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From: dand@tekigm.UUCP (Dan C. Duval)
Newsgroups: net.jokes
Subject: more on funny Xlations
Message-ID: <36@tekigm.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 15-Dec-83 17:06:46 EST
Article-I.D.: tekigm.36
Posted: Thu Dec 15 17:06:46 1983
Date-Received: Sun, 18-Dec-83 06:19:45 EST
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 22

I've received mail from several people about "Teufelhund" (thank you Tom,
Dave, and ll[whoever that was]). Literally, "Teufelhund" is devil-dog, but
idiomatically, it connotes SOB, the same way "Du hast ein Vogel" connotes
"You're crazy" rather than the literal "You have a bird". You'll find many
references to US Marines as "Teufelhund" in WW I diaries from Ypres, and
you won't find the SOB connotation in Langenscheidt's, which might explain
why some publicity person allowed "Teufelhund" as a title.

From flame to joke:

General Motors couldn't figure out why the Chevy Nova wouldn't sell in
Latin America, until someone let them in on the idea that "No va"(or
something like that) means "Won't go" (no flames from Spanish speakers,
I do not grok Spanish, I'm just passing on the story).

There was also the computer program from France that non-technical translators
converted to English, so that some comments referred to "delousing" routines.
(Thanks Steve, for telling me this one).

Dan C Duval
(My VAX has lice!)