Re: Translated web site results
ANA PATINO-OSORNO WROTE:
> I am collecting up some statistics on the advantage of
> translating various types of web sites into Spanish.
>
> I am interested in any positive results anyone has had
> after having a web site translated to reach the Spanish
> speaking market.
TO WHICH ELISABETH ROCHE REPLIED:
> I have a friend with a site out of Hermosillo, Mexico.
> He finds a lot of his customers are using the AltaVista
> auto translator to send their messages. Since one of
> the first messages sent by all is *How old are you?* he
> found this hysterical result occurring.
>
> Translation said: Cuatos anos hay?
>
> Well, this apparently means *how many of *the places
> the sun don't shine* do you have? Not exactly what
> people meant to say on introduction, say what?
I'd like to offer some words of wisdom to language
translation: Cuidado! (Be Careful!!) I used to work
for an organization that translated nearly all of its
advertising from English into Spanish. We used a
professional translating service, and while the
translations were always what I would call book
correct, the challenge was with the different dialects.
In Spanish, you can say something perfectly innocent
to a man in Boliva, but incredibly offensive to a
man--exact same demographic profile--in Chile. We found
that what appealed to our Spanish audience in Miami
was vastly different from our Spanish audience in
Texas, which was vastly different from our Spanish
audience in Southern California and Chicago and New
York. I know there are some very good translation
programs available, but as we've all learned in
Advertising 101, know your target audience very well.
Buenas Suerte!
Michelle Zelsman
Received on Thu Jan 27 2000 - 06:40:30 CST
