An idiot parent fails at translation

September 17, 2008 8:15 AM

Can any merciful Mefite possibly tell me what on earth this message to my teenage son from an eBay seller is saying? This is hideously embarrassing because I'm not entirely sure I even recognize the language!

(I've had a stab at xxxing out the identifying bits - but I'm not even sure I've done that correctly!)

From: "eBay-lid: worldwatchxxxx
To: lensleaderXXXXXXXX
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2008 02:32:22 -0700 (GMT)
Subject: Het object is verzonden.
Beste lensleader,
samuel stewartIk heb het volgende object naar je verstuurd. Het ligt binnenkort
in de bus.

Objecttitel: Geneva XXL NEW!! *BLACK DEVIL* 50 mm Steel back G11
Webadres: http:xxxxxxxxx
Objectnummer: 280265353962
Gebruikersnaam koper: lensleader
Gebruikersnaam verkoper: worldwatchxxxxx
Totaal: US $37,50

Zodra het object is aangekomen en aan je verwachtingen voldoet, zou je dan
feedback over mij willen geven?

Nogmaals bedankt.
Stuur me alsjeblieft betaling voor je eBay-aankoop

Ik accepteer de volgende betalingsmethoden: PayPal, Postwissel/kascheque

Nu betalen

posted by Jody Tresidder to writing & language (16 comments total)

Fairly sure it's dutch, FWIW
posted by runincircles at 8:20 AM on September 17, 2008

LOL
Not perfect, but probably close :

from babelfish

Subject: The object has been sent.
Dear lensleader, samuel stewartIk have sent the next object to your. It lies soon in the bus. object title: Geneva XXL NEW!! *BLACK DEVIL* 50 mm stalk back G11 web address: http:xxxxxxxxx object number: 280265353962 User name purchaser: lensleader User name salesman: worldwatchxxxxx Totally: US $37,50 As soon as the object has arrived and to your expectations satisfies, you then feedback concerning me want give? Thanks once again. Wheel me alsjeblieft payment for your eBay-aankoop I accept the following payment methods: PayPal, money order/fund cheque Now pay
posted by niteHawk at 8:20 AM on September 17, 2008

It's Dutch. A rough Google translation:



Subject: The item was sent.

Dear lensleader,
samuel stewartIk have the following item sent to you. It is soon
in the bus.

Once the item has arrived and your expectations, would you
feedback about me like that?

Thanks again.
Please send me your payment for eBay purchases

I accept the following payment methods: PayPal, Money / Cashiers cheque

Now pay

posted by roomwithaview at 8:20 AM on September 17, 2008

Did you ask your son what he bought? Or is this some kind of scam where he didn't actually purchase anything?
posted by Greg Nog at 8:22 AM on September 17, 2008

It's your typical ebay spam email:

Subject: The item was sent

Dear lensleader, samuel stewartIk have the following item sent to you. It is soon on the bus.

::item information::

Once the item has arrived and your expectations, would you like to give feedback about me? Thanks again. Please send me your payment for eBay purchases I accept the following payment methods: PayPal, Money / Cashiers cheque Pay Now
posted by genial at 8:23 AM on September 17, 2008

Looks like Dutch. Plugged into Babelfish, it seems to read that "samuel stewart" is ready to ship a watch that "lensleader" has won in an eBay auction. When the watch arrives and the seller would like positive feedback. Seller accepts for payment Paypal, money order, check.

Maybe someone who actually knows the language can correct me.
posted by spoons at 8:28 AM on September 17, 2008

Good grief - that was incredibly fast. You are brilliant!
(My son Sam told me - for some impenetrable reason - that the seller was a Swiss German. So I had that stuck in my head when I was squinting at the message & stupidly didn't even consider Dutch!).

Greg Nog - yes, he has already paid for a "must-have" watch! Sam sent the money to the same sender of the email via Paypal.

I don't think I'm allowed a supplementary question but maybe I can sneak this through?

If I ran "I have already paid, please confirm you have received my payment for the watch" through the Dutch box of babelfish or google translation - that would be the obvious reply my son should send?

I am really so very grateful!
posted by Jody Tresidder at 8:40 AM on September 17, 2008

Just respond in English; pretty much everybody in the Netherlands speaks it, and that way you don't bastardize Dutch with a machine translation.
posted by qxntpqbbbqxl at 8:51 AM on September 17, 2008

I wouldn't bother replying. It's probably just his standard boilerplate "shipment notification" email, not an actual "where's my money" email. I have never sent an item someone bought from me without getting payment first, I find it unlikely an international seller would be any different.
posted by nomisxid at 8:54 AM on September 17, 2008

ping jouke, he's a native dutch speaker and I'm sure he'd be happy to give a definitive translation.
posted by desjardins at 9:18 AM on September 17, 2008

I'm a native dutch speaker. The rough translations above are correct, just a "it's been sent, it will be with you soon, please pay and give me positive feedback when you get it" standard message.

I wouldn't worry about running a translation through google for a reply, he'll probably understand your reply in english just fine.
posted by Skyanth at 9:33 AM on September 17, 2008

Ik dank u voor uw geweldige hulp

I hope that says 'thank you for your wonderful help'!

Thanks from my son Sam too. Magic responses.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 9:34 AM on September 17, 2008

Yes, Dutch.
I'm a native speaker, here's my translation.
[Btw, the nearly one-to-one mapping of Dutch->English and the fairly concise vocabulary of Dutch make this one of the easiest machine translation language pairs]

Beste lensleader,
samuel stewartIk heb het volgende object naar je verstuurd. Het ligt binnenkort
in de bus.

Dear lensleader,
samuel stewart. I sent the following object to you. It'll be delivered shortly.


Zodra het object is aangekomen en aan je verwachtingen voldoet, zou je dan
feedback over mij willen geven?

Nogmaals bedankt.
Stuur me alsjeblieft betaling voor je eBay-aankoop

Ik accepteer de volgende betalingsmethoden: PayPal, Postwissel/kascheque

As soon as the object has arrived and fulfilled your expectations, could you give me feedback?
Thanks again.
Please send payment for your Ebay purchase.

I accept the following methods of payment: PayPal, Money Order [not exact translation]/Cashier's Cheque
posted by atrazine at 9:41 AM on September 17, 2008 [1 favorite]

Ik dank u voor uw geweldige hulp

That's a bit over the top. :)

"Bedankt voor uw hulp!" will do just fine.
posted by Skyanth at 9:58 AM on September 17, 2008

This is the auction. With photo.
posted by blue_beetle at 10:03 AM on September 17, 2008

Your phrase even looks prettier too, Skyanth!
Point well taken!
posted by Jody Tresidder at 10:05 AM on September 17, 2008