Saturday, February 03, 2007

Lisa, drink the water


I have some issues with the translation on this sign.

In English, it advises that we're entering a "wetlands restoration (area) with reclaimed water," and further advises "people and pets (to) please stay out of the wetlands restoration area."

In Spanish, we learn that "the water is not drinkable" and "plants are not for human consumption."

So, why the discrepancy in the sign? Are we to assume that anyone who speaks English can intuit that "reclaimed water" might not be the best to drink? Or, are we to assume that Spanish speakers are disproportionally predisposed to drinking wetlands water and consuming wetlands plants?

What I really want to know now is what the Chinese translation says. "Drink up?"

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