It’s that spooky time of year again, and translation and interpretation services are particularly on our minds. As the ghosts of mistranslation and misinterpretation reappear, we remember some of the major translation fails that prominent brands have faced over the years, as well as instances where interpreters successfully navigated diplomatic challenges.
You might not recall all the details, but many food companies have had a bittersweet experience with their first market expansions due to mistranslations. For example, when Pepsi and KFC ventured into the Chinese market, they encountered significant missteps. The slogan “Come alive with the Pepsi generation” was translated into a much gloomier version: “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the grave.” Similarly, KFC’s signature phrase “Finger-licking good” took on a chilling meaning for Chinese consumers, translating to “eat your finger off.”
The auto industry has also had its share of translation nightmares. Ford faced a challenge in Belgium when their campaign used the term “body” to refer to cars, which inadvertently translated to “corpses.” This phrasing probably struck potential customers to think that their next car purchase would lead them to their final destination. Mercedes-Benz faced similar difficulties in China when their nickname, “Bensi,” was interpreted as “rush to ride,” a phrase that evoked a terrible fate in Mandarin. Fortunately, the German automaker rebranded it to “Benchi,” which means “run quickly as if flying.”
Another cringe-worthy campaign was launched by Pampers. While the idea of storks delivering babies might resonate warmly in Western cultures, it horrified the Japanese public. In Japan, the traditional image of a baby announcement features a giant peach carrying sleeping babies.
To prevent stories from launching into diplomatic turmoil, some interpreters go above and beyond to de-escalate situations.
In 2015, a remarkable incident occurred when an English interpreter at the United Nations was unexpectedly chosen to read the Iranian president’s speech. Mr. Fahr, a veteran interpretation service chief at the UN, recounted the event. When Hassan Rouhani, former president of Iran, took the stage, his designated English interpreter never arrived. “There was a problem with security or something, and she didn’t appear,” Mr. Fahr explained.
For context, delegates at the UN can deliver their speeches in any language they choose, with the stipulation that they must provide their own interpreter or a written translation. A pointer, who sits with the interpreter, helps by keeping track of where the speaker is in the speech.
“Our colleague in the English booth faced an impossible decision: either leave the President of a Member State speaking without interpretation or take the plunge and start reading from a translated text, even though she didn’t understand a word of what he was saying. She bravely chose to start reading and tried to keep pace with him. Halfway through the speech, the Farsi interpreter rushed in, panting and sweating, sat down, and took over the interpretation.”
Throughout their careers, UN interpreters encounter numerous challenges, including navigating accents, understanding vernacular deviations from speakers, and avoiding confusion between official terms. Their primary responsibility is to maintain the integrity of the original speech, a task that becomes increasingly difficult with the time constraints imposed on delegates. Currently, delegates are allowed only five minutes to deliver their speeches.
“We are working under extraordinarily difficult conditions these days because of the limited time that is given to the delegates,” Mr. Fahr concluded.
Now, what is your favorite extraordinary translation or interpretation story you would like to share?
