Looks like Google had a bit of an issue with their “Translate” site recently. It appears that for a period of time, their Ukrainian-to-Russian translation software was not exactly operating properly.
Well, either that or Russia has renamed itself “Mordor”. (smile) This article gives more details.
The issue is reportedly fixed now. I’d guess a few Ukrainian hackers were having fun.
My only comment on the matter is the title above. (smile)
One doesn’t simply walk out of Russia. In Soviet Mordor, Sauron walks into you.
His eye is upon you.
And Vlad Gollum crept up and slipped away with her… He-er !!!
The Ring is MINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“MY PRECIOUS!”
Vlad, go away and don’t come back!!!
In Soviet Russia, computer hacks YOU!
As long as they don’t become the Klingons.
But if you try to translate, “How to have fun on a day in Russia.” It still comes back with, “A Chechen in hand cuffs, a blow torch and pair of pliers.”
Kinda-sorta reminds me of an old story about prototype English-Russian translation software (it’s from a book I read in the 80’s; I don’t know when the story is from).
Supposedly, the testers fed proverbs into the English->Russian program, then retranslated Russian->English.
They started with “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
They got back, “The vodka is acceptable, but the meat is too tender.”
(No way can it be true but I like the story anyway.)
@ Alberich:
Actually, as a transliteration, that makes perfect sense.
Vodka is a spirit as in high proof alc. Meat is a flesh product.
Given what I’ve seen personally from some machine translator services from a circular translation (translate a phrase from language A to language B, then use the same software to translate the result back from B to A), Alberich – I find the story you relate somewhat unlikely but possible. You can get some REALLY weird results doing that.
Mark Twain found a French translation of his story “The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County” and translated it back into English. One of the funniest things I’ve ever read.