Context is important! Recently I read an English historical novel which had been translated into German. It made for wonderful reading, except for one instance that really made me stop, wonder, and chuckle a little.
Author: Sarah Schemske
I am a freelance translator based in the South of Germany. From an early age I have been passionate about English literature and I hold a BA in English and American Studies from the University of Freiburg. I specialise in literary translations from English to German and have translated several bestselling novels by Rhys Bowen into German. I am enthusiastic about bringing unique stories to German readers. Translating means paying close attention to detail and I take great care in making sure your writing style is aptly transported into German, so your readers have a wonderful experience.
A list of false friends: Why Denglisch is not the way to go
During the translation process, I find it very helpful to look out for so-called “false friends”. False friends are words, phrases or idioms that you might be tempted to translate literally, even though the literal translation is not 100 % accurate or even misleading.
Slipups and Pop-Tarts: 3 rules for avoiding embarrassing translation mistakes (Part I)
Here are some of the most frequent amusing, embarrassing and interesting mistakes that I have come across in English-to-German translations.
