LOST IN TRANSLATION II

From Reader's Digest

Arika Okrent

From Mental Floss

 

Modest mistakes can have funny - and serious - consequences

"CHOCOLATES FOR HIM"

In the 1950's, when chocolate companies began encouraging people in Japan to celebrate Valentine's Day, a mis-translation from one candy maker conveyed the message that it was customary for women to give chocolate to men on the holiday. And that's what they do to this day. On February 14, women shower their men with treats, and on March 14, the men return the favor.

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"WE WILL BURY YOU"

During the Cold War, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev gave a speech in which he uttered a phrase that was interpreted from Russian as, "We will bury you." The statement escalated the tension between the United States and the Soviet Union. However, the translation was a bit too literal. The more accurate sense of the Russian phrase was, "We will outlast you." Still not exactly friendly, but not quite so threatening.