"It exits its first 45 turns" - Murder by translation

Language is really tricky sometimes, and never more plainly than when you get across a text that's been put through the wringer of automatic translation. When "web site" gets translated with words meaning "cobweb backyard" (I've seen that!) you know something is seriously wrong.

This encyclopaedia with entries first written in French and then moved into English with the help of an automated translation program has it all. I laughed so hard when perusing these two articles about Madonna and bin-Laden:

http://www.speedylook.com/Madonna.html (just take a peek at what it says on the late 1990s, not to mention that Madonna is referred to as "it" or "his/her" because in romance languages, nouns and verbs are gendered by grammar while in English they're not)


http://www.speedylook.com/Usama_Bin_Laden.html

"Although there is no official continuation engaged in its opposition, FBI indicates it like "the most required terrorist with the monde". Always according to justice, Usama Bin Laden is known under several pseudonyms..."

(my italics, and I guess the fuzzed-up first line means "it's not known for sure if he is still alive and keeping up his fight personally") :D

For some reason, no French version of the site (it's 90% sure to be French) is around at present.