Picked up a nifty little portable light at a sale the other day, but not because I was impressed by the French translation. In fact it is awful. I thought I would point out just a few of the bloopers. On side A - the generic name of the product 1 Watt LED Head Light was transformed in a Light with a head. In addition, LED does have a French equivalent = DEL (diode électroluminescente).
Dans le sous-titre on trouve Bande de tête élastique ajustable – que doivent donc faire les gens qui ont la tête dure? Le fait que l’appareil est hydrofuge ne semble pas avoir mérité une traduction. La note sur la longueur du fonctionnement est de syntaxe anglaise.
On side B, adjectives qualifying nouns do not have proper endings.
Ampoules lumineuse (s?)
Ampoules blanche(s) several bulbs but the adjective is in singular form.
Bouton de pression control 4 modes de lumière – could not translate this word? - No problem, just leave it in English, customers will understand!
Flashing signal (press ON button for 2 sec) - Signal clignotant (appuyez SUR bouton pour 2 sec.)
There is no button with the marking SUR on the device– it is the on/off button! French could have said “appuyez sur l’interrupteur pendant 2 sec”.
A French-speaking customer who absolutely needs the light will buy it, but someone undecided will definitely be put off by the mistakes and the sloppy rendering. Who will be blamed – the importer, China?
World Famous Sales (Concord, Ont). who is looking after your packaging translations?
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