Conference thebay::joyoflex

370.0. "Grate Danes !" by CHIC::BELL (David Bell Service Technology @VBO) Mon Jun 22 1987 13:53

    I received my wonderful Time Manager diary the other day - one of
    those things that you always fill in after the event, well I do.
    
    It came together with a document describing all the other wonderful
    products available from this company.  What really surprised me,
    though, was the fact that this brochure was not just multi-lingual
    but included BOTH English and American text !
    
    So, you thought they were both the same huh ?  Well obviously these
    Danes have done some market research and found that they aren't.
    
    However, they didn't come up with different French or German versions
    for Switzerland or Austria and not, unfortunately, an Australian
    version.
    
    But here are the two texts, word for word, including spellings,
    from the brochure and side by side for comparison, I'll let
    you guess which is which.
    
    As technology develops, new		On-going technological develop-
    opportunities and needs are		ments create new opportunities
    created and these, in turn,		and needs for managing
    generate new requirements for	information.  Therfore, we at
    information and planning.		Time/Design are continuously
    					developing new products to
    Because of this, Time/system	serve your needs.
    International constantly reviews        
    and develops their planning		Our commitment to high quality
    systems to ensure that they are	guarantees a product line that
    always in step with the require-	satisfies the most discriminating
    ments of businesses today.		and demanding users.  Our
					award-winning Time/Design
    Increasingly, users are demand-	System stands unrivaled in the
    ing a system that matches the	field for outstanding design.  All
    way they work.  A planning		of our products reflect the inn-
    system that's efficient, stylish,	ovation and style that is synony-
    of first class quality and one	mous with our name.
    step ahead all the time.  There-    
    fore, to ensure your system is	Please study our catalogue and
    always up to date we have pro-	you'll find an array of practical
    duced this catalogue which illu-	accessories designed to
    strates the full range of current	enhance and compliment your
    forms and accessories which		Time/Design System.
    will help you get the most
    benefit from your system.    	To place your order, and if you
					have any questions, please
    If you look through this catalo-	contact our dedicated Custo-
    gue we are sure you will find	mer Service Department.
    items that will help maximise
    your systems usefulness.  The
    product numbers in the catalo-
    gue correspond to those shown
    on the Order Form that you will
    have received with your new sy-
    stem or yearly inventory.  Please
    use this Order Form to order any
    items you need.
    
    Should you require any further
    information please do not hesi-
    tate to contact us.

    
    So, do they think English users don't know how to use an order form?
    Does it mean Americans never use the post, only the telephone?
    
    David

    In (roughly) the same vein, someone (Joyoflexers?) should compile a
    list of potentially embarassing transatlantic expressions.
    
    In my first trip to the USA a few years back I hit two by first asking a 
    woman secretary for a "rubber" (=eraser) and then telling her woman 
    manager that I would "knock her up before I left" (=visit her). I also 
    met an American woman who couldn't see the joke whenever she met 
    Englishmen and said "Hi, I'm Randy." Or perhaps she really did know 
    that randy=horny over here, and it was me that missed out!
    
    Any more contributions? 

    If they go to the trouble of providing two English versions, why
    can't they find a translation for "Hapsy flapsy" or whatever it
    is?
    
    Phillip