I commonly get emails from my department or the university that are entirely written in Japanese. To figure out what the emails are about and if they're relevant to me, I copy and paste the content of the emails into Google Translate.
Generally speaking, I can figure out what the email is about, although it usually takes some thinking. Google Translate's translations are like poetry-- beautiful imagery but often obscure. People's names get translated into the meaning of their names (for example, I often get emails from "Hanging Village" and "Constant Pond"). Also, when I copy and paste directly from my email program, sentences get broken up into segments, with a "return" where ever the line ended at the edge of the email window.
I wanted to share this email translation from a few days ago that I never figured out what it was about. Pure poetry.
Our
It is a hawk.
Also this year, many now care.
Thank you again next year.
From now on, you do not have relationships, please ignore.
The fee H23.12.28.
Prorated, so tedious,
I drink alcohol: 1,000 yen
I drank alcohol: 2,500 yen
And we will.
In addition,
The recovery of my reasons, or January 04, I can come to after January 10.
Is over. Thank you.
Happy New Year!
-Bre
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
update Jan 5th
Here's another awesome translation from this afternoon
---------------------
Contents of the message board contact
-------------------------------------------------- ------------------
Contact the board (from the engagement announcement Buildings) has been updated.
Dear Student Teachers
(Excluding official North Campus)
Have been cycled through the Department of Sanitation has already patrol the university administrators, health administrators
All rooms have more (limited to the room were admitted) shall receive the contact round the
And only.
For, there is a problem in seismic conditions of this patrol is needed reinforcement
For rooms identified as future research contractors target room
I do, and thank you for your cooperation.
As the study period, we are starting next week between the end of this month, the accompanying
Refer to the list, and will turn around. Admitted during the study subgraph tree in
Was about the room, will ask some other day.
In addition, not in the room in this survey, seismic reinforcement is required
If there are other possible shelves and cylinder mount, room number, etc. Information
Accompanied, please contact our staff by e-mail Buildings.
-------------------------------------------------- ---------
This is great! But did you go to a party on Dec 28, and did you drink alcohol? If so, you may owe this person 2500 yen... [that's my guess for part of it, but "so tedious".... :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot like poetry - though perhaps something written by a Beatnik...
ReplyDeleteI'm intensely curious what it was really about, too!
ReplyDeleteI suspect Jody's right about the party email. I can explain some bits:
ReplyDelete- "H23" is 2011 in the Japanese calendar (23rd year of the Heisei reign).
- The first couple lines are almost certainly the usual "Happy new year; let's get along well this coming year too" greeting. I don't get the hawk part.
- The "relationships" bit is likely "please ignore the following if it doesn't relate to you."
- The "tedious" bit is probably an oblique apology for the hassle of giving you options and making you think.
That was awesome. I like the "And we will" for the drink alcohol :)
ReplyDeleteMay 2012 bring "improved seismic reinforcements" for all and a recovery of our reasons after January 10th. Thank you again next year for posting this.
ReplyDelete