THE INTERNET-- The creators of Babelfish, a language tool that translates text from a variety of different languages, have added two more valuable translations to its inventory, Canadian to American and American to Canadian. The new translation tools should help facilitate communication between the citizens of these two linguistically-independent nations.
Finally Americans and Canadians will be able to communicate with each other, using the power of Babelfish.
Before the implementation of the new language conversion system, Americans and Canadians were constantly misunderstood by their geographic neighbours [neighbors]. Interpreters and translation services provided adequate means of communication, but were mostly limited to government and large businesses because of costs. This communication barrier restricted trade between the two countries and the lack of communication resulted in poor economic relationships, ties which have become even more strained in recent years.
But now, with the addition of the Canadian/American translations, millions of North Americans will be able to exchange ideas, culture, and foreign concepts.
"I like to visit Canadian websites, like Canada.com and Canoe.ca, but until recently I couldn't understand the Canadian language well enough to be able to read the content," said Bob Rae from Ohio, who reads and writes fluently in American. "I could pick out the odd word or phrase that sounded American--enough to guess at the subject matter, and of course I looked at the pictures. Now, I just run the sites through Babelfish, and it translates foreign terms such as 'prime minister', 'free healthcare', and 'lacrosse' into words I can understand."
Although Babelfish is not a perfect tool, the new language options should open up a world of opportunity between the two obstructed nations. Internet users will soon be able to convert e-mails to either language, to the benefit of both the Canucks and the Yanks.
"I moved to the United States earlier this year, and I was struggling with the language eh?," said Kevin McCoullough, from Toronto. "I couldn't even buy a Slurpee without pointing, pantomiming, and sounding out American phrases phonetically. Each time I worried about offending the American clerk, and getting short-changed or perhaps even shot. With Babelfish, I can now function within American society, eh. Noo doobt aboot it. [Babelfish translation into American=There is absolutely no question about that.]"
Kelly Frost, a trilingual English professor who speaks fluent American, Canadian, and English, declares that the Babelfish service will definitely improve the understanding between Canada and the United States.
"But y'all know [Babelfish translation into Canadian=You all get it, eh] that it's probably not going to help Americans understand why Canadian football only has three downs," laughed Frost.
The term "Babelfish" originally came from Douglas Adam's Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Although it is not known if Mr. Adams ever learned to speak American.
"It won't be long before Canadians and Americans will be able to integrate into each other's society, without the communication difficulties they have now," said Frost. "One day, we may all speak the same language...eh?"
In recent years without Bob and Doug McKenzie, this is a service badly needed!
I figured out the translations for "Prime Minister" and "Lacrosse," but "Free Healthcare" has me baffled! I plugged it into Babelfish and it came back with "No American equivalent."
I also noticed "Air" had two different translations: In Canadian it said, "Invisible healthy gas containing oxygen." American said, "Brown tinted gas, slightly less hazardous than cigarette smoke."
Re: (O/T) Finally, it makes sense! (Chuck Gongloff)
Quote:
- Hosed (Beer Related) - noun(?) - extremely Drunk. "Man, was I hosed last night."
- Hoser, Hosehead (Canada Wide) - noun (arcane) - Slightly derogitory term popularised in the mid-Eighties by Dave Thomas and Rick Moranis when they conceived the characters Bob and Doug MacKenzie on the variety show SCTV2. No self respecting Canadian actually uses these terms anymore. Comparable to "Idiot" or "Moron".
Down here in Maryland, SOME people (not me, of course :) ) use the term "hose bag" or "hose mama" for a very UGLY woman. Could these endemic Maryland terms possibly be related to the Canadian term "hoser"? Chuck :D
Re: (O/T) Finally, it makes sense! (Chuck Gongloff)
Actually, a hoser is an oil drill rig job. Contemporary Canadian History 101~
When they're drilling for oil, they add section after section of pipe to the rig as the bit descended. To keep the bit from overheating and to carry off the material it removes, they pump water down the pipe and the tailings are channelled away, but, when they stop to add sections, the water usually backwashes and sprays granular mud all over the place.
This mud gets into the threads at the junctions where they're trying to add the new section, preventing it from winding on smoothly. The hoser stands and uses a hose to wash off the mud, trying not to soak everyone who is waiting impatiently for him to finish up so they can stuff another section onto the drill. Usually, hosers are the least skilled or, at least, the newest member of the crew, so they aren't, shall we say, universally admired.
Back in 1980/81, when the McKenzie Brothers were in their glory, the Canadian economy was in the toilet (thanks again, Trudeau) with the exception of the province of Alberta where the oil fields were being developed and the economy was booming. As a result, young men from across Canada all headed to Alberta, hoping to get jobs. Since most trades requires skills, many guys couldn't get the kind of jobs they would have liked. The oil companies paid fairly well but they worked horrible hours, up to 16 hour days, seven days a week for four weeks and then two weeks off, that kind of stuff.
A lot of guys worked a season or two and then headed back to wherever they came from. The expression "hoser" or "hosehead" (ie: the idiot at the head of the hose) became part of the Canadian lexicon and the McKenzie Brothers brought it 'main stream' on their show.
Mac, you're truly a fountain of useful information :) You've got to realize that most of us "down South" have learned all they know about Canada from the McKenzie Brothers, and the movie "Strange Brew". Chuck
Corvette Store
(O/T) Finally, it makes sense!
