Is it FUNNY or SAD?

[Robert]

Go to the English version of the official site for the Pan Am's http://santodomingo2003.com
Click on the section that gives you the news.

It appears they are using Babelfish the online translator to go from Spanish to English for the news. It's very funny to read by sad that the official site resorts to using this method.

I don't understand these people, have they no pride in their work?
Do they realize how embarrassing this is?

I would love to know how much they got to do the official site?
Pity it never went out to tender, then again, what's new...

[GRS]

It is a really bad translation. It provides all the gramatical errors known to the language. I'm no expert, but at least they could hire someone with experience on this matters. Well, that's how dominican people work..

[Chris]

At times it is funny, at times it is sad, but mostly it is just bad...

Here is a funny one ----

"President Mejía promotes Juana Arrendell

President Hipólito Mejía, announced that the medallista of gold in jump high Juana Arrendell will be promoted to greater of the National army, where his rank era of captain, to the time to mean that this woman will happen to the history of the Dominican sport."

[CaribbeanGeorge]

Sad but true...

Argentina overcame Tuesday 2-1 to Colombia to classify Tuesday to the end of the soccer of the Pan-American Games thanks to a gold goal of Cangele Franc to the seven minutes of extends.

that means the final ????the end of the soccer of the Pan-American Games

[Porfio_Rubirosa]

I have it on good authority that the official web site contract went to the well-known digital graphics firm of Cross - Renta - Albuquerque - Mejia Productions ("C-R-A-MP"). Because this was the only "qualified" firm on the island, public bidding was not appropriate. Though it cost RD$18,000,000, it was paid for with a Baninter credit card.

[mondongo]

"The feminine equipment of Argentina, jumps "....reads the caption under the picture of Argentina's victorious team....

Mejia holds on to the gold as the "Shock Jock of Stupidity".....every day he shocks me....what great entertainment....the consistency...marvelous

[El Jefe]

Me thinks they fired Mejia and now it's just C-R-A-P

El Jefe lurking...

[Jane J.]

This isn't about the translation fiasco, but still fits under the category of "funny or sad"...

From an article about Clara Hughes, Canadian cyclist at the Pan Ams:

*********************************************

"The course was really gross," laughed Hughes. "There was garbage everywhere.

"I was dodging pop bottles blowing across the road and plastic bags. It was interesting."

There was no electronic timing. All the times were recorded by hand.

Prior to the women's race Jean-Francois Laroche of Magog, Que., was hit by a car warming up for the men's event.

He wasn't injured and finished 15th in his race.

"You'd think it (the street) would be closed," said Hughes. "I don't think a lot of people know there was a race on.

*********************************************

The times were recorded by HAND? Someone was hit by a CAR?

[chicker]

It warms up, warms up. the Pan-American Games are burned

"Until Pedro, Dominican and capital genuine it affirms that a heat does not remember like this in Santo Domingo and the sweat of the forehead is dried, while is felt sorry of the cyclists who pedalean to total sun 20, 50 and more kilometers. "


Oh man, is this what I sound like speaking spanish?!?

I gotta admit, it really takes some cojones to pass this off as the english "version" of the news from the official Pan American Games website. Gad. I frequent a LOT of bilingual websites. I have never seen anybody try to pull this off. Funny or sad, indeed.

Fortunately, the site probably doesn't get a lot of hits from the english-speaking world.

[mondongo]

Robert....you might want to look at the DR1 News Home page today.