What do you call the iPad in Arabic? Sorry, can't help you there, but then neither can Google Translate, which transliterates whatever the iPad is called in Arabic into the English "Aye Bad".
As mistranslations (of this BBC report) go, this is particularly serendipitous, confirming, at a nadir between the two companies, that …
Loanwords are foreign words embedded in a language with only the spelling and/or pronunciation adjusted, like, say, bungalow. But none of the fruit you cite come directly from the Arabic. Apricot and lime are--at a stretch--loaned, loan words, but orange has a far richer etymology, and the pedant in me wouldn't describe any of them as loanwords, except for the purpose of snappy journalism--
But it's not bad grammar, for example it's not bad grammar to say a verb is a noun, but it would be bad grammar to use a verb as a noun, in other words saying Orange is a loanword is not bad grammar (it's just wrong), but using Orange as a loanword would however be bad grammar.
Not sure whether the writer knows arabic or not, but in arabic, there is no letter that could make the "P" sound so for foreign products that use the letter P, they will replace it with "B" (the closest pronunciation of the P sound that they could come up with). As an example, in the arab world, people call PEPSI as "BEBSI". So for "iPad" case, for the non-english speaking arabs, they will pronounce it as iBad (or Aye Bad). Not really google's fault IMHO. Also, since google relies on the masses to provide better translations for its translation service, the translation for the word Apple, (the arabic text is pronounced as "Able"), has been fixed to "Apple". Since "iPad" was newly created by Apple, nobody had suggested a better translation of it from arabic to english so google is just pronouncing the word the way it was written in arabic.
in arabic, they word "Aye" (if you pronounce it) it means ANY or WHICH. So for the title of the news, Google translation service gave the transliteration of the word, and for the following AYEs, Google gave the translation of the word AYE.
That's because there is no letter equivalent of "P" in arabic...all P's are replaced by "B"s. This sometimes helps because calling someone a "brat" not too bad, and saying he is a "Brick" again seems almost complimentary...
Rarely a good idea. Google's translator did it here because it couldn't find a relevant word. But in this case, the BBC did it first (from English to Arabic in the original report). Now the real question is, did the BBC get the Arabic name from Apple, from another source (perhaps their own (or Google's again) automatic translator), or did they make it up on their own?
The word Apricot does originally come from Latin praecocia (because it ripened early in the year).
But this was borrowed by the Arabs as al-barqūq which then came back into Spanish (during the Arab occupation) as albaricoque, which became abercoc in Catalan, which became abricot in French. Which is where we get apricot from.
Oh yeah cant use that word without causing problems perhaps Prophet erm no well it looks like we will have to just call it a big PDA or perhaps a netbook without the keyboard. Not that it matters fanboys will buy it in droves bless em!
What do you call the iPad in Arabic?
What do you call the iPad in Arabic? Sorry, can't help you there, but then neither can Google Translate, which transliterates whatever the iPad is called in Arabic into the English "Aye Bad". As mistranslations (of this BBC report) go, this is particularly serendipitous, confirming, at a nadir between the two companies, that …
This topic is closed for new posts.
Posted Monday 1st February 2010 19:39 GMT
peter 5
My chance to use the "Grammar Nazi" icon. #
Loanwords are foreign words embedded in a language with only the spelling and/or pronunciation adjusted, like, say, bungalow. But none of the fruit you cite come directly from the Arabic. Apricot and lime are--at a stretch--loaned, loan words, but orange has a far richer etymology, and the pedant in me wouldn't describe any of them as loanwords, except for the purpose of snappy journalism--
Oh, I see. Carry on as you were...
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 14:45 GMT
No, I will not fix your computer
My chance to use the "Grammar Nazi" icon. #
But it's not bad grammar, for example it's not bad grammar to say a verb is a noun, but it would be bad grammar to use a verb as a noun, in other words saying Orange is a loanword is not bad grammar (it's just wrong), but using Orange as a loanword would however be bad grammar.
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 17:05 GMT
Richard 120
Aaaaaaaargh #
Shutup!
Posted Monday 1st February 2010 19:39 GMT
mustnap
Not really intentional #
Not sure whether the writer knows arabic or not, but in arabic, there is no letter that could make the "P" sound so for foreign products that use the letter P, they will replace it with "B" (the closest pronunciation of the P sound that they could come up with). As an example, in the arab world, people call PEPSI as "BEBSI". So for "iPad" case, for the non-english speaking arabs, they will pronounce it as iBad (or Aye Bad). Not really google's fault IMHO. Also, since google relies on the masses to provide better translations for its translation service, the translation for the word Apple, (the arabic text is pronounced as "Able"), has been fixed to "Apple". Since "iPad" was newly created by Apple, nobody had suggested a better translation of it from arabic to english so google is just pronouncing the word the way it was written in arabic.
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 14:42 GMT
mustnap
additional info #
in arabic, they word "Aye" (if you pronounce it) it means ANY or WHICH. So for the title of the news, Google translation service gave the transliteration of the word, and for the following AYEs, Google gave the translation of the word AYE.
Posted Monday 1st February 2010 19:39 GMT
saif
no "P" in arabic #
That's because there is no letter equivalent of "P" in arabic...all P's are replaced by "B"s. This sometimes helps because calling someone a "brat" not too bad, and saying he is a "Brick" again seems almost complimentary...
Posted Monday 1st February 2010 19:39 GMT
Steven Knox
Phonetic Transliteration: #
Rarely a good idea. Google's translator did it here because it couldn't find a relevant word. But in this case, the BBC did it first (from English to Arabic in the original report). Now the real question is, did the BBC get the Arabic name from Apple, from another source (perhaps their own (or Google's again) automatic translator), or did they make it up on their own?
Posted Monday 1st February 2010 21:51 GMT
Peter Bond
Oranges and Apricots #
thought those words came from Sanskrit and Latin respectively, not Arabic.
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 12:50 GMT
jsp
Via Arabic #
The word Apricot does originally come from Latin praecocia (because it ripened early in the year).
But this was borrowed by the Arabs as al-barqūq which then came back into Spanish (during the Arab occupation) as albaricoque, which became abercoc in Catalan, which became abricot in French. Which is where we get apricot from.
So, yes. And, indeed, no.
Posted Monday 1st February 2010 21:51 GMT
VeganVegan
Glad to meet you, Ayebad, I am ... #
Sinbad the Sailor Man!
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 05:50 GMT
Goat Jam
Ummmm #
Popeye perhaps?
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 05:50 GMT
John F***ing Stepp
Sinpad sounds like something a sailor would download pron on. #
So, where, pray tell, would I acquire one?
(just worst case scenario, like the peelers* wanted me to help with their inquiries and all.)
*I get that right? that British crap sometimes goes over my head.
'
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 10:33 GMT
Ted Treen
Which... #
do you wish to acquire?
A "sinpad" or a sailor?
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 05:50 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Hello AyeBad and Sinbad,.... #
I'm StrongBad
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 10:20 GMT
James 5
Aye Bad could also be... #
Yes Bad or Always Bad (in Scots).
And given the slang usage of "Bad" could mean very Good.
So you takes your language and your choice.
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 10:20 GMT
Jad
Moses Tablet ... #
Smart
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 14:36 GMT
Frank Bough
Doesn't work #
...because the JesusPhone came first.
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 10:27 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Any Store #
Google Translate also says: "the device can download the publications of the role directly through a new site called "Any Store"."
Nice name. Remember, it's not just any store, it's The Any Store.
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 10:27 GMT
Roger Greenwood
My favourite from Arabic #
is alcohol. (Really!)
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 10:36 GMT
Rod MacLean
Aye Bad? #
It also says it's the "Any Bad" and that there is no "program to deal with the cartoons on the internet"
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 11:33 GMT
David Cantrell
Orange #
The Arabic word for orange (both the colour and the fruit) is burtuqaal. So "orange" isn't an Arabic loanword, but "Portugal" is.
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 12:57 GMT
jsp
Orange #
From a southern Indian language, I think. Via Spanish "naranja". Possibly also via Arabic...
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 17:05 GMT
J 3
but "Portugal" is #
No, it's not. É pá!
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 12:27 GMT
John 62
<fraser> #
och aye! it's aye bad fer apple, the noo, </fraser> etc...
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 12:50 GMT
John70
What's next... #
We have the Jesus Phone, Moses tablet...
What's next... Noah's Ark for a storage server?
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 13:55 GMT
Anonymous Coward
RAID 1 #
Would the Noah's Ark storage server have to use RAID1, in order to have two copies of everything?
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 14:36 GMT
Cameron Colley
So, what did Hilary Duff do do mountain view? #
I was highly amused to find that Google translates (Dutch) Sinterklaas' helper Zwarte Piet's name into Hilary Duff.
Posted Tuesday 2nd February 2010 16:03 GMT
NogginTheNog
My arch-nemisis #
I should point out was Nogbad The Bad! Dunno if he's arabic but he is a bit 'swarthy' looking!
Posted Wednesday 3rd February 2010 21:15 GMT
Anonymous Coward
What do you call the iPad in Arabic? #
iCRAP! in any language !
Posted Thursday 4th February 2010 16:08 GMT
B99YYK
This could be awkward #
Blimey they have a problem dont they.
God bothers the world over are in a quandry.
First the Jesus Computer
Then the Jesus Phone
Now the Jesus pad
Oh yeah cant use that word without causing problems perhaps Prophet erm no well it looks like we will have to just call it a big PDA or perhaps a netbook without the keyboard. Not that it matters fanboys will buy it in droves bless em!
Posted Monday 8th February 2010 10:22 GMT
elderlybloke
It is all #
Greek to me mate.
This topic is closed for new posts.