Art & Life for December

Photo of the Month

December is snowy days, time spent with friends and family, crackling fires at night…

Oh the humanity of it all…

This month's featured humanity is Language

Recently I wrote an article about marketing in the ethnic media for Profit Xtra, and during the course of my research came across some translation blunders. Translation can be a real stumbling block for companies --large and small-- trying to enter a foreign linguistic market, so companies must go beyond simple translation and instead use the idioms, vernacular and phrases that capture the essence of the target market, an art form know as "transcreation."  What happens if you don't? Well, you get things like Clairol's Mist Stick (a curling iron) entering the German market as “Miststück”. Unfortunately no one checked with the Germans, because if they had they would have found out that "mist" is slang for manure. Which, incidentally, also explains why sales of Irish Mist never really took off in Germany.

But it's not always big business that gets into translation trouble, one enterprising English-speaking Miami t-shirt maker tried to take advantage of the popularity of the Pope's visit among Miami's Spanish-speaking residents. So he created hundreds of t-shirts that were supposed to read "I saw the Pope", however instead of saying "VI EL PAPA" the shirts proclaimed proudly "VI LA PAPA", which means "I saw the potato."

What's the lesson here, folks?  If you are heading into foreign markets - check with the locals to make sure your message is authentic.

Wine of the Month

Carpene Malvolti Prosecco
In time for the holidays - consider this Prosecco! This highly affordable little gem is an excellent beginning to a meal, or lovely at a cocktail party with soft cheeses such as Gorgonzola or some of Quebec's excellent goat cheeses. With lovely apple and pear undertones, it's the sparkling wine that will be a staple in our fridge over the festive season. 4 stars (out of 5) $17.10

Château du Grand Caumont Impatience - 2001
Impatient indeed - to try this again! It was the perfect accompaniment to a rustic stew, with ripe blackberry, pepper and chocolate notes. It mixes together a blend of Carignan, Syrah and Grenache, and is an winner for under $25.00  3.5 stars (out of 5) $20.65

Cool Sites for Wasting Time

Flipbook Maker - Pretty groovy cool! Make your own, or see what others have done.
Warning Label Generator - Create your own labels. Hijinks to ensue.
Stupid Haircut Awards - Having had my own fair share, my heart goes out to these misguided folks…

Stuff That Disturbs Me

Breathing a putrid mix of joint compound dust, primer paint fumes and acrylic paint fumes. Guess who's renovating?

Stuff I Love

This month? This month I am grooving on:

Catching up on my reading - it's been a Seth Godin marathon and I finally got around to reading the most wonderful book on grammar ever! If you have the inclination, be sure to pick up Eats, Shoots and Leaves by Lynne Truss.

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