Off topic: Plain English Awards and corporate gobbledegook Thread poster: James Calder
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James Calder 
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:40
Spanish to English
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Hi everyone,
The Plain English Awards have just been announced along with the eight finest examples of corporate gibberish detected this year.
Here's the link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4072487.stm
Just imagine having to translate it!
James
| | | | | Further reading on gobbledegook | Dec 6, 2004 |
Thank you for posting this, James. It's one of my favorite topics.
A fine writer on the English language, Richard Mitchell, in "Less Than Words Can Say", writes: "The propensity for borrowed jargon is always a mark of limited ability in the technique of discursive thought. It comes from a poor education. A poor education is not simply a matter of thinking that components and elements might just as well be called factors; it is the inability to manipulate that elaborate symbol system... See more Thank you for posting this, James. It's one of my favorite topics.
A fine writer on the English language, Richard Mitchell, in "Less Than Words Can Say", writes: "The propensity for borrowed jargon is always a mark of limited ability in the technique of discursive thought. It comes from a poor education. A poor education is not simply a matter of thinking that components and elements might just as well be called factors; it is the inability to manipulate that elaborate symbol system that permits us to make fine distinctions among such things."
http://www.proz.com/post/93623#93623
http://www.proz.com/post/48243#48243
http://www.proz.com/post/96658#96658 ▲ Collapse
| | | | Andy Watkinson
Spain
Local time: 18:40
Member
Catalan to English
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\"In the Nuts (Unground) (Other than Groundnuts) Order, the expression nuts shall have reference to such nuts, other than groundnuts, as would, but for this Amending Order, not qualify as nuts (Unground) (Other than Groundnuts) by reason of their being nuts (Unground).
| | | | IanW (X)
Local time: 18:40
German to English
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| A ProZ version? | Dec 7, 2004 |
How about our own version: the ProZ Plain Language awards? If nothing else, it's a good way of letting off steam ...
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| Home Sweet Home | Dec 7, 2004 |
You're all making me homesick! I'm proud to say the Plain English Campaign is all done from my little hometown of 9000 people, New Mills (also famous for being the home of ghastly Swizzels sweets). It's housed in what was the local Conservative Club - UK translators will see the irony. Anyway, I think Blaise Pascal summed it up best:
I have made this [letter] longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter.
Blaise Pascal, "Lettres provinciales", letter 16,... See more You're all making me homesick! I'm proud to say the Plain English Campaign is all done from my little hometown of 9000 people, New Mills (also famous for being the home of ghastly Swizzels sweets). It's housed in what was the local Conservative Club - UK translators will see the irony. Anyway, I think Blaise Pascal summed it up best:
I have made this [letter] longer, because I have not had the time to make it shorter.
Blaise Pascal, "Lettres provinciales", letter 16, 1657
Liz Sumner
www.polaris-translation.co.uk ▲ Collapse
| | | | sylvie malich (X)
Germany
Local time: 18:40
German to English
| Here's the perfect tool | Dec 7, 2004 |
I remembered this link and thought I'd share it with those who need help getting the right bullshit phrase.
Dilbert Gobbledygook generator
http://www.strauss.za.com/sla/newspeak.html
syl
| | | | James Calder
United Kingdom
Local time: 17:40
Spanish to English
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TOPIC STARTER | Jaakko
Local time: 19:40
English to Finnish
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| Purpose of writing | Dec 8, 2004 |
You have convinced me that the purpose of writing is to inflate weak ideas, obscure poor reasoning, and inhibit clarity!
Whit this great tool it is now so easy to turn everything I write into intimidating and inpenetrable fog!
Thank you!
Jaakko
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