Jefuemon Posted October 4, 2011 Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) In the book "Galactic Pot Healer" by Phillip K. Dick, one of his characters plays what's called The Game. In it, you think of a famous movie, song, or book title, and machine translate it into another language. Then have ANOTHER DIFFERENT machine translation back into your original language. Post the result, and see if anyone can guess what the original title was. "Monomanedori to kill" Since I'm starting, I'll tell how I did it. From English to Japanese using Excite translator, then back into English using Google translate. What title am I thinking of? (I probably won't be able to reply for 24 hours or so, so think up some ones of your own, too!) Edited October 4, 2011 by Jefuemon Quote
Renato Posted October 4, 2011 Posted October 4, 2011 I'm actually really good at these. "To Kill a Mockingbird". Quote
Renato Posted October 4, 2011 Posted October 4, 2011 My radio station sometimes has cool quizzes like this. They machine translate the lyrics of songs into nonsensical Japanese and you have to guess what song it is. I correctly guessed a truly mangled version of "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor, but didn't manage to call in to win the prize, as usual. OK I've got one. "Die eagerly" Quote
Ignacio Ocamica Posted October 4, 2011 Posted October 4, 2011 how about this one: Surprise Attack Stealth?? Quote
renegadeleader1 Posted October 4, 2011 Posted October 4, 2011 how about this one: Surprise Attack star wars? Quote
Major Focker Posted October 4, 2011 Posted October 4, 2011 nope. clue: it's a recent movie. used excite then google. don't know though if doing the reverse will yield the answer. i imagine not. Quote
reddsun1 Posted October 4, 2011 Posted October 4, 2011 (edited) Since I'm starting, I'll tell how I did it. From English to Japanese using Excite translator, then back into English using Google translate. how about this one: Surprise Attack Aha ha ha! Pearl Harbor! Edited October 4, 2011 by reddsun1 Quote
Major Focker Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Aha ha ha! Pearl Harbor! nah. when i said recent, i meant really recent. Pearl Harbor is actually unchanged through the excite-google double machine translation Star Wars becomes Star Dispute Stealth becomes Secret Surprise Attack, well, you won't see it coming Quote
EXO Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Surprise Attack, well, you won't see it coming hmmm... sucker punch? Sucker Punch doh! Quote
Major Focker Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Sucker Punch hmmm... sucker punch? correct! not sure which translator is more eccentric so i tried another example. using excite to japanese then google back to english, i get "$ 1 silver". if use google first then excite, it gives "man of steel", which should be a very easy one to get. if i ran sucker punch through google first, then excite, it gives "a sudden punch" not sure if that proves google is better, but it leaves me with the impression that it is more literal, whereas excite takes more liberties on "creative" interpretation. Quote
Major Focker Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 OK I got an easy one... Occult practices paranormal activity? Quote
JELEINEN Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 (edited) ... Excite still exists? I think Excite remained fairly popular in Japan. At the very least, for a long time they had the best Japanese machine translation software of any of the search engines (I think Google's is probably better now). Edited October 5, 2011 by JELEINEN Quote
Renato Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Sucker Punch Nice. The actual title for this movie in Japan is "Angel Wars", by the way... Quote
Einherjar Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 I got a weird one when I did it. Good luck: Stable Quote
Major Focker Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 The Song that Pities an Evil Spirit. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance? here's another easy one: Sheep Quiet Child I got a weird one when I did it. Good luck: Stable lemme guess: equilibrium? Quote
electric indigo Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Sheep Quiet Child Silence of the lambs? Quote
Major Focker Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Silence of the lambs? correct! easy, right? something a bit harder: Monarch Wheels Quote
Jefuemon Posted October 5, 2011 Author Posted October 5, 2011 I'm actually really good at these. "To Kill a Mockingbird". Yes, it was that. Nice to see people carrying on. Some good head scratchers here! Quote
Renato Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 correct! easy, right? something a bit harder: Monarch Wheels Lord of the Rings? Quote
Major Focker Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Lord of the Rings? you got it! i guess it wasn't that much harder after all. so let me try harder: Travel Reviews it's a totally weird double-translation, and i was surprised it came out that way. but i assure you that it's not an obscure film. at all. Quote
renegadeleader1 Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 you got it! i guess it wasn't that much harder after all. so let me try harder: Travel Reviews it's a totally weird double-translation, and i was surprised it came out that way. but i assure you that it's not an obscure film. at all. Blade Runner? Quote
Major Focker Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Blade Runner? nope. blade runner comes through the double translation. but yes, the film is sci-fi actually, it's surprises me how most of the titles i try come through unscathed, and those that don't, have a key word intact which gives it away. here's an easier one: Infamous Fakes I gots one: "British's patient" um, The English Patient? Quote
sketchley Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 um, The English Patient? Good job. Here's another: The dragon which hid the tiger is lowered low. Quote
Ignacio Ocamica Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 Good job. Here's another: The dragon which hid the tiger is lowered low. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Quote
Einherjar Posted October 5, 2011 Posted October 5, 2011 lemme guess: equilibrium? Animal House, using German for some reason. Quote
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