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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Page 1 of 2 1 2 FiddleFaddle #135308 11/18/04 12:34 PM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 P plutarch OP veteran OP plutarch veteran P Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 Zed started a neat thread "Hmmm" inviting people to post examples of words imported into english, such as "macho", which have an inflection in the original language which would produce comical results if that inflection were associated with the english usage. Here's what Zed says about "macho": One of my favorites was a very old Spanish English dictionary that translated the Spanish word macho as i) masculine, ii) a male mule or iii) a very stupid man. I personally regretted that I couldn't respond to Zed's challenge because I am not proficient in any language other than english. I did a little search on the Internet and came up with the tale about the CIA using an early computer to translate Russian. The CIA director tested the translation program himself by entering the phrase "out of sight, out of mind" into the computer. He obtained the Russian translation and then fed the Russian translation back to himself in english. The result: "invisible insanity". Altho this story is said to be apocryphal, it sounded plausible so I decided to see what would happen if I followed the same approach using AltaVista's "babelfish". I entered "out of sight" for translation into Spanish and I got "fuera de vista". Then I entered "fuera de vista" for translation into English and I got "outside Vista". Now here's a game anyone can play, and it is sure to produce some very interesting results. "outside Vista" is just the beginning. I am going to call this game "FiddleFaddle", at least for now. It is not as cerebral as Zed's game, I concede. Since I am probably the only one on this Board who can't play Zed's game, I may end up playing FiddleFaddle by myself. [It wouldn't be the first time. No matter. I have lots of "sock puppets" to keep me company. ] Hmmm. I wonder how "sock puppets" would FiddleFaddle? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: FiddleFaddle #135309 11/18/04 01:10 PM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 P plutarch OP veteran OP plutarch veteran P Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 Hmmm. I wonder how "sock puppets" would FiddleFaddle? Babelfish results for "sock puppets": English to Spanish: "marionetas del calcetin" Spanish back to English: "marionettes of the sock". Hmmm. It doesn't exactly knock my socks off. "Live it up" becomes "it lives for above". [I may have trouble living this down. ] Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: FiddleFaddle #135310 11/19/04 10:52 AM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 P plutarch OP veteran OP plutarch veteran P Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 I thought I would give Babel Fish one more try by FiddleFaddling some book or play titles or wise sayings. [Mostly Babel Fish cheats by repeating at least one of the words to be translated in both languages.] FiddleFaddle results for: "Long Day's Journey into Night" becomes: "Long trip of day's in night" Now we're getting somewhere! I've had a few nights like that myself. "A penny saved is a penny earned" becomes: "A saved penny is a gained penny" Hmmm. All of a sudden, our maxim sounds a little Benjamin Franklinesque. The work ethic of Ben's day ["early to bed, early to rise", and all that Puritan claptrap) has gone the way of the Dodo bird. "Earn my keep?", you've got to be kidding! Show me the $$$$!!! I think the Spanish translation has got it right. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: FiddleFaddle #135311 11/20/04 12:48 PM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 P plutarch OP veteran OP plutarch veteran P Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 OK, let's play FaddleFiddle and see if that attracts any interest ... other than my own. [I feel like the after-dinner speaker in a roomful of post-prandial narcoleptics. ] I give you the "FiddleFaddle" result of a popular phrase or aphorism or book title or whatever, and you guess the original input. Here's an easy one to get started: FiddleFaddle result: Do my day. Original input: Make my day. OK, now we're ready to play FaddleFiddle. FiddleFaddle result (Sp/Eng): "upon, upon and far" Original input: ??? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: FiddleFaddle #135312 11/20/04 01:03 PM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 247 W wordminstrel enthusiast wordminstrel enthusiast W Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 247 FaddleFiddle this, Plutarch. Your mother uses shippers of the army. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: FiddleFaddle #135313 11/20/04 01:28 PM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 P plutarch OP veteran OP plutarch veteran P Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 Take a length walk of a short wharf, Wordminstrel. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: FiddleFaddle #135314 11/20/04 01:34 PM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 247 W wordminstrel enthusiast wordminstrel enthusiast W Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 247 It raises yours, Plutarch. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: FiddleFaddle #135315 11/20/04 08:58 PM Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,624 Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok Capfka Pooh-Bah Capfka Pooh-Bah Joined: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,624 Utter Placebo, Planet Reebok Twat Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter scat's got your tongue? #135316 11/20/04 11:42 PM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 P plutarch OP veteran OP plutarch veteran P Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 Thanks for keeping the thread going, Capfka. It had pretty much petered out. I've seen you use that word several times before. It's becoming a signature. What's the problem? Scat's got your tongue? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: FiddleFaddle #135317 11/21/04 04:34 PM Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 P plutarch OP veteran OP plutarch veteran P Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 1,385 Capfka: The word you have chosen to repeat again and again without provocation or encouragement, and now once again on another thread ["Laika"], is not one I personally would use in polite company, and, in fact, it is not one I would choose to use at all ... except now, upon considerable reflection, in reference to you --- because it is your chosen signature, and, more importantly, because you have chosen your signature most fittingly. Henceforth, whenever I see you post anywhere, I will think of you by your signature. But I will not demean myself or this Board by actually using it. If, however, you have it within you to apologize, not to me but to the Board, I will cleanse my mind of the memory of your persistent obtuseness. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Page 1 of 2 1 2 Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. 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