Difference between revisions of "1190: Time/Translator"

Explain xkcd: It's 'cause you're dumb.
Jump to: navigation, search
(this page was listed as a deadend page. linking back to the web)
(fixing some bad versions; more detail on alt text; formatting)
Line 1: Line 1:
 
Here's a list of all the blurry text from the translator from [[1190: Time]], both with the original image and enhanced contrast.
 
Here's a list of all the blurry text from the translator from [[1190: Time]], both with the original image and enhanced contrast.
  
 +
===Synonyms===
 +
The cartoon reflects the uncertainty of the translator's word choices and pronunciation by obscuring the text with ink blots and overlaying them with synonyms and extra meanings in large, light letters in the background.
 +
 +
For example, in the second panel, "whence" appears in bold letters and "from where" appears behind it in enlarged, lighter letters.
 +
 +
In the third panel "here" is also glossed in the background as "to this fortress".
 +
 +
===Grammar===
 
A note about grammar:
 
A note about grammar:
  
Line 6: Line 14:
 
* The ring diacritic indicates a question mark.
 
* The ring diacritic indicates a question mark.
 
* A single line above a letter is a full stop.
 
* A single line above a letter is a full stop.
−
* A double line above a letter is an exclamation mark (or probably a comma).
+
* A double line above a letter is colon or comma.
  
 
This might help in determining the native language a bit better.
 
This might help in determining the native language a bit better.
  
 +
===Images===
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
! Original
 
! Original
 
! Enhanced contrast
 
! Enhanced contrast
 
! Text
 
! Text
 +
! Background text
 
! Notes/corrections
 
! Notes/corrections
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-1.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-1.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-1.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-1.png]]
−
|
+
| "Somewhat"
−
"Somewhat"
+
| "Somewhat"
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-2.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-2.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-2.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-2.png]]
−
|
+
| {{nowrap|"Whence have you traveled here"}}
−
"Whence have you traveled here"
+
| "From where"...
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-3.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-3.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-3.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-3.png]]
−
|
+
| {{nowrap|"You arose here from the desert below?}}<br>Nobody [unclear-1] there"
−
"You arose here from the desert below? Nobody [unclear-1] there"
+
| "To this fortress"... ..."sand"...<br> ..."lives"...
−
|
+
| U-1: "T...ires": Transpires?
−
Unclear-1: Survives?
 
−
 
 
−
Notice that synonyms and extra phrases are often lighter, in the background.  For instance in large, light letters of the background here, "to this fortress" is pretty clear, and above "desert" is the word "sand."  The word "lives" (or some other short word ending in "ves") seems to be behind unclear-1, so "respires" might be likely as the blurred word.
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-4.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-4.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-4.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-4.png]]
−
|
+
| "I am sorry.<br>Your language is like those<br>spoken by the [unclear-1] difficult<br>[unclear-2] but I learned it."
−
"I am sorry. Your language is like those spoken by the [unclear-1] difficult [unclear-2] but I learned it."
+
| "I apologize"<br>{{nowrap|..."tongue"..."similar"...}}<br><br>"I"
−
|
+
| {{nowrap|U-1 & 2: Totally obscured.}}
−
Unclear-1: ???
 
−
 
 
−
Unclear-2: ???
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-5.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-5.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-5.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-5.png]]
−
|
+
| "Please be patient"
−
"Please be patient/have patience"
+
| "Please have patience"
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-6.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-6.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-6.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-6.png]]
−
|
+
| "They understand nöthing<br>so they will tend to matters."
−
"They understand nothing[,] so they will tend to matters."
+
| "understand"<br>"thus"..."attend"..."matters"
−
|
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-7.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-7.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-7.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-7.png]]
−
|
+
| ..."bags"
−
"Your bags"
+
| "Your packs"
−
|
+
|  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-8.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-8.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-8.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-8.png]]
−
|
+
| "They are heavy."
−
"They are heavy."
+
| "For"...[unclear-1]
−
|
+
| U-1: "...el...ted"
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-9.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-9.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-9.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-9.png]]
−
|
+
| "Welcome"
−
"(You're) welcome"
+
| "You are" ... "to it"
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-10.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-10.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-10.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-10.png]]
−
|
+
| "Tell me where your home is."
−
"Tell me where your home is."
+
| "Tell" ... "house"
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-11.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-11.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-11.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-11.png]]
 +
| "What river?"
 
|
 
|
−
"What river?"
 
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-12.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-12.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-12.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-12.png]]
−
|
+
| "How many people<br>[unclear-1] are you?"
−
"How many people strong are you?"
+
| ..."numerous"
−
|
+
| U-1: "...r...n...": strong?
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-13.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-13.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-13.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-13.png]]
 +
| "Which is forty?<br>All my numbers are too small."<br>"Yes! Good."
 +
| "What"...<br><br>
 
|
 
|
−
"[unclear-1] forty? All my numbers are too small.
 
−
 
−
"Yes! Good."
 
−
|
 
−
Unclear-1: "What is forty?"/"How much is forty?"/"What means forty?" possibly
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-14.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-14.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-14.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-14.png]]
 +
| "Do you carry these people with you?"
 
|
 
|
−
"Do you carry these people with you?"
+
| With the implicit meaning of "did they come with you?" assuming the translator doesn't believe they are Cueball's imaginary friends or action figures.
−
|
 
−
Possibly meaning, "Did you bring any of those people with you?"
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-15.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-15.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-15.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-15.png]]
 +
| "Oh."<br>"'''Oh.'''"
 
|
 
|
−
"Oh." [both times]
 
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-16.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-16.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-16.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-16.png]]
−
|
+
| "You do not know."<br>"I [Unclear-1]"
−
"You do not know. [Unclear-1]"
+
| <br>"[Unclear-2]"
−
|
+
| U-1: "n... ...sse."<br>U-2: "...el...ina...": Possibly tell/illuminate?
−
Unclear-1: unclear but starts with "I"
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
| [[File:translator-17.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-17.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-17.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-17.png]]
−
|
+
| "Your sea does not stand alone:<br>There is another sea next to it<br>[Unclear-1] beyond the shore.<br>It has become [Unclear-2] to yours<br> [Unclear-3] levels differ<br>and thus water flows"...
−
"Your sea does not stand alone, there is another sea [Unclear-1] beyond the shore. It has become [Unclear-2] to yours [Unclear-3] levels differ and thus water flows"
+
| <br><br><br>..."tied"...<br><br>
−
|
+
| U-1: Totally obscured.<br>U-2: "s...ed"<br>U-3: "b...": because? but their?
−
Unclear-1: "next to it"?
 
−
 
 
−
Unclear-2: "tied"
 
−
 
 
−
Unclear-3: "because the"/"but their"
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-18.png]]
 
| [[File:translator-contrast-18.png]]
−
|
+
| "In time even the hills change.<br>When people first [Unclear-1] and first<br>{{nowrap|built [Unclear-2] cities the seas were joined.}}<br>but there was a great [Unclear-3]<br>{{nowrap|rock [Unclear-4] and the passage was closed.}}<br>Your sea [Unclear-5] with too few rivers.<br>Under the sun it shrank and the water fell.<br>The sea has found a way back in."
−
"In time even the hills change. When people first [Unclear-1] and first built [Unclear-2] cities the seas were joined. But there was a great [Unclear-3] and the passage was closed. Your sea [Unclear-4] with too few rivers. Under the sun it shrank and the water fell. Now the sea has found a way back in."
+
|<br><br>"castles"..."welded"<br><br>"mud"..."road"..."forbidden"<br><br><br>"Now"...
−
|
+
|U-1: "...lked": walked? talked?<br>U-2: Totally obscured.<br>U-3: Totally obscured.<br>U-4: Totally obscured.<br>U-5: "w...": was isolated?
−
Unclear-1: "walked" or "talked"?
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|
 
|

Revision as of 03:33, 9 May 2014

Here's a list of all the blurry text from the translator from 1190: Time, both with the original image and enhanced contrast.

Synonyms

The cartoon reflects the uncertainty of the translator's word choices and pronunciation by obscuring the text with ink blots and overlaying them with synonyms and extra meanings in large, light letters in the background.

For example, in the second panel, "whence" appears in bold letters and "from where" appears behind it in enlarged, lighter letters.

In the third panel "here" is also glossed in the background as "to this fortress".

Grammar

A note about grammar:

  • The punctuation appears to be borrowed from the translator's native language.
  • The ring diacritic indicates a question mark.
  • A single line above a letter is a full stop.
  • A double line above a letter is colon or comma.

This might help in determining the native language a bit better.

Images

Original Enhanced contrast Text Background text Notes/corrections
translator-1.png translator-contrast-1.png "Somewhat" "Somewhat"
translator-2.png translator-contrast-2.png "Whence have you traveled here" "From where"...
translator-3.png translator-contrast-3.png "You arose here from the desert below?
Nobody [unclear-1] there" 		"To this fortress"... ..."sand"...
..."lives"... 		U-1: "T...ires": Transpires?
translator-4.png translator-contrast-4.png "I am sorry.
Your language is like those
spoken by the [unclear-1] difficult
[unclear-2] but I learned it." 		"I apologize"
..."tongue"..."similar"...

"I" 		U-1 & 2: Totally obscured.
translator-5.png translator-contrast-5.png "Please be patient" "Please have patience"
translator-6.png translator-contrast-6.png "They understand nöthing
so they will tend to matters." 		"understand"
"thus"..."attend"..."matters"
translator-7.png translator-contrast-7.png ..."bags" "Your packs"
translator-8.png translator-contrast-8.png "They are heavy." "For"...[unclear-1] U-1: "...el...ted"
translator-9.png translator-contrast-9.png "Welcome" "You are" ... "to it"
translator-10.png translator-contrast-10.png "Tell me where your home is." "Tell" ... "house"
translator-11.png translator-contrast-11.png "What river?"
translator-12.png translator-contrast-12.png "How many people
[unclear-1] are you?" 		..."numerous" U-1: "...r...n...": strong?
translator-13.png translator-contrast-13.png "Which is forty?
All my numbers are too small."
"Yes! Good." 		"What"...
translator-14.png translator-contrast-14.png "Do you carry these people with you?" With the implicit meaning of "did they come with you?" assuming the translator doesn't believe they are Cueball's imaginary friends or action figures.
translator-15.png translator-contrast-15.png "Oh."
"Oh."
translator-16.png translator-contrast-16.png "You do not know."
"I [Unclear-1]"
"[Unclear-2]" 		U-1: "n... ...sse."
U-2: "...el...ina...": Possibly tell/illuminate?
translator-17.png translator-contrast-17.png "Your sea does not stand alone:
There is another sea next to it
[Unclear-1] beyond the shore.
It has become [Unclear-2] to yours
[Unclear-3] levels differ
and thus water flows"...


..."tied"...

 U-1: Totally obscured.
U-2: "s...ed"
U-3: "b...": because? but their?
translator-contrast-18.png "In time even the hills change.
When people first [Unclear-1] and first
built [Unclear-2] cities the seas were joined.
but there was a great [Unclear-3]
rock [Unclear-4] and the passage was closed.
Your sea [Unclear-5] with too few rivers.
Under the sun it shrank and the water fell.
The sea has found a way back in."

"castles"..."welded"

"mud"..."road"..."forbidden"


"Now"... 		U-1: "...lked": walked? talked?
U-2: Totally obscured.
U-3: Totally obscured.
U-4: Totally obscured.
U-5: "w...": was isolated?

"Do you know where you are?"

"I will build you a map to understanding."

"The fortress is here." - "This sea is yours." - "This sea is joining yours."

"And this is our belief about the sea's new shore."

"We learned it has happened before. When our r[Unclear-1]ts were le[Unclear-2]ng to walk upr[Unclear-3]t, the sea [Unclear-4]d and returned."

Unclear-1: "parents" with vertical overlay "forefathers"/rabbits?

Unclear-2: learning?

Unclear-3: upright?

Unclear-4: fled?

"N[Unclear-1]t is H[Unclear-2]ing again."

Unclear-1: Now it?

Unclear-2: happening?

"Yes."

"This Castle/Fortress [Unclear-1] once [Unclear-2] island. We found it and have tried to rebuild it."

Unclear-1: was?

Unclear-2: an?

"[Unclear-1] I imagine/suppose/[Unclear-2] it will be an island again."

Unclear-1: Now?

Unclear-2: guess?

"We are learners/teachers/scholars. This fortress [Unclear-1] with [Unclear-2] and I am their teacher/leader."

Unclear-1: shares?

Unclear-2: teachers/scholars/learners?

"I am so sorry."

"When we discovered the sea was [Unclear-1] under the bank we tried to shore it up. We failed. We tried to remove everybody from the basin, but we did not know of your [Unclear-2]."

Unclear-1: flowing/rising?

Unclear-2: tribe/group?

"No."

"[Unclear-1] the water flows, it widens the breach. The [Unclear-2] is giving way. The sea will rush through in a G[Unclear-3]ent. The planets mightiest river will once again come thundering down the mountainside. The sea will fill - not in years - but in days."

Unclear-1: No or As?

Unclear-2: serm or perm or berm?

Unclear-3: gushing torrent? great torrent?

"The journey to your land is much too long. [Unclear-1] not send[Unclear-2] only [Unclear-3] see[Unclear-4] encircled and drowned by the rising/rushing tide/water."

Unclear-1: I will?

Unclear-2: you (back/away)?

Unclear-3: to?

Unclear-4: [your]friends/group?

"The world you know is ending. But fortune/fate has delivered you from the flood. You [Unclear-2] not intend to [Unclear-3]ve your home forever, but be thankful/grateful you left when you did."

Unclear-1: delivered?

Unclear-2: did?

Unclear-3: leave or love or serve?

"You must say your goodbyes from here. You cannot go back/return down into the abyss. For you have walked too far and now there is no more time to walk. The ocean/sea is coming/here."

Retrieved from "https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=1190:_Time/Translator&oldid=66964"