Living Language

Nächsten Monat starten wir an dieser Stelle eine neue spannende Sprachrubrik. Lösen Sie vorher noch unser (nicht ganz ernst gemeintes) Quiz und finden Sie heraus, was Sie aus „Living Language“mitgenommen haben. Von PETRA DANIELL

Why translation software is just not enough

Over the past two years, we have used this page to take a careful look at online translations. We hoped that, by identifying mistakes and improving the English versions, you would see just how tricky the task of translation can be — and pick up a few tips about writing in English at the same time. Before we discontinue this section and start with an exciting new look at language next month, here’s your chance to test how much you have learned from this page over the past year or so. Answer our (not always serious) questions and check how many of them you get right.

1. What is the German word for “sloth”? (see Spotlight 8/17)

A. Faultier

B. Murmeltier

C. Trampeltier

2. If you “pull someone’s chain”, you... (see Spotlight 10/17)

A. repair someone’s bike.

B. tease a person.

C. use someone’s toilet.

3. “In the nude” means...

(see Spotlight 11/17)

A. being naked.

B. lying in the bathtub. C. having run out of money.

4. If you’re really irritable because you’re hungry, you’re...

(see Spotlight 12/17)

A. hannoyed.

B. harassed.

C. hangry.

5. “Booze” is... (see Spotlight 1/18)

A. an alternative spelling of

“booth”.

B. an informal word for “alcohol”. C. a character created by Charles

Dickens.

6. Asterix and Obelix live in a small village in... (see Spotlight 2/18)

A. Gaul.

B. Pferd.

C. Esel.

7. “Brew”, “slop”, “sludge” and “swill” are... (see Spotlight 3/18)

A. delicious cocktails. B. unhealthy soft drinks.

C. nasty liquids.

8. To “flip” means... (see Spotlight 3/18) A. to “get changed very quickly”. B. to “become really angry”.

C. to “do an embarrassing dance

movement”.

9. “GDP” stands for... (see Spotlight 4/18)

A. the financial term “gross

domestic product”.

B. the Nintendo game “Great

Demand for Popcorn”. C. the Netflix series Grievous

Domestic Problems.

10. The correct English translation of Breitmaulnashorn is... (see Spotlight 7/18) A. white rhinoceros.

B. black rhinoceros. C. wide-mouthed rhinoceros.

11. If you “trigger a police operation”, you... (see Spotlight 9/18)

A. take a police officer to hospital. B. perform surgery on a police

officer.

C. cause the police to jump into

action.