Lost in Translation

So I'm leaving for England on June 28th. But before my programme (thats right two m's!) starts I'm going to spend a few days in France with my Mom's cousin and her family.

Now my mom and her cousin have been emailing back and forth about this for a few weeks and I'm all set but since I'm a big girl now it seemed like a good idea to write her myself as well. It's incredibly nice of her to welcome me into her home on such short notice especially since I don't really know her and I wanted to communicate that to her in my e-mail (which is in French).

Since I wanted to make sure my letter was comprehensible, I stuck it back into an online translator to see how it looked in English. The resulting giggle seemed worth sharing.

Good morning Chère Bene,

First, I mean thank you very much for will receive me at you. It is really nice and I you thank one thousand times! I wait with anticipation for my trip in Europe. This is going to be my second stay in France and I am sure that as I had loved France and my French family when I was seventeen years old, I go loves them the same and more now!

I hope that my French is better than in last time but, unfortunately, I cannot promised! (As you can see, my French need help.) therefore, grieve for the American terror of my accent and my errors of grammar ahead of time!

When I read your e-mail to my mother, I was very happy that you want to make of the shopping on Saturday parce - that I want to make it as everybody knows, stores in Paris are marvellous. For other activities, I do not want to be a problem for you. Therefore, if you have the time to take me in sites in Paris, I would be very happy. But if you have other things to be made, I can take for a walk and explore alone and this goes very also.

Still, very many thanks for your generosity. I wait my for visit with impatience!

- spinning jenny

If the French version is half as clear as the English, I'm sure there will be no communication gap at all. Yeah. Especially if they " grieve for the American terror of my accent and my errors of grammar ahead of time!"