Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Second Life = Tower of Babel...?

We can sometimes be lost with the multitude of languages used in Second Life.

Some tools exist to help us translate what we do not understand, nevertheless if we can translate Chinese into English it will be difficult to communicate with a Chinese who does not speak English.

It is why many people are staying within the same community, French with French, Spanish with Spanish, Japanese with Japanese, etc.

And Americans with Americans, English with English, Irish with Irish, etc. (just joking;)

In Second Life there is an item, the Babbler, that translates immediately what you are writing on the keyboard (sorry I don't remember who gave me this tool and I don't know who is its creator, but many thanks to Paty who helped me to operate this tool)

If you want to have fun you can try and translate a simple sentence, like "Salut! Je m'appelle Sofian et je vous embrasse très fort!"

In English: Hello! I am called Sofian and I kiss you extremely très!

Hum...

Let's try first from English with "Hello! I am Sofian and I send you a French kiss!"

In French : Bonjour ! Je suis Sofian et je vous envoie un baiser français !

In German : Hallo! Ich bin Sofian und ich schicke Ihnen einen französischen Kuß!

In Spanish : ¡Hola! ¡Soy Sofian y le envío un beso francés!

In Italian : Ciao! Sono Sofian e vi trasmetto un bacio francese!

In Pirate : Ahoy! I be Sofian 'n I send ye a French kiss! Shiver me timbers!

In Japanese : こんにちは! 私はSofian であり、フランスの接吻を送る!

In Chinese : 你好! 我是Sofian 并且我寄发您法国亲吻!

In Dutch : Hello! Ik ben Sofian en ik verzend u een Franse kus!

In Portuguese : Hello! Eu sou Sofian e eu emito-lhe um beijo francês!

In English : er...

And many thanks again to Paty for his help:)

The English have no respect for their language, and will not teach their children to speak it.
George Bernard Shaw, Pygmalion (1916) preface, Irish dramatist & socialist (1856 - 1950)

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