Pardon my French

[dar_jeeling]

For heaven's sake, writer people, if one of your characters must speak a foreign language, have someone who actually knows that language look at your story, because guess what? That word/sentence/expression might not mean what you think it means.

Do not, I repeat, do not fuck around with dictionaries or rely on online translators. More research, less wincing! Thanks muchly.

Comments

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

DAMN STRAIGHT!

(Teeeeeeeeeeeeeell me, what brought this on?)

[solvent90.livejournal.com]

Heh. I did fuck around with an online translator for a Latin bit in a Snape/Harry snippet I wrote, and got it wrong in the process, but it was commentfic and also Harry-Potter-spells wonky Latin anyway, so I wasn't overly troubled. But I can see how it would be bothersome, particularly in dialogue.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

In this era of worldwide internets, it's pretty easy to find someone who speaks just about any language you need for a fic.

[hollysamantha.livejournal.com]

I so know what you are talking about. I have EXTREMELY basic German and French but I still cringe at some of the things I see written. *facepalm*