topic Re: Lost in Translation in Among Friends

Lost in Translation

Malcontent — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 12:25:59 GMT

While this QVC forum is English speaking, many on this forum are not natural English speakers. Sometimes when we are translating from our natural language to English…it can all get… well… lost in translation.

Recently I was trying to pay compliments to some women here on the forum and some others took my compliments as rude. That certainly was not my intention at all. In fact just the opposite.

I do hope that the women I was ‘attempting’ to compliment understand all this.

Re: Lost in Translation

Group 5 minus 1 — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 12:43:39 GMT

Really don't think it is needed.

Re: Lost in Translation

just bee — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 12:49:45 GMT

@Malcontent wrote:
While this QVC forum is English speaking, many on this forum are not natural English speakers. Sometimes when we are translating from our natural language to English…it can all get… well… lost in translation.

Recently I was trying to pay compliments to some women here on the forum and some others took my compliments as rude. That certainly was not my intention at all. In fact just the opposite.

I do hope that the women I was ‘attempting’ to compliment understand all this.

@Malcontent

I clearly understood the compliment.

And I can't tell you how much I enjoy your posts.

Re: Lost in Translation

CAcableGirl2 — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:35:57 GMT

@Malcontent You are very thoughtful to think about how others may feel when you were giving them a compliment. Some people will find insults and negativity in anything they choose to, so don't worry about upsetting or offending others.

We had a crew once at once of my jobs that was so miserable and ungrateful for everything that was done for them, I said once that if I gave them a $100 bill for doing a great job, they would have complained that it was too hard to break a $100 bill, and why couldn't it be $20 bills. People will find negativity if they want to find it.

Have a great day, and I appreciate your posts!

Re: Lost in Translation

just bee — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:20:38 GMT

@Malcontent

I suspect that some might have difficulty understanding your highly developed and thoroughly delightful sense of humor.

It seems to be a common problem these days.

Re: Lost in Translation

Malcontent — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:38:26 GMT

@just bee

Yes, that’s it. My Italian 'highly developed sense of humor' lol that apparently some need a secret decoder ring to understand.

Perhaps QVC could sell them.

Figure out what that Italian is saying with Secret Italian Decoder Ring for only $19.95 and 5 easy pays.

Re: Lost in Translation

River Song — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:45:05 GMT

@Malcontent

Ignore the naysayers, your posts make me laugh. A lot of people do not understand subtle sarcasm and humor. This is hard to get across in written form since we can't see your facial expression or tone of voice. Plus you're translating from another language. But I certainly understood what you were trying to get across.

Re: Lost in Translation

just bee — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 13:48:20 GMT

@Malcontent wrote:
@just bee

Yes, that’s it. My Italian 'highly developed sense of humor' lol that apparently some need a secret decoder ring to understand.

Perhaps QVC could sell them.
Figure out what that Italian is saying with Secret Italian Decoder Ring for only $19.95 and 5 easy pays.

@Malcontent

Delightful, indeed.

I grew up with this type of humor. My mother's parents were from Abruzzo.

Re: Lost in Translation

Imaoldhippie — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 14:13:22 GMT

@Malcontent .............Thank you for the eye opener. I did not even think about posters on here that English is their second language. I am sorry for my thoughlessness. I will certainly be more aware now.

Re: Lost in Translation

Sooner — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 14:29:27 GMT

@Malcontent It's nice of you to apologize. When you are learning a language that is not your original, the subtltities are the most difficult as I understand it. So it is all part of the learning experience and kind of you to explain and apologize.

I had a dear dear friend who spoke five languages fluently and could get by in a number of others. He and I had some good laughs many times. He had been speaking English a very long time, and still some of it escaped him. He was always ready to laugh and apologize.

Re: Lost in Translation

Malcontent — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 14:40:02 GMT

@Imaoldhippie

Well, it is an English speaking forum. The burden is on we non-native speakers to come across more clearly.

That and a cultural humor or even compliment doesn’t always translate well to American humor/compliments. What Americans may find rude would not be considered rude in Italian or in many other nationalities. And visa-versa.

Stai Bene.

Re: Lost in Translation

Malcontent — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:05:30 GMT

@Sooner

My American family still laughs at me when I speak to them in English.

That’s okay because... my Will is in Italian.

Who’s laughing now.

Re: Lost in Translation

geezerette — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 14:55:01 GMT

@Malcontent

Your posts make a lot more sense to me than many of those by native English speakers here. 😉

Re: Lost in Translation

depglass — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:00:25 GMT

When I see things like this I just assume some spell/grammar check program is messing up as usual.

Re: Lost in Translation

Malcontent — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:03:54 GMT

@depglass

I don’t understand what you are saying.

Re: Lost in Translation

depglass — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:13:44 GMT

Certain websites will underline a word if it is spelled wrong, some even give you the correct spelling. Other websites have gone further, like my gmail, and attempt to correct bad grammar. Like saying "went to the store" instead of "we went to the store." They want you to speak in complete sentences. A lot of us don't do that when we are trying to make a point. I'm to the point I don't bother with corrections unless they are spelling. By the way, your writing style would get you A's in any English class I ever took, including business college.

Re: Lost in Translation

Malcontent — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:35:02 GMT

@depglass

Thank you for explaining.

The only translator I use is my husband; I yell ‘what’s the English word for (insert Italian word)’ and he yells back the English word. Only, I’ve been thinking he, being a husband, may just be telling me any word. Now that I think of it, my whole family may be doing the same thing. lol

Re: Lost in Translation

GingerHead — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:35:14 GMT

I understood that you weren't being rude.

I enjoy reading your posts!

Re: Lost in Translation

Imaoldhippie — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:38:00 GMT

@Malcontent ..............I will just be more aware and I have pretty thick skin so insulting me is hard to do. Plus I have a really good sense of humor and can find something funny most of the time.

Re: Lost in Translation

Malcontent — Sun, 02 Jul 2023 15:46:49 GMT

@GingerHead

Thank You.

See, from your photo I would say you are a very pretty woman (and your doggie is cute too!), but somehow it will come across as ‘rude’ so, I say nothing. Niente.