Comments on: prefixes are my nemesis http://heyhelen.com/2009/07/prefixes-are-my-nemesis/ Science Writer Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:01:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Helen Fields » Blog Archive » oh golly http://heyhelen.com/2009/07/prefixes-are-my-nemesis/comment-page-1/#comment-504 Helen Fields » Blog Archive » oh golly Mon, 31 Aug 2009 22:35:34 +0000 http://heyhelen.com/?p=617#comment-504 [...] a severely limited vocabulary and was probably also raised by wolves (see example of corrections here). Of course, everyone here reads English perfectly well and I’m sure I’ll be able to [...] [...] a severely limited vocabulary and was probably also raised by wolves (see example of corrections here). Of course, everyone here reads English perfectly well and I’m sure I’ll be able to [...]

]]> By: Helen http://heyhelen.com/2009/07/prefixes-are-my-nemesis/comment-page-1/#comment-468 Helen Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:02:01 +0000 http://heyhelen.com/?p=617#comment-468 Yep - it was decalcify. The sentiment I was going for was "Oh well, at least now I don't have to decalcify the kettle." I was mostly amused that we learned the word "decalcify." Yep – it was decalcify. The sentiment I was going for was “Oh well, at least now I don’t have to decalcify the kettle.” I was mostly amused that we learned the word “decalcify.”

]]> By: Erin http://heyhelen.com/2009/07/prefixes-are-my-nemesis/comment-page-1/#comment-467 Erin Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:41:42 +0000 http://heyhelen.com/?p=617#comment-467 According to Google Translate: The woman sitting next to the phone. They expected a call. When they leave the house has burned it. Is there a house? If they can go home? The phone sounds. She sees it. She takes it off. The answer: destroy. There is no house anymore. "Well," thinks the woman. "Now it is not necessary for the boiler to decalcify." I followed it until 'decalcify.' That's pretty specific for a seemingly bad translation. What was the original word? According to Google Translate:

The woman sitting next to the phone. They expected a call. When they leave the house has burned it. Is there a house? If they can go home? The phone sounds. She sees it. She takes it off. The answer: destroy. There is no house anymore. “Well,” thinks the woman. “Now it is not necessary for the boiler to decalcify.”

I followed it until ‘decalcify.’ That’s pretty specific for a seemingly bad translation. What was the original word?

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