Confusing translations

While studying English students learn new words all the time. They are pleased when they enrich their vocabulary and enjoy the fact that they can translate different sentences either into English or into Polish. But as they get to higher levels they notice some meaningful facts:
1. The most words in English have more than one meaning (often quite different from one another)
2. Students cannot translate every word of English sentence directly into Polish an have to pay attention to the whole context, collocations, idioms and various prepositions
3. Some words are very confusing because they sound similiarly to Polish words, for example sympathy, which is often translated into Polish as sympatia instead of współczucie

Translation 'word by word' often leads to misunderstanding and amusing interpretations, the creation of words that do not exist.
The example of this kind of strategy in translation from Polish into English may be a sentence:
* I can some English.
Umiem trochę angielskiego.

On the other hand, literal translation from English into Polish can give an effect such as:
* Podaj mi rękę w kuchni
instead of
Pomóż mi w kuchni. (English: Give me a hand in the kitchen.)

When students watch English or American films, programmes they sometimes observe that there are some differences in translation. It makes them interested in searching for new vocabulary, looking for difficult structures in dictionaries, Internet.

Lately, my students were given a task:
In a film, a person was asked a question. The other person answered: No. But Polish lector translated it into: Yes. What question might have been asked?
My students perfectly guessed that the question was: Do you mind if I close the window? Which is often translated as: Czy mogę zamknąć okno?
The Englishman answered: No (I don't mind), and the Polish: Tak (Możesz).

To make students aware of imperfection of literal translation I often offer them exercices that contain incorrect but funny Polish translations of English sentences.

I noticed that remembering amusing Polish sequences make learning easier and more efficient.

"Czuję się jak filiżanka mocnej herbaty" - translation exercice
The title above is incorrect, word-for-word translation of the English sentence I feel like a cup of strong tea.

The examples below are also incorrect in the sense that they do not express the speaker's intention.

Knowing that, suggest what the speaker intended to say by guessing the original English sentence and write what you think would be a good English-Polish translation.

 

I feel like a strong cup of tea.	Czuję się jak filiżanka mocnej herbaty.	Mam ochotę na filiżankę mocnej herbaty.
Be patient.	Bądź pacjentem.	Bądź cierpliwy.
Her hair is grey.	Jej włos jest szary.	Ona ma siwe włosy.
Time flies.	Czasowe muchy.	Czas płynie.
He broke a new record.	Potłukł nową płytę.	On pobił nowy rekord.
She is travelling light.	Ona jest podróżującą światłością.	Ona podróżuje bez bagażu.
What do you call this?	Co ty to wołasz?	Jak to nazywasz?
He was mistaken.	Był pomylony.	On był w błędzie.
Stop biting nails.	Przestań gryźć gwoździe.	Przestań obgryzać paznokcie.
Take a rest.	Zabierz resztę.	Odpocznij.
They raised glasses in a toast.	Podnieśli okulary w grzance.	Oni podnieśli kieliszki na toast.
We are running out of sugar.	My jesteśmy wybiegającymi z cukru.	Kończy nam się cukier.
This film was shot in Poland.	Film był zastrzelony w Polsce.	Ten film był nakręcony w Polsce.
This watch is hot.	Ten zegarek jest gorący.	Ten zegarek jest trefny (kradziony).

 

Opracowanie: mgr Elżbieta Magdziarz
Nauczyciel języka angielskiego

Wyświetleń: 2718