Just before last break, the Arts Undergraduate Society advertised a free breakfast. What you might have missed if you were an anglophone student is the promise that the breakfast would make you cum: “Enjoy a free breakfast” was woefully translated as “Jouissez d’un déjeuner gratuit.” Though the pressure has mounted, AUS’s VP Communications Adil Kattrak has not changed translators, has not further explained the qualifications of the one he has chosen, and has not told us why this translator, who so clearly does not understand what his or her job is, deserves our money.
In order to make Mr. Kattrak understand, I have undertaken an experiment in re-translation. Taking this week’s listserv as my base material, I have re-translated from the French back into English AUS’s weekly message, reproducing as much as possible the same kinds of errors made in French in this second English version. For example, if there was a major spelling error, I reproduced one in English; a major error in grammar yielded a similarly large error in English. Some less tangible mistakes (switching between nous and on in the same paragraph, for example) led me to more creative English faults. You get the picture.
Hi Everyone!
Happy Year!
At SSMU, we are all very enthusiast on the subject of this new year and we believe it’ll be full of fantastic events and agreeable moments. Here are some good ways to begin the year and to familiarize yourself anew with your friends. We hopes to see you there!
AUS Announcements
Are you passionated by what you study? […] Become a tutor! […] If tat interests you, kindly contact Claudette van Zyl […].
Are you interesting in getting hired at McGill? Would you like to make all the difference? Join the Academic Affairs Committee! […] If tat interests you, kindly contact Claudette van Zyl […].
Stumble across Montreal in an epic tour of the bus led by SSMU and AÉFG!
Are you in a musical group? Do you perform? Does you or your group do something artistic or creatif? If the answer to a of these questions is “yes,” your club should get involved in one of the creative, fantastic, most interactive events of the year! […] If tat interests you, or if you’d love to know more, kindly send an email to […].
Departmental Announcements
On n’a même pas traduit le titre de cette annonce! […] Come listen to your favourite political sciences professors, economy, geography, history, sociology, and much more, to tell some interesting or amusing anecdotes about their working or a studies in the domain. It’s a good opportunity to familiarize yourself with your profs and their research interests. […] Be over there – Thursday 16 january 5:30 Leacock 232.
The Committee Integrating the Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASiC) is in the middle of publishing the second tome of Ampersand, a journal of bachelor’s students’ handwriting worrying about subjects that integrate the arts and the sciences. […] The texts must be interesting, clearly written, well-cited, they must have earned a grade of A or A-, and they must be available to those who don’t know deeply the domain about which they act on themselves.
[…] ARAB COFFEE BREAK. […] [Encore une partie qu’on n’a pas traduite ! Et pourquoi ? Parce qu’il y avait un jeu de mots ? On ne se sentait pas à la hauteur de rendre cette blague en français ?] […]
Are you looking to get published? Dorot, the jewish Studies journal for Bachelor’s students is looking for texts for its 2009 edition.
Other announcements
[…] Are you interesting in learning first aid or CPR? The competencies can be very useful and might touch your CV nicely! […] The courses cost 85,00$ per person, which includes a manual of CPR and Red Cross Canadian. […] If you would love to register in a course, kindly email […]
“Féminisme et le Au-delà” is the bulletin of the International Day of Women, creates by the borderless women. […] We’re on the look-out for your submissions basing in the problems of feminism (max. 500 words) […]. The submissions we’d like to receive could be guided by the following questions: 1) How do we (evil) interpret feminism in the public domain? 2) How have feminist initiatives collaborateds with in our worldwide society? 3) Your experience, some ideas, the initiatives!
Women in Parliament is a trip entirely subsidized to Ottawa. Participants will have the chance to […] make contact with interested or implicated in politics women.
[…] Leave us to know that you come!
William Burton is a U3 Lettres et traduction françaises student, and a member of AGELF (Association générale des étudiantes et étudiants de langue et littérature françaises). Write well to william.burton2@mail.mcgill.ca.