Wednesday, October 17, 2007

That's not what we meant

This was a sidenote in my reading assignment for homework.
Translating a product’s advertising slogan is especially tricky, because the product’s benefits have to be packed into just a few words. A poor translation can be embarrassing, as in the following examples:

Kentucky Fried Chicken’s slogan in English: Finger lickin’ good.
Meaning in Chinese translation: Eat your fingers off.

Otis Engineering Corporation’s slogan: Completion equipment.
Meaning in Russian translation: Equipment for orgasms.

Parker Pen Company’s slogan: Avoid embarrassment.
Meaning in Spanish translation: Avoid pregnancy.

Perdue Farms’ slogan: It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.
Meaning in Spanish translation: It takes a sexually excited man to make a chicken affectionate.

Thanks to Locker: Business and Administrative Communication, Seventh Edition

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