Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-05
RN Albert Porter


(ot the Jewish Encyclopedia, Standard cy-
clopedia- &C.,
~ n encyclopedia Is probably the
last kind OF work in the compila-
ton of which the uninatiated
IA would expect humorous situations
to occur. The very name is ordi-
nartly suggestive OF an array OF
sober scientific facts, dreary dis
QUESTIONS, arguments more or less pom
derous-in short of a dry-ssdust area, in
which the biographical articles are well
come cases. Yet those who have been
behind the scenes in the making of such
volumes know how often the tedium OF
their labors has been relieved by amusing
errors in translation and slips OF the
editorial goose quill. or, more correctly,
fountain pen. Especially is this the case
where the work is an original one, the
component topics of which are furnished
by collaborators living In different parts OF
the world, writing in different languages.
and of whom many have never previously
contributed to a publication of the kind.
Sometimes the collaboration, perhaps a
Frenchman or a German, writes his article
In English, though not quite proficient In
that language, the result being a striking
example of English as she is wrote"
The following paragraph on certain books
OF the Bible Is reproduced exactly as writ
ten by one OF the leading scientists OF
France. now dead
Sa71oie of French English
These books are Of marvellous con-
sistency between themselves. These are
the transmitted ore, are in few cases
right, but have been by the now existing
heat attributed to some other event by the
transportation OF the fragments escaped
from the destruction OF the first temple
Another foreigner. writing in English,
Intended to say that certain youth was
destined for q mercantile career, but this
was not apparent from his wording, He
was destined for a merchant carrier"
When written in foreign languages ar
tlcles have, OF course, TO be translated and
edited for presentation to English readers,
and here the list Of humorous examples Is
practically Imitless Though not SO re-
fnarkable as the effort OF the native mis-
sionary who rendered "a crown OF glory
that tadeth not away" by "a hat that
never wears out" the following curiostles
OF translation noted by the present writer
in his work on three encyclopedias, give a
fair IDEA OF the diversions 10 be met
with IN this field. Sometimes the trans
lator. otherwise competent, is a poor SPELL
or. and he produces sentence Like this
The historian IN question states that at
his time only ten families we're living
here. all engaged in dying.
or he confuses two somewhat similar
words as in the following
Jehovah was about TO take the Israel
ties under HIS protection and 10 deliver
them from bondage, and after this deliv-
GRANGE they were TO enter into convent
With him"
Quite frequently a similarity in sound be-
tween certain foreign words and English
ones causes the translator. In the hurry
= writing 70 put into the mouth Of an
author words never Intended by him. For
example, a French collaboration who had
ritten les feuves sont tres po!ssonneuN
C'The rivers are very abundant IN nsa
vas nade 70 say in the translation "TnG
streams are very poisonous"
4 German author who had said OF q
certain district that IL was maleriscf
picturesque was surprised 70 read IN hA