Priyom to New York

When using any kind of translation helper--dictionary, Babel Fish or Google Translate - remember that if you don't know the target language, you should always have a native speaker take a look at the final product. Otherwise, your results might be as flamboyantly incompetent as those in this shop window, which I passed not long ago in midtown Manhattan.

To attract foreign tourists, the store's owners have tried to translate "Welcome" into a variety of languages. But in almost every case, they chose something inapt. Here they are, starting at the top left:

Welcome (English):  OK, this is right.

Empfang (German):  Nope. This is "welcome" in the sense of a reception, like "they received a fine welcome," or the reception area in a hotel. It can't be used to greet people. That would be Willkommen.

accueil (French):  Nope. This means "reception" or "greeting". They want bienvenue.

boas-vindas (Portuguese):  Nope. Boas-vindas is a noun used the phrase dar as boas-vindas, "to give a welcome". But they want bem-vindo.

прием, (priyom) (Russian):..

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Бизнесс-словарь

abandon [ ə'bændən ] оставлять, прекращать что-либо делать
apply for a job [ ə'plai fɔ: ə ʤɔb ] подать заявление о приеме на работу
appoint [ ə'pɔint ] назначать
appropriate [ ə'prəupriit ] подходящий
attitude [ 'ætitju:d ] позиция, отношение
Board of directors [ bɔ:d əv di'rektəz ] правление
booking [ 'bʋkɪŋ ] заказ
business entities [ 'biznis 'entitiz ] подразделения
carry out objectives [ 'kæri aut əb'ʤektivz ] to do or complete
comprise [ kəm'praiz ] включать в себя, состоять из
core business [ kɔ: 'biznis ] основной бизнес
covering letter [ 'kʌvəriŋ 'letə ] сопроводительное письмо

( ещё семь десятков слов... )

My Dear Girl

My dear girl, the day you see I’m getting old, I ask you to please be patient, but most of all, try to understand what I’m going through. If when we talk, I repeat the same thing a thousand times, don’t interrupt to say: “You said the same thing a minute ago”… Just listen, please. Try to remember the times when you were little and I would read the same story night after night until you would fall asleep.

* would для повторяющихся действий в прошлом

When I don’t want to take a bath, don’t be mad and don’t embarrass me. Remember when I had to run after you making excuses and trying to get you to take a shower when you were just a girl?

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