TGIF: Monty Python’s Flying Circus at a “traditional” Bavarian restaurant April 20, 2012
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.1 comment so far
I’m amazed at how good John Cleese’s German pronunciation is. Apparently none of the Flying Circus crew spoke or understood German, but they learned their lines perfectly. Cleese revealed in September 2010 that he has always had a “secret love for Germany.” Thanks to my friend and colleague Matt Baird for sharing this recently.
TGIF: Jimmy Kimmel interviews Will Ferrell in Spanish March 17, 2012
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.add a comment
I don’t even know Spanish, but I can hear that he is obviously murdering the Spanish language. You may only be able to watch a few minutes of it, but I have posted all 3 parts. Will Ferrell certainly knows how to take a joke and run with it (or drive it into the ground as it were…). To continue this for as long as he did shows dedication to the joke and a strange kind of perseverance. Happy St. Patrick’s Day to those of you who are celebrating today.
Bonus TGIF: Applied Language Solutions/Ministry of Justice Framework Agreement March 2, 2012
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Business practices, Fun stuff, TGIF.15 comments
Court interpreters in the UK are protesting the signing of a private contract between Applied Language Solutions and the Ministry of Justice, which has seen their rates almost halved. According to an article in the Guardian, “As many as 1,000 interpreters are boycotting a privatised contract to supply linguistic services to all English and Welsh courts, resulting in postponed hearings, suspects being released and compensation claims.” According to Syed Amjad Ali, who organized the Manchester demonstration, “Interpreters were getting £30 an hour before, for a minimum of three hours, now they offering them £16-£22, no travel for the first hour and petrol of 20p per mile.” Apparently about 60% of the 2,300 people on the National Register of Public Service Interpreters are refusing to work for ALS under the conditions in the contract, and the court is starting to panic because cases are being postponed and even dismissed because they can’t find an interpreter. One of the biggest complaints is that qualified interpreters aren’t willing to work for those rates, so the quality of the interpreters who are being sent to jobs has understandably dropped.
The rates for interpreting in court in Germany (and government contracts here in the States) have always been lower than the standard market rate, so I can’t imagine what the UK interpreters are dealing with. Based on the chatter on my listservs and online, Applied Language Solutions signed an agreement to provide translation services to the court and for the 2012 Olympics. I imagine that will be hard to do if they can’t find anyone to provide those services for them. In the past the Olympics has relied on volunteer interpreters with no training. I happen to know someone who worked in Atlanta back in 1996. She did it as a lark because she knew a little Spanish. I knew her from back in high school. She has never worked in the T&I industry and is a Tastefully Simple salesperson. Anyway, I’m digressing…
Back to the matter at hand. As Chris Durban so aptly explained, “very worrying logistics & quality issues now have led the MoJ to authorize courts to look for alternate solutions — an indication that maybe, just maybe, some intermediaries’ race to the bottom rates-wise may have reached a limit.” It’s kind of hard for an agency that doesn’t actually do the work to provide bottom-rate translation services if the service providers choose not to work for them. Keep your chins up, fellow UK interpreters! We’re all behind you.
Update:
TGIF: Ríu, Chíu – RIP, Davy Jones March 2, 2012
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in TGIF.add a comment
I grew up watching reruns of The Monkees and became a huge fan. I saw them perform live several times, most notably in 1985 at Blossom Music Center. I think I still have the t-shirt somewhere… The lead singer Davy Jones died on Wednesday of a heart attack. He was always my favorite Monkees, so this video goes out to him. It is a beautiful a capella rendition of an old Spanish Christmas carol, “Ríu, Chíu.” Their voices blend really well together, and the first time I ever heard it I got chills and put it on repeat about twenty times until I could sing along with it. Critics claimed they weren’t real musicians, but anyone who can harmonize a capella (without instrumentation) is definitely a real artist. It is difficult to stay on key when you sing a capella. RIP, Davy Jones. You were always the cutest and most personable Monkee.
The English translation is:
River, roaring river, guard our homes in safety,
God has kept the black wolf from our lamb, our lady.
God has kept the black wolf from our lamb, our lady.
Raging mad to bite her, there the wolf did steal,
But our God almighty defended her with zeal.
Pure he wished to keep her so she could never sin,
That first sin of man never touched the virgin sainted.
River, roaring river…
He who’s now begotten is our mighty monarch,
Christ, our holy father, in human flesh embodied.
He has brought atonement by being born so humble,
Though he is immortal, as mortal was created.
River, roaring river…
TGIF: Wie gut ist dein Deutsch February 24, 2012
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.7 comments
The folks on the German Language Division are in the process of making a list of all the Anglicisms that have infiltrated the German language (Denglisch), and someone shared this a wonderful sendup of all the Denglisch words to the tune of “How Deep Is Your Love.” Even if you don’t speak German, you will understand a lot of the words in this song! Enjoy!
TGIF: How to Fake French January 20, 2012
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.4 comments
Oh if only it were this easy 
…
TGIF: Tom Hanks on Univision June 24, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.3 comments
This video is making the rounds on all the celebrity gossip sites and news shows here in the U.S. Tom Hanks is doing the publicity tours for his upcoming movie Larry Crowne, and he appeared on Univision’s “Despierta America”. He doesn’t habla espanol, but he energetically danced his way through a weather report alongside glamorous weather girl Chiquinquira Delgado and participated in several other parts of the show. You have to give him props for making the effort to appear on a Spanish show even though he doesn’t speak Spanish. But Bradley Cooper he is not…
You know who gets props for going on a Spanish show and at least trying? Will Smith when he was pushing his movie Seven Pounds.
Bonus TGIF: Samuel Jackson reads Go the F*ck to Sleep June 16, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.5 comments
This is just too hilarious not to share with you all. This book was written by Adam Mansbach and narrated by “the ultra-talented Samuel L. Jackson.” It’s just brilliant.
If you are at all sensitive to foul language I suggest you skip this one. Everyone else – enjoy! I can go to bed happy now.
TGIF: The Dalai Lama walks into a pizza shop… June 16, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.8 comments
Chris Durban shared this little video with me, which a friend of hers in Australia sent her, because she thought it would make a good TGIF video. As Chris explains, it is “a good example of a cultural mismatch, with (as he [her friend] put it) “the joke being on the Australian TV presenter trying to be funny.” 
” For those of you who don’t get it either, I will explain the joke below the video window.
My favorite line is “You know that a joke’s in trouble when you’ve got a translator off to the side.” Truer words have never been spoken.
To those non-native speakers who, like the Dalai Lama, have no idea what he’s going on about, the joke is when he says “make me one with everything.” It’s a pun (meaning it has 2 meanings): 1) Make me a pizza with everything 2) Make me at harmony with everything (which according to the Buddhist tenet the ultimate goal is to become one with the world and be at peace through meditation.
TGIF: Bradley Cooper speaks French? June 2, 2011
Posted by Jill (@bonnjill) in Fun stuff, TGIF.7 comments
Who knew? This video is being featured on all the Hollywood gossip blogs I follow and is being met with shock that Bradley Cooper is fluent in French.
As my favorite blogger stated:
I think as Americans, we are used to everyone only speaking English. We cannot fathom that everyone in the world does not speak English and I think we are equally as shocked when someone from America who does not actually come from another country can speak a language fluently other than English. And no, asking how much a beer costs in Spanish is not being fluent.
So, to be a stereotypical as the world sees us American, I was shocked to discover that not only does Bradley Cooper speak French, he does it brilliantly. I promise that even though you might not understand a word of this, you will have a new found respect for Bradley Cooper. Not for the way he treats women, you will still have that bias, rightfully so, but for the language ability. I have watched this thing like five times already.
We know that it isn’t that shocking for someone to speak another language, but it is rare that an actor – let alone a very well-known actor – can speak another language and do it well. At least I am assuming he does it well. Well, fellow French speakers, what say you?
