tongue"???
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Slartibartfast
Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / In Memoriam
Joined: April 29 2006
Location: Atlantais
Status: Offline
Points: 29630
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 09:00 |
taco de lingua? Speaking of tonguing, oh I'd better shut up and behave myself.
Edited by Slartibartfast - July 27 2009 at 09:02
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Released date are often when it it impacted you but recorded dates are when it really happened...
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npjnpj
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 05 2007
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 2720
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 09:53 |
@Slarti: Good idea. I'd offer to do some of that provided I'm not swamped. How would we go about arranging it?
I'm thinking along the lines of:
'Dream Theater not good since proclamation for touring partialsm as identfied from underconseravionalsm' as:
'Dream Theater is a controvesial, but still an excellent band.'
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Easy Livin
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: February 21 2004
Location: Scotland
Status: Offline
Points: 15585
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 12:42 |
I've been talking to our French colleague who is using a translator, and he is going to try to improve the quality of the translations.
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JLocke
Prog Reviewer
Joined: November 18 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 4900
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Posted: July 27 2009 at 15:21 |
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