Off topic: Proofreading can be deadly... Thread poster: avsie (X)
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avsie (X) 
Local time: 09:23
English to French
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Can you believe this?
It definately made my day
| | | | RobinB
United States
Local time: 02:23
German to English
| avsie (X)
Local time: 09:23
English to French
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TOPIC STARTER | No reason to be sorry ;-) | Oct 22, 2004 |
No problem
The last sentence is the most important message I think
[Edited at 2004-10-22 11:02]
| | | | NancyLynn
Canada
Local time: 03:23
Member (2002)
French to English
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Moderator of this forum | Stiff negotiations | Oct 22, 2004 |
LOL Marie-Claude, true or not it made me laugh.
Actually I would think a corpse that ripe would emnit some sort of odour before 5 days, don`t you think?
Anyway, Here is another story to tickle you: Your stiff upper lip could cost you your life.
True story!
In my former life, many moons ago, I sold Ford automobiles. The sales manager impressed upon us commission-based salespeople t... See more LOL Marie-Claude, true or not it made me laugh.
Actually I would think a corpse that ripe would emnit some sort of odour before 5 days, don`t you think?
Anyway, Here is another story to tickle you: Your stiff upper lip could cost you your life.
True story!
In my former life, many moons ago, I sold Ford automobiles. The sales manager impressed upon us commission-based salespeople that dickering with the ticket price directly affected our income; his words of wisdom were to write down the price of the car, turn the paper over to the customer, and sit back in the chair. Don`t blink; the first one to talk has lost the negotiation.
One snowy Christmas eve morning there were no customers. The sales manager and single salesman (that day) were in the office playing dice. An old man came in, saying he did not need to test-drive the car, had already done so, made up his mind on the model, colour etc he wanted, and was here to make a deal. Brian, the salesman, followed through on the prescribed method, ie, wrote down the price of the car in question, turned the paper over to the older gentleman, and waited for his reaction. Waited. And waited. And waited. Whew! this guy is tough, Brian thought, must be a salesman himself. Anxious to get back to the dice game (and I suspect a bottle of Xmas cheer, too) he broke and asked the man a question. No answer. A slight nudge, and the customer falls to the floor. He was dead!!!
Nancy ▲ Collapse
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| I am reminded of a cartoon in Punch | Oct 22, 2004 |
The scene plays in a club. The butler tells the secretary: "Lord Jim sits in the corner sofa hidden behind his paper". Secretary replies: "No matter Beach, it is his habit. He likes to go through the day's news and does not want to be disturbed till he finishes reading them all up". Beach is not to be put off: "But sir, it is day-before-yesterday's paper".
Have a nice weekend.
N.Raghavan
| | | | | Translation has its 'shallow grave' moments | Oct 22, 2004 |
I laughed when I saw this posting - it may not be a hoax but unfortunately it has happened for real. Hopefully if the participants of the following story recognise themselves they won't get annoyed with me for telling it.
Whilst I was studying I carried out some work experience for two translators in London. I'd been taught by one and knew he was rather shy but nothing prepared me for how quiet the office would be. The two translators, although sitting only a couple of feet apart... See more I laughed when I saw this posting - it may not be a hoax but unfortunately it has happened for real. Hopefully if the participants of the following story recognise themselves they won't get annoyed with me for telling it.
Whilst I was studying I carried out some work experience for two translators in London. I'd been taught by one and knew he was rather shy but nothing prepared me for how quiet the office would be. The two translators, although sitting only a couple of feet apart, would speak just a few words an hour to each other. They were working in a London townhouse owned by the second translator. He lived in the basement, they worked on the ground floor and above was a flat.
One day this translator asked me how much he should let the flat for. He wasn't sure as he hadn't rented it out for four years. Considering London prices, I was rather surprised at this and asked if the last tenant had been that bad.
'Oh no', he said. 'He really suited us, he was very quiet'.
Unfortunately, these two were not just silent but pathalogically shy. One day they'd gone into the ground floor kitchen to make a cuppa and noticed the tenant sitting there. They didn't like to say anything, not knowing him, and went back to work. That afternoon he was in the kitchen again, tea in front of him, but still they didn't pluck up the courage to say 'hello' to him. On they went.
In their favour I'd like to say they were surprised when they saw him sitting in the same seat next day but they didn't like to intrude.
Two days after the first sighting, the wife of the slightly noisier one came to do the accounts, went to make herself a coffee and came back screaming 'How long has there been a corpse sitting in your kitchen!"
Two whole days.
I kid you not this is absolutely true. One of the translators involved told me this without the slightest embarrassment. They did have a little trouble convincing the police they hadn't noticed. Unfortunately it took so long for a relative to be found they'd got rid of all his stuff (apart from 500 GBP found under his bed).
As a footnote to this, when I finished the work experience the other translator told me,
'We must get another student in, this place is like a morgue ususally'.
It's a dangerous profession.
Elizabeth Sumner
www.polaris-translation.co.uk ▲ Collapse
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