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Subject:Re: Jim Grey's Comments on Translation From:Jonathan Price <jonprice -at- AOL -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 18 Apr 1994 13:03:14 EDT
You point out many of the micro problems; I think there are major differences
in the structure expected by different cultures. And once we change the
overall organization, we are just about forcing a complete rewrite, using the
American manual as a set of notes. Good notes, but just notes. For
instance, Japanese customers say they expect and like having all kinds of
cautions and warnings dealt with up front, so they can be assured that if
anything goes wrong, it's been dealth with; no American company would ever do
this. And making the change is more than just grabbing Troubleshooting and
moving it to the front, because instead of being diagnostic, this text, they
say, should be narrative.
More and more, I think the budget reasons for "just translating" coincide
with unstated ethnocentric view that what's good for America is good for the
world.a
