This site quickly works Google translator through as many as 56 translations and back to English. Kinda fun.
Some I’ve tried:
Straight Dope: “Quick recovery”
Kill it with fire: “He died during holiday”
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog: “Speed bar baroque”
Yes we can: “You”
Will you marry me? “I am married”
Post your favorites!
Original:
My hovercraft is full of eels.
56 Translations Later:
Aerogliseur paper.
Original:
My nipples explode with delight!
56 Translations Later:
I’m glad service Marlon!
Original:
Google Translator is quite unreliable.
20 Translations Later:
Google translation is very reliable.
“You suck”
56 translations later we get:
“Death”
Philip K. Dick had this as a game played by bored office workers in his book Galactic Pot-Healer published in 1969.
Because I’m 12:
[spoiler]“I have a big cooter”
20 translations later we get:
“I have enough pussy”[/spoiler]
Interesting. From the Wikipedia article, it sounds like the game would be more like, I say “I’m glad service Marlon!” and you would have to figure out I really meant “My nipples explode with delight!”. Is that right?
An example from the book was “The cliche is inexperienced” and the original was:
The Corn is Green
Actually if you read through the individual translations you find that it got that way after two, then stayed the same for the rest.
Original:
I like to have kinky sex with perverted walruses
56 translations:
I am also very important to me, you can access.
You are a beautiful woman
20 translations later we get:
I am a beautiful woman
I’m pretty sure a key component of that sentence got changed…
Don’t use this tool to order food.
“I like blueberry pie just like my grandmother used to make.”
morphs into
“I just want ice cream, cake my grandmother.”
Apparently this one is pretty universal…
Original:
"Don’t eat yellow snow. "
10 translations later:
“Do not eat yellow snow.”
Original:
“She went upstairs.”
10 translations later:
“He was on earth.”
I tried “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” to try and get “the vodka is good but the meat is rotten”, as per the old joke. Instead I got “Preparing for the soul and the flesh is weak.”
“The vodka is good but the meat is rotten” gives me “Perfumes, body oil”. I think I’ll make a painting out of acrylics and peanut butter of the translation on a department store mannequin and have the title be the initial phrase. Think I can get a grant for it?
Oh, and “Where is the train station?” gives me “Where to begin?” Where to begin, indeed. Thankfully I’ve only ever needed to ask this question with one intervening language.
TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME
CATALAN : Porta’m al ball de graduació.
Back to ENGLISH : Take me to the graduation dance.
FILIPINO : Dalhin ako sa aking mga bola.
Back to ENGLISH : Take me to my balls.
GERMAN : Macht mich auf meine Bälle.
Back to ENGLISH : Thought I was on my balls.
GREEK : Νόμιζα ότι ήταν για τα παπάρια μου.
Back to ENGLISH : I thought it was for my balls.
HEBREW : חשבתי שזה כדורי לי.
Back to ENGLISH : I thought it was balls to me.
JAPANESE : 私はボールだと思う。
Back to ENGLISH : I think the ball.
Original text:
“these are not the droids you are looking for”
…50 translations later we get:
“This signal is displayed as”
“The dish ran away with the spoon”
50 translations…
“Nuts”
I think that was the fork’s reaction too.
Enjoy,
Steven
This one would make a good line in a horror movie.
The psychopath thinks “I want to kill you and feast on your flesh.”
after mental translation, he says,
“I chose the steak”.
**Original: **Fighting ignorance since 1973.
**50 translations later: **The fight against illiteracy, 1973
It actually stayed pretty accurate for most of it:
AFRIKAANS : Onkunde veg sedert 1973.
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973.
ALBANIAN : injoranca luftën që nga viti 1973.
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973.
ARABIC : الجهل القتال منذ عام 1973.
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973.
BELARUSIAN : Барацьба невуцтва з 1973 года.
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973.
BULGARIAN : Борбата с невежеството, тъй като 1973 година.
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973.
CATALAN : La lluita contra la ignorància des de 1973.
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973.
CHINESE : 自1973年以来的战斗无知。
Back to ENGLISH : Since 1973, fighting ignorance.
CHINESE_SIMPLIFIED : 自1973年以来，战斗的无知。
Back to ENGLISH : Since 1973, fighting ignorance.
CHINESE_TRADITIONAL : 自1973年以來，戰鬥的無知。
Back to ENGLISH : Since 1973, fighting ignorance.
CROATIAN : Od 1973, borba protiv neznanja.
Back to ENGLISH : Since 1973, the fight against ignorance.
CZECH : Od roku 1973, boj proti nevědomosti.
Back to ENGLISH : Since 1973, the fight against ignorance.
DANISH : Siden 1973,. Bekæmpelse af uvidenhed
Back to ENGLISH : Since 1973. Fighting ignorance
DUTCH : Sinds 1973. Bestrijding van onwetendheid
Back to ENGLISH : Since 1973. Fighting ignorance
ENGLISH : Since 1973. Fighting ignorance
Back to ENGLISH : Since 1973. Fighting ignorance
ESTONIAN : Kuna 1973. Võitlus teadmatusest
Back to ENGLISH : Since the 1973rd Fighting ignorance
FILIPINO : Dahil ang 1973 kamangmangan labanan
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
FINNISH : Taistelu tietämättömyys vuodesta 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
FRENCH : Combattre l’ignorance depuis 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
GALICIAN : Combater a ignorancia desde 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance in 1973
GERMAN : Fighting Unwissenheit im Jahr 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance in 1973
GREEK : Καταπολέμηση της άγνοιας το 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
HAITIAN_CREOLE : inyorans Goumen depi 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
HEBREW : נלחמים בבורות מאז 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
HINDI : 1973 के बाद से लड़ अज्ञानता
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
HUNGARIAN : Küzdelem a tudatlanság 1973 óta
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
ICELANDIC : Fighting fáfræði síðan 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
INDONESIAN : Melawan kebodohan sejak tahun 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
IRISH : aineolas troid ó 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
ITALIAN : Combattere l’ignoranza dal 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting ignorance since 1973
JAPANESE : 1973年ファイティング無知
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting Ignorance 1973
KOREAN : 파이팅 무지 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting Ignorance 1973
LATVIAN : Cīņas Nezināšana 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fighting Ignorance 1973
LITHUANIAN : Kova nežinojimas 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fight Ignorance 1973
MACEDONIAN : Борбата Незнаење 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fight Ignorance 1973
MALAY : Fight Ketidaktahuan 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fight ignorance 1973
MALTESE : Ġlieda injoranza 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fight Ignorance 1973
NORWEGIAN : Fight Uvitenhet 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fight Ignorance 1973
PERSIAN : مبارزه با جهل 1،973
Back to ENGLISH : Combating ignorance 1973
POLISH : Walka z niewiedzy 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against ignorance, 1973
PORTUGUESE : A luta contra a ignorância, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against ignorance, 1973
PORTUGUESE_PORTUGAL : A luta contra a ignorância, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against ignorance, 1973
ROMANIAN : Lupta împotriva ignoranţei, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : Fight against ignorance, 1973
RUSSIAN : Борьба с невежеством, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against ignorance, 1973
SERBIAN : Борби против незнања, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The struggle against ignorance, 1973
SLOVAK : Boj proti nevedomosti, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against ignorance, 1973
SLOVENIAN : Boj proti nevednosti, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against ignorance, 1973
SPANISH : La lucha contra la ignorancia, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against ignorance, 1973
SWAHILI : Mapambano dhidi ya ujinga, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The struggle against illiteracy, 1973
SWEDISH : Kampen mot analfabetismen, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against illiteracy, 1973
TAGALOG : Ang labanan laban sa kamangmangan, 1973
Back to ENGLISH : The fight against illiteracy, 1973
Original: Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.
50 later: In fact, I do not know.
Original: Once, in 1960, for 20 minutes.
50 later: In addition, from 1960 to 1920.
Original: Penis ensues.
50 later: Six to hospital.
That progression was especially fun, I think:
AFRIKAANS : Penis breek.
Back to ENGLISH : Penis break.
ALBANIAN : Penisi pushim.
Back to ENGLISH : Penis break.
ARABIC : كسر القضيب.
Back to ENGLISH : Break the penis.
BELARUSIAN : Перапынак пеніс.
Back to ENGLISH : Break penis.
BULGARIAN : Почивка пениса.
Back to ENGLISH : Holiday penis.
CATALAN : Vacances penis.
Back to ENGLISH : Homes penis.
CHINESE : 院阴茎。
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
CHINESE_SIMPLIFIED : 医院阴茎。
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
CHINESE_TRADITIONAL : 醫院陰莖。
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
CROATIAN : Bolnica penisa.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
CZECH : Nemocnice penis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
DANISH : Hospital penis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
DUTCH : Ziekenhuis penis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
ESTONIAN : Haigla peenis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital of the penis.
FILIPINO : Ospital ng titi.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital of the penis.
FINNISH : Sairaalan penis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital’s penis.
FRENCH : Hôpital pénis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
GALICIAN : Hospital pene.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
GERMAN : Hospital Penis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
GREEK : Νοσοκομείο πέος.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
HAITIAN_CREOLE : Lopital penis.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
HEBREW : החולים הפין.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital penis.
HINDI : अस्पताल लिंग.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital Sex.
HUNGARIAN : Kórház szex.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital Sex.
ICELANDIC : Hospital Kynlíf.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital Sex.
INDONESIAN : Rumah Sakit Sex.
Back to ENGLISH : Hospital Sex.
IRISH : Ospidéal Gnéas.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex Hospital.
ITALIAN : Sesso Hospital.
Back to ENGLISH : Gender Hospital.
JAPANESE : ジェンダー病院。
Back to ENGLISH : Gender Hospital.
KOREAN : 성별 병원.
Back to ENGLISH : Gender Hospital.
LATVIAN : Dzimumu slimnīcā.
Back to ENGLISH : Gender Hospital.
LITHUANIAN : Lytis ligoninėje.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
MACEDONIAN : Секс во болница.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in hospital.
MALAY : Seks di rumah sakit.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in hospital.
MALTESE : Sess fl-isptar.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in hospital.
NORWEGIAN : Sex på sykehuset.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
PERSIAN : سکس در بیمارستان است.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
POLISH : Sex w szpitalu.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
PORTUGUESE : Sexo no hospital.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
PORTUGUESE_PORTUGAL : Sexo no hospital.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
ROMANIAN : Sex în spital.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in hospital.
RUSSIAN : Секс в больнице.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
SERBIAN : Секс у болници.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
SLOVAK : Sex v nemocnici.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
SLOVENIAN : Sex v bolnišnici.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
SPANISH : Sexo en el hospital.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in the hospital.
SWAHILI : Sex katika hospitali.
Back to ENGLISH : Sex in hospital.
SWEDISH : Sex på sjukhus.
Back to ENGLISH : Six in hospital.
TAGALOG : Anim na sa ospital.
Back to ENGLISH : Six to hospital.
Original text:
"sausages are the food of the gods "
…30 translations later we get:
“Even worse, the consumption of God”
That IS fun.