Which is the most blundering book of the year 2003?
rastignak
owns the credit of it. The book is called Britannica Malayalam
Encyclopaedia. It is published in Malayalam language, which is the
language of Kerala, a southern state of India. Britannica India
published it in association with a local firm called DC Books. It has
the rare distinction of having errors/ bloomers in almost all of the
entries. Most of the errors are the handiwork of egregious
translators. I will give some choicest examples here.
The first blunder (or deception?) occurs in the foreword to the book
itself. In the foreword the representatives of Britannica India and
the local firm state that it is the first time that contents of
Britannica Encyclopaedia are translated in any other language than the
original. You have to just look up the Britannica to see through this
deception or understand the blunder.
Nablus is in Jordan at present.
Stalin came to power in 1927.
Mango tree has another name as cashew.
Promenade is a closed place.
Grape is botanically a seedless fruit,
Harmonium is a string instrument,
There is a genre in western music called bedroom music.
(Mistranslation of chamber music)
Polish court of law adopted the dance form polonaise as part of its
proceedings.
Dances like jitterbug, country-dance and ballroom dance are done by
married coupled alone.
Data and programmes in a computer are stored in the RAM chips.
Dryden wrote a work called Of Dramatic Poems, which is an essential
work of modern dramatic criticism,
Food, air, and water are psychological needs.
Hemingway was born in Oak Park Il. Is there such a place in Illinois?
Borges was the founder of modern South American extremism.
Semiotics is the study of gestures. Saussure and Peirce collaborated
to develop semiotics.
Czar Nicolas Second and family were hanged by the Bolsheviks.
The headquarter of Comintern was in Paris.
The Quakers were thus called because a judge ordered them to hear the
name of the God tremblingly.
The steadystate theory was put forward by W Macmillan in the 1920's.
Green, Hetty was a European economist.
Karaoke means "silent orchestra".
Isn't this book quite qualified to be called the most blundering book
of the year?
Please note that this is a three-volume reference and Britannica India
still shamelessly calls it Encyclopaedia.
Rasta
MC
rast...@indiatimes.com (rastignak) wrote:
> Hemingway was born in Oak Park Il. Is there such a place in Illinois?
This one is not an error.
MC
> Karaoke means "silent orchestra".
: History Of Karaoke :
WORD ORIGIN :
The Japanese word "karaoke" is now listed not only in Japanese
dictionaries but also in the latest edition of The Oxford English
Dictionary published in England, one of the most distinguished and
formal English dictionaries, proving the word has become common
throughout the world.
Karaoke is a typical form of entertainment for Japanese business people;
they drop into a bar with colleagues after work, have a drink, and enjoy
singing popular songs to the accompaniment of karaoke. Karaoke has been
entertaining people ever since its invention 20 years ago, and has
become firmly established in Japanese society, going far beyond just a
temporary boom.
BORN IN KOBE :
Karaoke is a Japanese abbreviated compound word: "kara" comes from
"karappo" meaning empty, and "oke" is the abbreviation of "okesutura,"
or orchestra.
Source:
MC
> Dryden wrote a work called Of Dramatic Poems, which is an essential
> work of modern dramatic criticism,
Collected Editions of Poems (by Dryden)
Annus Mirabilis: the Year of Wonders, MDCLXVI, an Heroical Poem, Also a
Poem on The Happy Restoration and Return of his late Sacred Majesty
Charles the Second. Likewise a Panegyrick on his Coronation Together
with a Poem to my Lord Chancellor presented on New-Years-day, 1662. By
John Dryden Esq. Printed for Henry Herringman and sold by Jacob Tonson.
1688.
This is the first collected edition of the poems of Dryden, and contains
those published by Herringman before Tonsonąs connection with Dryden, in
order that the publisher might have in stock, with his own name on the
title-page, the earlier poems of the author.
1700. Fables Ancient and Modern; translated into verse, from Homer,
Ovid, Boccace and Chaucer: with Original Poems. By Mr. Dryden.
1701. Poems on various Occasions and Translations from several Authors
by Mr. John Dryden. Now first publishąd together in one volume.
1743. Occasional Poems and Translations, by John Dryden Esq. Now first
collected and publishąd together. [Ed. Broughton, Thomas.] 2 vols. Vol.
1, Poems on several occasions; vol. II, Translations, Epistles,
Prologues, Epilogues, Elegies, Epitaphs and Songs.
1760. The Miscellaneous Works of John Dryden Esq. containing all his
Original Poems, Tales and TranslationsŠ. With explanatory Notes and
Observations. Also an account of his Life and Writings. Ed. Derrick, S.
4 vols.
Source:
The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes
(190721).
Vol. 8. The Age of Dryden.
Joe Reynolds
"rastignak" <rast...@indiatimes.com> wrote in message
news:c61f3e18.0312...@posting.google.com...
<SNIP>
> Food, air, and water are psychological needs.
> Rasta
I will say this in defense of that particular blunder. Maslow's Hierarchy of
needs list food, air, and water as the most basic of needs. Now admittedly,
it is a basic _physiological_ need, but it is referenced among other
primarily psychological needs. Without the basic physiological needs, the
psychological needs are difficult to accomplish (i.e. it is hard to feel
safe and secure when you aren't getting enough food to eat). Was this
particular "blunder" in any way justified by proximity to Maslow and his
hierarchy?
The other "blunders" certainly deserve investigation. I see from other
posts, that several are, in fact, not blunders.
-Joe
Raymond S. Wise
news:a7b4b4acd31be4fa...@news.teranews.com...
The Encyclopaedia Britannica has long been the object of criticism for
making far too many errors. See the post I wrote to the Usenet newsgroup
alt.folklore.urban , in which I quote from the 1964 book _The Myth of the
Britannica_ by Harvey Einbinder. I don't remember the name of it, but there
was another book written many years before Einbinder's which did a similar
criticism of the Britannica of its time.
See the post which I made to the Usenet newsgroup alt.folklore.urban ,
available in Google Groups archive at
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=britannica+prufer+wise&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=7vbibf%248ul%241%40nnrp1.deja.com&rnum=1
or
In that post, I point out the errors which the Britannica makes concerning
Joseph Scaliger's "Julian period." See other posts in that thread for other
criticisms of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
--
Raymond S. Wise
Minneapolis, Minnesota USA
E-mail: mplsray @ yahoo . com
Adrian Bailey
http://images.google.com/images?q=oak+park+illinois&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&btnG=Google+Search
Adrian
rastignak
Illinois. I was asking wherther there is a place called Oak Park Il in
Illinois. Is it Oak Park or Oak Park Il?
rastignak
orchestra are two things.
MC <cop...@AMZAPca.inter.net> wrote in message news:<copeSP-1FFBCC....@mail.inter.net>...
rastignak
physiological. I won't question your argument. Britannica
Encyclopaedia in English says they are pysiological needs.
"Joe Reynolds" <bigtex...@yahoo.com> wrote in message news:<a7b4b4acd31be4fa...@news.teranews.com>...
MC
rast...@indiatimes.com (rastignak) wrote:
> I was not asking you whether there is a place called Oak Park In
> Illinois. I was asking wherther there is a place called Oak Park Il in
> Illinois. Is it Oak Park or Oak Park Il?
You could look it up, you know.
"Post a question in aue and sooner or later someone will either correct
you, denounce the premise of the question, point out some real or
imagined error you have made, react angrily to some inference that was
never implied, gratuitously provide irrelevant information,* insist that
you gratuitously provide irrelevant information, castigate you for the
inadequacy of your research (without any knowledge of said research),
demand that you justify yourself by meeting some previously undisclosed
standard of erudition or education, or all of the above."
-- MC's Law © ® All Rights Reserved. Worldwide Patents Pending. Reg.
Penna. Dept. Ag. "UNDER PENALTY OF LAW THIS TAG SHALL NOT BE REMOVED
EXCEPT BY THE CONSUMER" *The Schultz Amendment
MC
> Can you sing along with a silent orchestra? Silent orchestra and empty
> orchestra are two things.
Are they indeed? They don't sound like things at all to me.
rastignak
Britannica gives Ill. I gave Il because I was citing an occurrence of
Oak Park Il and not Oak Park, Ill.
Rasta
MC <cop...@AMZAPca.inter.net> wrote in message news:<copeSP-5962BE....@mail.inter.net>...
meirman
rast...@indiatimes.com (rastignak) posted:
It doesn't say he was born in Oak Park Il, Illinois.
>Is it Oak Park or Oak Park Il?
It is both. If Oak Park is in Illinois, than it is Oak Park Il. If
you are complaining about the lack of a comma, don't make it sound
like you are saying there is no such place. Say there should be a
comma. We're not looking at the original anyhow, and for all we
know, it was you who omitted the comma.
I've been there, btw.
s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
Baltimore 20 years
Dr Robin Bignall
>In article <c61f3e18.03122...@posting.google.com>,
> rast...@indiatimes.com (rastignak) wrote:
>
>
>> I was not asking you whether there is a place called Oak Park In
>> Illinois. I was asking wherther there is a place called Oak Park Il in
>> Illinois. Is it Oak Park or Oak Park Il?
>
>
>You could look it up, you know.
>
>"Post a question in aue and sooner or later someone will either correct
>you, denounce the premise of the question, point out some real or
>imagined error you have made, react angrily to some inference that was
>never implied, gratuitously provide irrelevant information,* insist that
>you gratuitously provide irrelevant information, castigate you for the
>inadequacy of your research (without any knowledge of said research),
>demand that you justify yourself by meeting some previously undisclosed
>standard of erudition or education, or all of the above."
>
>-- MC's Law © ® ? All Rights Reserved. Worldwide Patents Pending. Reg.
>Penna. Dept. Ag. "UNDER PENALTY OF LAW THIS TAG SHALL NOT BE REMOVED
>EXCEPT BY THE CONSUMER" *The Schultz Amendment
As I thought, you've missed out the "or completely ignore what you wrote
and accuse you of almost (because they somehow find the words)
indescribable sexual practices with close relatives or objects, or just
indulge themselves in childish name-calling" piece.
Several choice adjectives could be added to the above to beef it up a
little. Did I miss anything out?
--
wrmst rgrds
Robin Bignall
Quiet part of Hertfordshire
England
MC
Dr Robin Bignall <docr...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> >"Post a question in aue and sooner or later someone will either correct
> >you, denounce the premise of the question, point out some real or
> >imagined error you have made, react angrily to some inference that was
> >never implied, gratuitously provide irrelevant information,* insist that
> >you gratuitously provide irrelevant information, castigate you for the
> >inadequacy of your research (without any knowledge of said research),
> >demand that you justify yourself by meeting some previously undisclosed
> >standard of erudition or education, or all of the above."
> >
> >-- MC's Law © ® ? All Rights Reserved. Worldwide Patents Pending. Reg.
> >Penna. Dept. Ag. "UNDER PENALTY OF LAW THIS TAG SHALL NOT BE REMOVED
> >EXCEPT BY THE CONSUMER" *The Schultz Amendment
>
> As I thought, you've missed out the "or completely ignore what you wrote
> and accuse you of almost (because they somehow find the words)
> indescribable sexual practices with close relatives or objects, or just
> indulge themselves in childish name-calling" piece.
>
> Several choice adjectives could be added to the above to beef it up a
> little. Did I miss anything out?
I have referred this to the legislative committee and they will rule on
it in due course, but I must warn you they have not been looking
favourably on such suggestions lately. I suggest a bribe.
Dr Robin Bignall
I have several groats and a dubloon or two's worth of nicely rotting
compost in my garden, if they don't mind payment in kind.
rastignak
Consider the difference.
To mean "In Oak Park" we say "oak parkil"
To mean "In Oak Park Il" (without comma, meaning the whole set of word
is one name) we say oak parkilil. The second form is found in the
Malayalam version Of Britannica Desk Reference. It can have only one
meaning in Malayalam. There is such a place name as "Oak Park Il"
meirman <mei...@invalid.com> wrote in message news:<umiuuvg7h08srnpnr...@4ax.com>...
MC
> I am speaking about what has been printed in an inflectional language.
> Consider the difference.
> To mean "In Oak Park" we say "oak parkil"
> To mean "In Oak Park Il" (without comma, meaning the whole set of word
> is one name) we say oak parkilil. The second form is found in the
> Malayalam version Of Britannica Desk Reference. It can have only one
> meaning in Malayalam. There is such a place name as "Oak Park Il"
I'll alert the media.