atw: Re: Censoring humor in translation (STIR)

Is Seinfeld funny?
>> I hear Jerry Seinfeld has about 93 Porches.

I find it so boring and uninteresting that I have never been able to watch
it for more than a few minutes.  I have really tried to sit and watch it,
but I always switch off and find myself doing laundry or watering the
vegetable garden or something that holds my attention.
Maybe this is an example of different things for different audiences.
Bob T

2008/12/8 Peter Martin <peterm_5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

> Kofler, Mark:
> You wrote:
> > (Alaurm off stage since someone dragged Shakespeare into this) What, pray
> tell, is the
> > point of using humor in technical documentation whether it's translated
> or not?
>
> Presumably something like the point Shakespeare had in including humour in
> his tragedies and
> history plays:  to add to dramatic effect by entertaining the audience (god
> knows they could do with it
> in most technical tomes) and at times, to add point to the main (serious)
> themes of his writing.  As well as a chance for
> the audience to show their appreciation or otherwise by throwing fruit at
> the actors.
>
> Or, as in the case of "X for Dummies"  and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to
> X", to reassure the reader that
> the man behind the curtain is a human after all, and that they can approach
> a serious subject without having to
> feel like they're attending one continuous funeral.    Translated
> everywhere around the world, making more
> money than most tech authors, and communicating with a bigger readership.
>
> >Is it
> > really to give the bored technical writer something else to do? I suspect
> it is.
>
> Maybe more a case of a technical writer getting bored with boring content
> that gets nowhere with the readership.
> Most tech writing doesn't get read anyway, so maybe it doesn't matter all
> that much?
>
> > What possible benefit to the user or the product could adding humor
> bring?
>
> Waking them up might sometimes help.   Some people read better that way.
>
> >Am I now
> > expected to entertain the user as well?
>
> No one has yet  suggested it was compulsory.    I've suggested it simply
> shouldn't be banned as an option -- occasional or otherwise.
> Take your choice.  It's a free world.
>
> >I hear Jerry Seinfeld
> > has about 93 Porches.
>
> Er, sorry about this ....<joke incoming>...That's either a lot of ways in
> or just a helluva big house.
>
> > And as an idea why not add a little technical writing into comedy
> > writing, you know George and Jerry and Elaine sitting in a coffee shop
> discussing how
> > to configure an Oracle database or something...
>
> Maybe it has been done. Didn't I see a TV series recently based around a
> family who ran a funeral parlour ?
>
>
>
> -Peter M
>  peterm_5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> **************************************************
> To view the austechwriter archives, go to
> www.freelists.org/archives/austechwriter
>
> To unsubscribe, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with
> "unsubscribe" in the Subject field (without quotes).
>
> To manage your subscription (e.g., set and unset DIGEST and VACATION modes)
> go to www.freelists.org/list/austechwriter
>
> To contact the list administrator, send a message to
> austechwriter-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> **************************************************
>



-- 
Bob Trussler
Phone  0418 661 462

Other related posts: