Thursday, August 28, 2008

Before you do not taste this video ...

So I was having a look at the link stats for the video I put up where we win Best Online Game at Leipzig, and noticed that a couple of French sites were linking to it: mondewarhammer.com; and mondespersistants.com.

Both of them used the same following text (I've taken out the accents):
"Elvish Parsley, Membre de Mythic, developpeur de Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, nous livre son resume en video de l'edition 2008, de la Games Convention de Leipzig.
Une seul chose a dire, avant que vous ne degustiez cette video: Quel dehanche M. Barnett."
Now, its been about 20 years since I scraped through my French GCSE with a "C" grade, so I'm pretty rusty, but I think that the two web sites in question actually think my real name is Elvish Parsley.

I'm sitting here giggling mischeviously just thinking about whether the French reporter gave the name a second thought, and why they thought it was more likely than the name Justin Webb, which is a perfectly good name btw. Someone on the BBC also has it, so it must be approved by the Queen or something.

That aside, I still wanted to know what they wrote, so, since the current extent of my French is "Je voudrais un Orangina s'il vous plait", I ran the text through Babel Fish and got:
"Elvish Parsely, member of Mythic, developer of Warhammer Online: Old Off Reckoning, delivers to us his summary in video of l'edition 2008, of the Ranges Convention of Leipzig.
One only thing to be said, before you do not taste this video: Which dehanche Mr Barnett."
As well as confirming that they did think that Elvish Parsley exists, clearly some of the words came out wonky - there's no need to translate Age or Reckoning, for example, but what really intrigues me (in an all-your-base-are-belong-to-us type of way) is the last sentence.

I really really want to know what dehanche means, and why I shouldn't taste it. A proper translation of the last sentence would be awesome too. Are there any native French speakers out there who can lend a hand?

6 comments:

arbitrary said...

I think it means to sway or swagger... but I'm no native French speaker.

ps. We'll be linking to your vids in our links post sooooon. It's in there, I just haven't hit publish yet! (mainly because I'm hurting that UK Games Day doesn't seem to count as a major event!)

Unknown said...

That is some funny stuff. Wish I could help with the translations, but alas, no use there. Keep up the great work Mr. Parsley! The behind the scenes videos are great!

One other question, is it too late to put your name in the credits of the game that way? = )

Snafzg said...

Pass the herb? :P

Unknown said...

google tranlate had this ti say.

"Elvish Parsley, Member of Mythic, developer Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, we book in his resume video of the 2008 edition of the Games Convention in Leipzig.
A single thing to say, before you degustiez this video: What dehanche Mr. Barnett. "

gaspardo said...

Hello,

The literal translation of the last part of that paragraph is : "Before you taste this video : what a shake, Mr Barnett".

The verb "déguster" means "to taste" or thereabouts (to eat slowly, savouring every bite), and "déhanché" denotes the swing of a person's hips which in this context refers to the dancing.

Also, the reason you should not taste it, although they really do want you to, is because automatic translation has some difficulties when it comes to the french "negative - wait, I mean positive - but you wrote a negative - it's positive I tell you" sentence construction".

Hope this helps clear up this culinary mystery, Me Parsley :)

Unknown said...

Feel free to read a lobbyist take on the EU W:AR beta launch over here (http://thegreenskin.com/2008/09/09/a-lesson-in-bad-customer-relations-management/)