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Re: Translation exercise with fries?

From:Roger Mills <rfmilly@...>
Date:Friday, April 30, 2004, 22:15
Danny Wier wrote:

> Most of you in the world are probably aware of McDonald's latest > international advertising onslaught, the slogan "I'm lovin' it" translated > into various languages
I'm proud to say, this is the first I've heard of it... which suggests I'm not in the world, I guess.......hmmm.
> > The original English is idiomatic and doesn't translate literally in other > languages, obviously. How would this be expressed in your conlangs, in > case > the Big Clown ever decides to open up shop on your planet?
Colloquial equivalent in Kash: lilisambi, pron. [lili'sA:m:i] based on lilisam 'adore, dote on' (used sparingly as it's considered rather gushy) < lisam 'like'; -mi is 1st sing. possessive, which replaces the correct subject prefix ma- in colloq. (bad!!) speech. Heavy emphasis + raised pitch, probably exaggerated nasalization on the [A:] Thank God Cindu is 19 or 20 lightyears away if not more, making the importation of alien foodstuffs impractical. Even if it weren't, various committees, both of Cindu and of the Galactic Union, would take a Very Long Time to determine if cattle, wheat and the necessary Terran yeast, potatoes, the necessary oil etc. etc. would or would not be detrimental to the Cindu environment. Generally speaking, introduction of alien species has been found to be Not A Good Idea. Of course, McD could try to adapt local foods, but then they'd run up against the Street-Food Vendors Association.
>(And how would > you say 'quarter pounder with cheese' if you don't use either metric or > English measurements?)
Well, 1 kosi (100pem) is a common measure, equals approx. 5 oz., which would be a mere nibble for a Kash. They'd probably turn it into a roko (2 kosi) ~roko-roko?? at least. Absolutely no cheese, they are Terran-lactose intolerant, and native animals are by and large not exploited for their milk either. They could probably drink shakes, assuming they're made with a soy product, and there is something similar on Cindu. There's already _tombus_ a steamed bun with meat filling, rather (quite, actually) like Chinese bao. Very popular.

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Danny Wier <dawiertx@...>