Miracolo della tecnologia linguistica

 A bit of linguistic humour.

Google Translate is, if not a miracle, at least a marvel of modern linguistic tech. Look what it can do: 

You can feed it a thought like this—“Ashcroft is a wonderful little town”—

and Google Translate will instantly toss it out in German as “Ashcroft ist eine wundervolle kleine Stadt,” or in Italian as “Ashcroft è una cittadina meravigliosa.” You can also have Google translate this sentence in a hundred other languages or so. And Google will do a pretty good job in every one of these languages.

But—

In my last Facebook post I quoted this well-known passage from Romeo and Juliet: 

‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy:

Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.

What’s Montague? It is nor hand nor foot

Nor arm nor face nor any other part

Belonging to a man. O be some other name.

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell as sweet;

So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,

And for that name, which is no part of thee,

Take all myself.

Then I had Google translate the passage from English to German, from German to Hindi, from Hindi to several other languages, and finally, again, to English. And this is the end result:

Your name is my enemy.

Alone, even if you're not in Montex.

What is Montego? Without arms and legs,

I have no hands or eyes.

It belongs to men. Yes Yes Another name!

What is Belady called?

All other words smell good.

If Romeo hadn't called himself Romeo, he would have done so.

All you have to do is maintain good content

No name. Romano, tell me your name

And the name is not yours.

good

A miracle, yes, but not without a stain or two.  :)