Apr 21 2007
Lost In Translation
Since I seem to be tossing out controversy this week, here’s another something I came across the other day.
I was flipping through our weekly junk ads and came across an insert from the Travis County “Air Check” department (they handle vehicle emissions). Here’s what it said:
Has your vehicle failed an emissions test? Need help paying for emissions-related repairs? Want to retire your vehicle, but need help replacing it?
Seems straightforward enough. Until I flipped it over and read the Spanish translation:
Fallo su vehiculo la prueba de emisiones del estado? Podemos Ayudar! Usted puede calificar hasta $1000 en la ayuda.
Well, you don’t have to understand Spanish to figure that’s not a direct translation. Didn’t see any mention of $1000 on the English side; and the English side talked about me “retiring” my vehicle. Here’s the Spanish to English, for real:
Did your vehicle fail the state emissions test? We can help! You can qualify for up to $1000 in help.
Honestly, I find it quite insulting. It implies that the only way to get “the mexicans” attention is to show dollar signs. Look here! Get your $1000 for the old van in the back yard! Take advantage! Maybe it’s just the way I’m reading it, but it seems to reinforce prejudice and stereotypes.
I’m interested to hear how others interprete it.
2 Responses to “Lost In Translation”
To be honest, when I read it, I thought it was a racist scam like — Hey dumb Mexicans, pay us $1000 and we’ll get your car to pass the emissions test. To make yourself even more sick, take a look at what’s going on in Carpentersville: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0704200681apr21,1,5656740.story
It’s the same old story — blame the most recent immigrant group for the so-called ills of society. Today it’s the Mexicans, before them the Eastern Europeans, before them the Irish, and so on and so on and so on. Reading immigration law of the United States is a charming history in which racist ideologies were couched in popular opinion in any particular era.
That’s sad a nation that calls itself the “Land of the Free” yeah right. These individuals come to this so call Great Land of Opportunity for just that an opportunity to live the American Dream. Working jobs that no U.S. Citizen wants to work cause it’s beneath them. People prejudice are contributing to the degradation of this nation.