HW: I've got a Silver Machine

[Keith Henderson]

>In a message dated 7/24/99 11:19:27 AM, boclist at HWIND.GLOBALNET.CO.UK writes:
>
>A request from the band. They want to find how to say "I've got a silver
>machine" in as many different languages as possible. Could you include
>phonetic pronunciation guides! Or send attach voice samples (is this
>possible?) I think that they are going to sample them all for use in a live
>gig?????
>
>Kris

Awhile ago, someone posted about Alta Vista's translation engine, so I tried
it out.  These are the not-so-perfect results....

http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/cgi-bin/translate?

English-French:                         French-English reverse check:
j'ai argentée une machine               I silver plated a machine

English-German:                         German-English reverse check:
ich habe eine silberne Maschine         I have a silver machine

English-Italian:                        Italian-English reverse check:
(have.got) d'argento una macchina       (have.got) of silver one machine

English-Portugeuse:                     Portugeuse-English reverse check:
eu (have.got) de prata uma máquina      I (have.got) of silver a machine

English-Spanish:                        Spanish-English reverse check:
tengo de plata una máquina              I have of silver a machine

Using 'I have a silver machine' for the two that couldn't understand 'have
got', produced these answers (not much difference)...

English-Italian:                        Italian-English reverse check:
ho d'argento una macchina               I have of silver one machine

English-Portugeuse:                     Portugeuse-English reverse check:
eu tenho de prata uma máquina           I have of silver a machine

I hardly think these are absolutely correct.  I'd be inclined to think that
the article (whether une, uma, or una) should precede the 'silver' in all
these cases, as the German one ended up.

I work with a Russian and several Chinese people...I'll ask them next time I
see them.

Keith H. (FAA)