Learning languages

[Markje]

I do not know where this should go really, but I was discussing the MVV and the requirement to learn dutch by the immigrants wishing to live in the NL permanently.

The topic rose that Dutch is one of the hardest languages in the world if not learnt natively.

Even Babelfish does not do well, I had a great laugh trying to translate an easy song-lyrics to English.

There is little ambiguity in the song text and absolutely no dutch "sayings/slang" messages.

Still, for fun, take a look at what babel fish says, translate this URL (song) to English:

babelfish.altavista.com choose "nederlands" to "English"

http://www.songteksten.net/lyrics/tekst/van_Dik_Hout/Stil_In_Mij.htm
http://www.songteksten.net/lyrics/tekst/Twan_Lijten/Puur_Op_Het_Gevoel.htm

For those interested, I would do a proper translation (to my best skills, I am not a professional of course).

[kleeb]

     I communicated with my future wife for about two years using online translators. It really makes you think about what words you are about to use. You need to use words that have a more precise meaning. You can't use idioms or slang. Many words have so many meanings that the translator could never know which one to use. I think it just picks the most common. I once got this message from Sveta " I am already bored on you". Of course my first thought was that she was bored with me. I looked in the English/Russian dictionary. Found the Russian word for bore. Then looked at the Russian/English dictionary and found that the same word also means "miss". She was saying that she misses me. What a relief. One of the funniest was when she wrote that she doesn't like to sew, but that sometimes it is necessary. The Russian word for sew is spelled with the letter for "SH' then I and T. It is pronounced like the English word "sheet".  The word translated "sh!t". I think the person who wrote the program thought it would be funny. It was.
     Every aspect of this process is an adventure.   Lee