[rceDia]

"....it also deftly reveals the critical importance of translation and of interpreters – for without them neither cross-cultural interactions nor cross-cultural understanding can even begin."

Sometimes it can be humorous. Read a label on a package of potpourri in a dollar store: "Scented Kitchen Odors".

[WJW]

I'm reminded of the mandatory "cultural awareness" training for UN Military Observers about to be deployed to some warzone. While it seems like the most boring thing ever, it was a lot of fun. Even for cultures that are seemingly not very far apart like the English and the Dutch, it is so easy to make a mistake about the intended meaning vs the actual meaning. In some way it is even more pernicious than interacting with cultures that are "obviously" different, because it will lull you into thinking you don't have to be on your guard.

Example: When an Englishman calls an idea "interesting", he thinks it is horrible. A Dutch person hearing "interesting" will interpret as the other person indeed being interested and will follow up on it later.

[ben_w]

“Great Britain and the USA: two countries separated by a common language” (or similar) comes to mind.

So many examples come to mind. On a seasonal theme: mince pies in the U.K., which are filled with mincemeat. Mince pies are a sweet vegetarian snack, because “mincemeat” isn’t “minced meat”.

Conversely, “biscuits in gravy”…

USA: https://daisysworld.net/2012/01/25/buttermilk-biscuits-and-g...

U.K.: https://old.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/65dg0d/americans_i_ha...

[somesortofsystm]

As an English-native speaker living in a German-speaking state, I can assure you that the need for translation and interpretation can often be matter of daily survival.

But it is always delightful to see the 'fringe of language' right on the edge, where the other side collide with our nonsense, too.

It is especially beautiful to see this feathery discord, where borrowed words are lobbed like thieved apples and think "ach, du, ge' ma' hin, mir ist wurscht"..