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#Post#: 31809--------------------------------------------------
Inflated in translation!
By: Emlyn Morgan Date: November 21, 2025, 9:11 am
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Here's a true story:
Yesterday in a restaurant I ordered a quarter spit-roast chicken
to take away:
"Un quart de poulet roti a emporter s'il-vous-plait."
After a while I was presented with a huge heavy bag. Surely
some mistake!
They thought I'd said: "QUATRE poulets roti!"
#Post#: 31812--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: Jack Date: November 21, 2025, 5:02 pm
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Gotta be careful with words like that! :D
#Post#: 31814--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: Plagosus Date: November 22, 2025, 3:34 am
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The two halves of a chicken will be equivalent. How do you know
what you're getting if you order a quarter?
#Post#: 31815--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: David M. Katz Date: November 22, 2025, 1:39 pm
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[quote author=Plagosus link=topic=3601.msg31814#msg31814
date=1763804060]
The two halves of a chicken will be equivalent. How do you know
what you're getting if you order a quarter?
[/quote]
Typically, if one has a preference, he will specify Leg Quarter
or Breast Quarter. If no preference is given then either would
be possible.
The Leg Quarter is a Drumstick and Thigh - Usually with a small
amount of back meat.
The Breast Quarter is a Breast and Wing - Usually with the keel
split evenly and some rib meat.
#Post#: 31816--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: Emlyn Morgan Date: November 22, 2025, 8:47 pm
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Another true story:
Many years ago in Juan les Pins, I was in a restaurant where
they served the "house" wine in jugs - quarter litre or half
litre.
I ordered "un quart de vin rouge".
They brought me the "carte des vins!"
#Post#: 31834--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: Emlyn Morgan Date: November 29, 2025, 10:33 am
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Another true story!
I was sitting on my balcony watching the sunset, listening to
the roar of the ocean. My phone rang. It was my companion who
works in the fishing port.
"Je suis a la porte."
"Ah, oui. Tu est au port. Quand tu arrive ici?"
Non. Je suis a la porte maintenant."
" Oui, tu est au port. Mais quelle heure tu fini?"
" Non, non, non! Je frappe la PORTE. Ouvri la porte!“
I say port, you say porte: let's call the whole thing off!
#Post#: 31844--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: Emlyn Morgan Date: December 2, 2025, 2:14 pm
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I dare say I caused the confusion by forgetting that in French
one doesn't pronounce the consonants at the ends of numerous
words.
According to AI Overview, which seems to have taken over from
Professor Google as the font of all knowledge, the French
stopped pronouncing consonants at the ends of many of their
words gradually between the 1300s and 1700s. So now it's correct
not to pronounce the t at the end of "quart" and "port".
A similar change is happening much more rapidly in English.
Young Ahmed, whom I help improve his English, is convinced it's
correct to say such as firs' an' las' or eatin' an' drinkin',
because that's what he hears, even on the BBC. I suppose he's
right. "Correct" English pronunciation has changed rather
suddenly.
#Post#: 31847--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: afinch Date: December 2, 2025, 6:39 pm
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Firs' and las' bothers me a whole lot less than people who don't
bu-un (button) their jackets. It's a silly affection that is
also harder to pronounce, not lazier. I don't see the point.
#Post#: 32012--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: squarecutter Date: December 31, 2025, 12:47 pm
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Dropping 'T's is a bete noire for me. It is lazy and not
necessary. The tv advertising voiceovers here are the worst
offenders and I'm sure are having an influence
#Post#: 32014--------------------------------------------------
Re: Inflated in translation!
By: Plagosus Date: December 31, 2025, 4:18 pm
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[quote author=Emlyn Morgan link=topic=3601.msg31844#msg31844
date=1764706498]Young Ahmed, whom I help improve his English, is
convinced it's correct to say such as firs' an' las' or eatin'
an' drinkin', because that's what he hears, even on the
BBC.[/quote]
While young Ahmed may be copying what he hears, there is a
possibility that he is not copying what is actually being said.
What a person hears can be strongly influenced by the sounds of
his native language. In this respect, neither Standard Arabic
nor Moroccan Arabic has the nasal sound which comes at the end
of "thing" while they do have the sound which comes at the end
of "thin". If you say these two words noting the position of the
tongue for the final consonant you will find it is a little
further back for "ng" than "n". These two sounds are clearly
distinguishable by native English speakers, but may sound the
same to a speaker of a language which does not have any words
which require the sounds to be distinguished - such as "thin"
and "thing". The consonant "t" is a plosive, a sound which,
though short, consists of three phases: approach, hold and
release. In English, when a plosive is not followed by a vowel
the release, the point where the air leaves the mouth, is often
missing. So, when a "t" follows an "s" it can get a bit lost and
appear to merge with the "s" giving the impression that there is
only an "s".
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