The Importance of Adequate Translation

Oftentimes, just like the video above, important words and phrases can be lost in translation. I believe its not done intentionally. I believe when there's an inadequate translation method used, such as the one in this video clip, both parties can miss the entire picture (and meaning) all together. I know this dialogue was meant just for laughs, and I actually did laugh out loud, numerous times. However, aside from the humor, I'm sure there is some truth to this scenario. And for the patient's sake, I hope it doesn't happen too often. Or better yet, not at all.

For those who do not speak the Khmer language, the dialogue goes like this:

At the beginning the patient mumbles something about her kids. Then she mumbles about the food and how she's enduring this ordeal.

Patient: "I don't want to eat the food. It does not have any flavor. Nobody eats it. It will make them ill even more. Cannot eat it. I cannot eat it. I don't like this food. Don't like this food. This food is not tasty. I don't want this food. I don't want to be here. I cannot endure it." 

Then the patient mumbles something about death. The hospital worker put the phone receiver in the air. The interpreter sums up only what he heard, which was repeated out loud by the worker; "I can't stand this. I wish I was dead. Please kill me." 

Even though the translation was not word-for-word, it did get the message across. If you're curious to know the word-for-word translation, it is "I cannot endure it. Kill me! I cannot endure it. I cannot endure it! I want to die! I just want to die!! I can't endure it. I want to die."

The portion of the dialogue that was lost in translation was the part where the patient complained about the food. The segment that the interpreter heard was when the patient said she couldn't stand it and wanted to die. Now imagine if this was a real life situation where only a fraction of the dialogue got translated, while the other equally important part was left out. I would be concerned. Wouldn't you?

(Read my other post, My Early Days as an Interpreter).