The Italian government (just before it fell) launched with great fanfare italia.it, the country’s new tourism portal, along with a logo which:
- looks like the winner from an elementary school drawing competition
- is uncomfortably similar to the logo of Logitech
- in no way represents Italy
- includes a slogan ("Italy leaves a mark") which reminds me of the tourism campaign Spain has been running for years (that one with people sporting Dali’ mustaches) - didn’t it have exactly the same slogan?
As for the website… oh, dear god. They reportedly spent 45 MILLION euros for a site that lacks basic features (such as an RSS feed) that we have come to expect from a modern website. It has technical problems which anyone in Italy who knows anything about the web (and that’s a lot of us) is gleefully (and ruefully - our tax euros wasted!) tearing to bits.
Given my own skills and biases, what I first noticed was the English translation. Here’s a sample paragraph which I did not have to look hard to find:
For having more precise vision click on “+”: in this way it will be visualized an historical period in the detail.
For having, instead, one vision of entirety click on “-” and the period will be visualized a large historical period contain more events. The period comes shown in the Timeline to the right of the zoom: the blue bar will increase or decrease the dimension based on your choice.
This kind of laughably bad translation, like the manuals we so often see with Chinese electronics, gives the consumer no reassurance that there is anyone competent standing behind the product (the product, in this case, being Italy).
^ Someone else in need of a good translation service. The title on this clip in YouTube is "Rutelli inglese maccheronico" - Rutelli’s maccaronic English. Maccheronico (maccaroni-like) is the term Italians themselves use for heavily Italianized English (or other language).
Until a few weeks ago, I might have said that my Italian was good enough that I could translate an English text into decent Italian - not quickly, but I could do it, in fact had been asked to do it several times at the office (we have an office full of Italians, why ask me?).
Then we put this supposed skill of mine to the test. Ross is applying to attend Woodstock School next year. The application form includes recommendations to be done by various teachers and other people at her current school, none of whom (except the English teacher) reads or writes comfortably in English. So the form needed to be translated into Italian.
I took a first cut at it, and thought I had done a reasonably creditable job. Then Ross took it in hand, and came out with something completely different. I realized that my translation had been understandable, and grammatically fairly correct, but probably about as funny to a native Italian speaker as the text above is to a native English speaker.
Around the same time, Antonio, one of the delightful people I met at barCamp Roma, commented about me on his blog: Cavolo l’ho sentita zittire e mettere in riga decine di uomini con un italiano corretto, ma inglesissimo! - "Cavolo! I heard her shut up and straighten out dozens of men in very correct - but very English - Italian." Okay, I’m slightly embarassed about the shutting up and straightening out (not exactly my intention, but definitely my character). But the very correct and very English Italian… hmm.
I stand before you now, chastened and humbled: my Italian is good, but I sure as hell don’t speak or write like a native.
And this is a lesson that many Italians have yet to learn. Just because you can read and understand another language well, and maybe even translate well from that into your mother tongue, does not mean that you can translate in the other direction with comparable competence. If you need a text to sound professional and persuasive, leave it to an expert.
So… I’m looking for someone to translate my resumé into Italian…
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Learn Italian in Song: Una Donna per Amico
The late, great Lucio Battisti again, with lyrics by Mogol. This song was played as the Italian athletes entered the stadium during the opening ceremonies of the Torino Winter Olympics.
The title means “A Woman for a Friend,” but you need to pay attention to the subtleties: amico is the masculine form of the noun (a female friend should be amica), so title seems to say that the singer chose a woman rather than a man as his best buddy. The song is about the consequences of that choice.
Ti Amo vs. Ti Voglio Bene
Ti amo (I love you) is used far more rarely in Italian than in English; an Italian would more often say Ti voglio bene - which translates literally as the rather tepid “I wish you well,” but is usually more warmly intended. Teenagers abbreviate it (for SMS and autographs) TVB.
Ti voglio bene is also used of love among friends, including of the same sex, whereas ti amo is reserved for romantic love for a spouse, lover, or life partner.
As for the video… dig those 70s styles! Battisti was never seen before or since with that mustache - thank god!
A Woman for a Friend
Può darsi ch’io non sappia cosa dico, It’s possible that I don’t know what I’m saying
scegliendo te - una donna - per amico, Choosing you - a woman - for a friend
ma il mio mestiere è vivere la vita But my job is to live my life
che sia di tutti i giorni o sconosciuta; Whether it’s everyday (ordinary) or unknown
ti amo, forte, debole compagna I love you, strong weak companion
che qualche volta impara e a volte insegna. Who sometimes learns and sometimes teaches.
L’eccitazione è il sintomo d’amore Excitement is the symptom of love
al quale non sappiamo rinunciare. Which we don’t know how to give up
Le conseguenze spesso fan soffrire, The consequences often make [us] suffer
a turno ci dobbiamo consolare We take turns consoling each other
e tu amica cara mi consoli And you, dear friend, console me
perché ci ritroviamo sempre soli. Because we find ourselves always alone.
Ti sei innamorata di chi? You’re in love with who?
Troppo docile, non fa per te. Too docile - he’s not right for you.
Lo so, divento antipatico I know, I become antipatico*
ma è sempre meglio che ipocrita. But that’s always better than a hypocrite
D’accordo, fa come vuoi - i miei consigli mai. Okay, do as you please - my advice never!
Mi arrendo fa come vuoi I give up, do as you please
ci ritroviamo come al solito poi We’ll find ourselves as usual
Ma che disastro, io mi maledico But what a disaster, I curse myself
ho scelto te - una donna - per amico, I chose you - a woman - as a friend
ma il mio mestiere è vivere la vita But my job is to live my life
che sia di tutti i giorni o sconosciuta; Whether it’s everyday (ordinary) or unknown
ti odio forte, debole compagna I hate you, strong weak companion
che poche volte impara e troppo insegna. Who rarely learns and too often teaches.
Non c’è una gomma ancor che non si buchi. There’s still no tire [in the world] that doesn’t get punctured.
Il mastice sei tu, mia vecchia amica. You’re the [structure], my old friend
La pezza sono io, ma che vergogna. I’m the patch - shame on me!**
Che importa, tocca a te, avanti, sogna. What does it matter, it’s your turn, come on, dream
Ti amo, forte, debole compagna I love you, strong weak companion
che qualche volta impara e a volte insegna. Who sometimes learns and sometimes teaches.
Mi sono innamorato? Sì, un po’. Am I in love? Yes, a little.
Rincoglionito? Non dico no. Made stupid? I don’t deny it.
Per te son tutte un po’ squallide. According to you, they’re all a bit squalid.
La gelosia non è lecita. Jealousy is not allowed.
Quello che voglio lo sai, non mi fermerai You know what I want, you won’t stop me.
Che menagramo che sei, What a pain you are.
eventualmente*** puoi sempre ridere poi If need be you can always laugh, then…
Ma che disastro, io mi maledico…
* simpatico, antipatico - Simpatico is by now familiar enough to English speakers that it probably needs no explanation - which is good, because it’s hard to translate! Antipatico is its opposite.
** che vergogna, che peccato - Che vergogna literally means “What a shame,” but not in the English sense - for that, Italians would use Che peccato - “What a sin”, whereas che vergogna means that the subject is, or should be, deeply ashamed. Interesting, for a supposedly Catholic nation, that shame is stronger than sin!
*** eventualmente - Here’s an example of a “false friend” - a word so closely related to one in your own language that you think you know how to use it, but you’d be wrong. (Italians trip going the other way.) “Eventually” in English means “in the long run,” or “after some time.” Eventualmente in Italian means “if that should be the case”, “if need be”.