7 Hilarious Machine Translation Mistakes 

There are more than 7,000 languages worldwide, of which English is the most popular. So, how do people who speak different languages communicate? A convenient way for people from two different language regions to communicate is to use English. Although it is common to use a machine translation program to translate content into different languages, many times these programs are not that smart. Below are some funny examples of machine translation fails that demonstrate the importance of hiring human translation services.

 

Machine Translation Failure #1: “Get Fat”

One crucial strategy for companies entering new markets is to respect local cultures Without understanding the applications and uses of language and culture, companies are unlikely to connect with global audiences

Nike released a new shoe design known as the Special Edition Air Force 1 to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The shoes were customized to display two Chinese characters. On one shoe is the character “fa,” which means getting rich, and on the other shoe, the character “fu,” which means luck in traditional Chinese. However, when the two characters are combined, a different message is shown: “get fat.” It seems that Nike did not get the key to Chinese translation.

 

 

 

Machine Translation Failure #2: Paul Is Dead

An Arabic hotel was trying to advertise a new dish. In Arabic, the characters were supposed to translate to “meatballs”. However, it became mistranslated to a funny little sign declaring “Paul is dead”, demonstrating the importance of investing in professional business translation services. Hope there is no Paul at the table to enjoy his meal.

 

 

Machine Translation Failure #3: “To Arrival Hole”

Here is an Arabic road sign. It may confuse English-speaking guests and lead them to a hole…

 

 

Machine Translation Failure #4: “Panic Carefully”

Interesting door sign! The Japanese sign is meant to indicate the “Evacuation Ladder”. However, it was mistranslated into “Panic Carefully”.

 

Machine Translation Failure #5: “Do Not Cry”

In English, the Spanish phrase, “No Gritar”, means “Do Not Yell”. However, it was mistranslated into “Do Not Cry.”

 

 

Machine Translation Failure #6: No Smoking Signs

The no smoking sign is common in public places. However, it is often mistranslated in funny ways.

“No smoking Aloud”? So, may I smoke quietly?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poor Moose… Does it smoke?

 

 

 

 

 

 

“No SMOCKing”!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Than Q”for understanding!

 

 

Translation Failure #7: Translate Server Error

Have you ever used Google Translate? Usually, you can get find you’re looking for. But sometimes, you end up with something completely wrong.

The two Chinese characters mean dining hall. However, translation server error happened…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While machine translation is sometimes helpful, it needs to be properly reviewed by skilled linguists. To avoid these mistakes, choose a professional translation service! We provide Chinese translation services, Arabic translation services, Japanese translation services, and more!