atw: Re: Censoring humour in translation (STIR)

I have one. I will try and dig it out. Cycling gear. Cleverly written safety
'suggestions' that convey the point without being preachy/lawery.

Regards;
Warren.

-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Peter Martin
Sent: Monday, 8 December 2008 08:20
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Censoring humour in translation (STIR)

Stuart Burnfield:
You should know that someone using your name wrote:
>> "Thou shalt not include humour in text for translation."
>>
> I agree with this, though I'd move the full stop after the word 
> "text". Don't make jokes--please! Not because of translation issues, 
> but because *you're probably not very good at it*. If you suspect you have
a flair for comedy, try making a living at it.

Not good enough as a justification of an absolute exclusionary rule of one
style of writing.  
That is covered by a more general rule :  "Don't write badly."    Which is
so valid it's pointless.   
  
If, for example, like advertising folks, I happen to manage to employ really
professional comedic writers to come up with suitable humour to include in
copy,  I can presumably overcome this objection.

Note that the rule is not "don't humorous material incompetently".   Or to
put it another way, it doesn't
say:  "Don't include vector graphics if you are not good at doing that. "It
says humour doesn't work, full stop.

(Which tempts me to simply state:  All absolute rules are crap. )
>
>> So here's a challenge:
>>
>> Will someone care to offer a clear example (other than Mickey's puns) 
>> of humour that clearly and demonstrably doesn't translate into +any+
other language ?
>>
>
> That's a pretty narrow test--that the humour won't translate into *any*
other language.
> Shouldn't the joke be required to translate into *all* the languages 
> that the manual/help system will be translated to?

Mmm... No.  If the rule is to be absolute as stated,  any given exception
breaks it and renders it inoperative.

But for the sake of argument, I'd be interested in hearing of any
(non-pun-type) joke that won't translate, as a starter. 
(I'm assuming translation is competent, and even things like "Irish"
/"Polish" jokes can be worked around.)


>
> Here's another challenge:
>
> Can anyone offer an example of humour that's actually funny, is good 
> technical writing, and can be translated readily into, say, Japanese,
Mandarin and the FIGS languages?
>

Ok.   I'm happy to start the ball rolling, with a bit of plagiarism (a.k.a.
literary citation) , although
your "escape clause" requirement "is good technical writing"  is going to be
arguable as hell, and 
should not in itself assume that no humour is "good technical writing".   

Try this one:  Assume it's an extract from a document on How To Be A
Technical Writer, to be used to illustrate the need for clarity of
expression and to emphasise the dangers of not getting that clarity. 

> Two hunters are out in the woods when one of them collapses: he 
> doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. The other takes 
> out his phone and calls the emergency services.
>
> He gasps: "My friend is dead! What can I do?" 
> The operator says: "Calm down, I can  help. First, let's make sure he's
dead." 
>There is a silence, then a gunshot is heard.
> Back on the phone, the caller says: "OK, now what?"

Which bit doesn't translate ?





-Peter M
 peterm_5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
   
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