This one doesn't quite cut the mustard.

[lied_ohne_worte]

If anyone still needed proof that using Google Translate for professional translation is not a good idea:

Comments

[shanrina]

LOL! Is Feigensenf just mustard, or a special kind of mustard, though? I'm not really up on the different kinds of mustard since I don't eat it at all, whether or not it's cowardly.

[lied_ohne_worte]

"Feige" (noun) = "fig" as in the fruit. In recent years mustard that has figs or fig juice in it (no idea how they make it, to be honest) has become fairly popular eaten with cheese, especially if you want to be fancy. The combination of sweetness/tartness/sharpness is good indeed, particularly with things like brie or camembert. I generally have a glass in my fridge.

"feige" (adjective) on the other hand indeed means "cowardly", and I suppose that Google Translate picked the likelier option, which turned out to be rather wrong.

[otana]

Ooh, that sounds delicious! I might have to keep an eye out for it next time I'm at the Alpine Village here.

[lied_ohne_worte]

There might also be mustard/fruit sauces that are a bit less, hm, mustardy, which are rather nice too. The one I have right now goes as "Mustard sauce from the Ticino".

[spamsink]

feigensenf -> cowardly mustard

Feigensenf -> Feigensenf

Feigen senf -> fig mustard

The silliness of statistical translation.

[biascut]

But that's adorable!

[lied_ohne_worte]

Heh, yes. We did scenic interpretations in the bus on the way back - "Nooo, I'm a tiiiiny little mustard! Please, oh please don't eat me!"

Or perhaps it's called that because it's sweeter than normal mustard, so people who do not dare to eat normal mustard can eat it? Endless possibilities...

[iddewes]

While we're at it...maybe you can help! It doesn't matter to me as I am a vegetarian, but when my Mum was visiting us recently here in Germany, we saw Schweinehaxen translated as 'pork knuckles' and I am still not clear on what 'haxen' are - pigs don't have knuckles, so we weren't sure if they meant 'trotters' or what! ;)
...but at least that sign isn't as bad as the 'cervical cancer' on a menu in Poland http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/restaurant-poland-offers-cervical-cancer-1867209

[lied_ohne_worte]

Hrm, I cannot remember when I last ate Schweinehaxen/Schweinshaxen (called "Eisbein" in other areas). But Wikipedia says it's that part of the pig's leg which is situated between knee or elbow joint and the joints at the base of the foot. Basically, it's a lower leg - "Haxe(n)" is also used for people's legs in Bavaria. From the English wikipedia article, it's indeed the same thing - the "Eisbein" and "Ham hock" (which seems to be what pork knuckles are also called in English) articles are linked together, and the pictures show the same bit of the pig too. But I admit I had to look that up too. "Pig knuckles" or "knuckle sandwiches" come up fairly often in the Discworld novels, I think, but people in Ankh Morpork seem to eat more or less everything, so they're not a good criterium, heh.

[iddewes]

Ah yes ham hock sounds more like it, thanks! I have heard of that before. A knuckle sandwich to me is getting punched in the mouth! We went to a restaurant in Cologne that specialised in these Haxen, (had lots of other stuff too) and my mum was confused and we thought it was trotters, so she didn't fancy that.

[lied_ohne_worte]

A knuckle sandwich to me is getting punched in the mouth

I think that's intentional in the novels; they also have dishes like "distressed pudding".

[samtaro82]

Augh I love you for sharing this. I am dying of laughter! I work as a German to English translator, so it's nice to see things like this sometimes; they remind me that at least for now, my job is still necessary. :D

[iddewes]

It is a good example of why German to English translations should always be done by a native English speaker ;)