[conspire] Communication (was: Web spam and yandex forms)

[Syeed Ali]

On Wed, 8 Dec 2021 13:44:07 -0800
Rick Moen <rick at linuxmafia.com> wrote:

> ... Eric and I got a puzzled inquiry from someone trying to translate
> our essay into some non-European language.  The translater asked our
> help understanding a particular idiomatic expression, and it was one
> of mine -- one I hadn't even realised was a metaphor.

Of all the comments on education I could make, the one thing I wish was
more common is learning idiomatic expressions and proverbs or the like,
or just the meaning and history of words for their distilled wisdom.


Speaking internationally, earlier today I was speaking with a Russian.
He was frustrated at his English and stumbled through a literal
translation that went something like..

"If a man is hungry and you, uh, give him some fish then he is not
hungry right now.."

We were talking about delayed gratification earlier and I understood and
gave him the English equivalent of "give/teach a man".  I'd guess our
cultures/languages shared the same source, maybe through Christianity.


This is why I like the idea of having a work be kept in multiple parts:

1. Source
2. Literal translation
3. Transliteration
4. Localization

The literal translation is for linguists.

The transliteration tries to untangle expressions and make it friendly.

The localization substitutes its own expressions whenever reasonable,
and maybe even changes the style if that enhances the work.


I read a book lovingly transliterated from Japanese, but the writer was
up front multiple times about not knowing which of multiple meanings he
should use.  Because he gave thoughts and options in end notes with
literal translations, I was able to localize it because I understood
enough about the topics to make a choice.


As an aside, dual Dutch citizenship (I might get it; I'm a special case)
would also make me be a citizen of Saba.  :)