POLITICAL UPDATE

It's Sticky Rice vs. Virtue Soup.

(Thanks to Larry Gainey)

Comments

[crossgirl]

the important question is how will dave barry translate in cantonese?

[Siouxie]

cg, I read this story too and that was my first thought. something with "booger" I'm sure.

[Ford79]

When my sister visited China, she brought me back a hand stamp with my name rendered phonetically in Chinese. A Chinese acquaintance later told me that the characters meant "Smooth No Trees." Words that I try to live by every day.

[Moo Shoo the Pork]

From my (very) limited knowledge of Mandarin, Dave Barry would translate as "David Watson".

[SW]

Just put little pictures of the candidates faces. Hey, it works for the McDonalds workers.

[Wender J. Crinklebank]

There's nothing new under the political sky. Awkward translations have haunted presidential candidates since

Competing for the crucial Indian Vote in the election of 1860, Republican and Democratic campaign managers alike were horrified to learn that among the Native American population it was a contest between Abraham "Bearded Face of Buffalo Scrotum" Lincoln, Stephen "Little Giant Marching Turd" Douglas and John "Dances With Slave-Owners" Breckinridge. Often called the Karl Rove of the 1860 election, Whig pollster and political genius Cornelius Q. Flapjacket successfully won his candidate, John Bell of Tennessee, 93% of the Native American vote by paying a Sioux Indian chief $4.75 to incorrectly translate his candidate's name as "Kills Whitey And Reinstates Tribal Lands."

Brought to you by the Crinkle History Network. CHN: History is fun! As long as you're white.

[Wender J. Crinklebank]

Oops. That should read "Awkward translations have haunted presidential candidates since the early days of the Republic."

Apologies for the confusion. My Editorial Staff has been fired.

[pogo]

*exhibits a certain bias*

Would it be asking too much to expect that voters in federal elections be able to understand English? We usually conduct affairs of government in that language.

[mudstuffin]

according to babelfish, "Dave Barry" translated to chinese and back to english becomes "David Bary". i did this twice.

i need a life.

[SW]

Gary Hart went into Sizzling Rice. That was his problem.

[SW]

Teddy Kennedy = Gung Ho Fat Chow?

[SW]

Dan Quayle = Empty Noodle

[Suzy Q]

Al Gore = Green Giant

[SW]

xlnt, sq!

Strom Thurmond = Thousand Year Old Eggs

Barney Frank = Cream of Sum Yung Gai
(not fully original; same source as "Schwing!")

[Matt Morrison]

Tom Tancredo = Xenophobic Dimwit

[SW]

Joe Biden = Supernatural Hairplug

[Dr. Rickenstein]

Hillary Clinton = Screechy Ostrich Wombat

[Bethie]

This might explain why China is trying to poison us. Perhaps they are reading insults where there are none. Perhaps most common American names transliterate to be "Ruck Orf" or something.

[WriterDude]

Rudy Giuiliani = hairless cannoli

[insomniac]

i just hope the ballot translations are better than the 'instructions' we get from products made overseas...

"for the selection of new yardstick Push voting phallus through ballot! Or numbr count not? if incomplete, choice of total blackboard hit just one time."

[ubetcha]

Would it be asking too much to expect that voters in federal elections be able to understand English? We usually conduct affairs of government in that language. Yay, Pogo.

[Mikey]

Bethie,

I think you are right. When the Prez or VP or someone in congress goes on TV to talk to the people, they say, "Good evening/morning" in Chinese this means, "What are you Chinese or something?"

[SW]

lol, insom

Dave Barry = Pulitzer Finger

[Edgar Greenberg]

Crinklebank, he wasn't quite Karl Rove. Those votes were the only ones Bell got.

[Kathybear]

According to this site and what I gave it, the Blog's name turns out to be - in Mandarin Chinese - Bei Dian fu. YMMV

[Meanie the Blue]

Mike Bloomberg = Yes, I'm Running

[Wolfsong]

Dave Barry = Mare Sandy Sky (Cantonese)
Flatulent Pelican (Mandarin)

[wickedwitch]

Wolfie, now Flatulent Pelican WBAGNFARB!

[Siouxie]

cool! I knew it had to do with boogers or farts...very appropriate!

[Meditrina]

Politics to boogers and farting in under 30 posts! Ya'll are on fire today.

Is there a fortune cookie to go with my soup and rice?

[peterpan]

So, "illegal" immigrants should learn English and assimilate fully into American society. But if you are a registered, voting citizen, we'll translate everything for you, no problem?

[Kev]

"But perhaps the most perplexing translation would be for Boston Mayor Thomas Menino's name, which could be read as "Sun Moon Rainbow Farmer" or "Imbecile," or "Barbarian Mud No Mind of His Own.""

"Sun Moon Rainbow Farmer" WBAGNFA Chinese food dish.

Also, if you haven't read the (very) poorly-translated Chinese menus from about a year ago, go here and here.

[Prairie Dog]

This is an issue for Chinese movies translated into English too. ISIANMTU,I watched an old Chinese Bruce Lee movie and someone in the credits has the name of F**k You.

[Kristina L.]

I agree that it seems odd that someone who's registered to vote in the US might not understand English.

[peterpan]

Leave us not forget www.engrish.com.

[peterpan]

woops, that should be www.engrish.com