About Emma
Emma Clarke is a leading female voiceover and comedy/drama writer. She voices all kinds of things from advertisements to radio identity packages – but is best known as the ‘voice of the London Underground’.
Previous postings
- Cutting edge discussion: how to say road names in a commercial
- Facing the nation on the telly – the key issues
- Unaccustomed as I am...
- Mind the Gap: The inside story of a very British fiasco
- Awkward Advertising: BT’s Adam and Jane ads
- Translate these phrases into actual English and you’ll win a prize!*
- Excuse me, would you like to rent my mouth?
- Awkward Advertising: John Prescott the boxer
- Awkward Advertising: JLS Wii Party
- Awkward Advertising: Nice ‘n’ Easy’s Dance class ad
- Awkward Advertising: The Boots ‘Not giving gifts this year’ ad
- Awkward Advertising: Halifax’s “ISA ISA Baby” TV ad
- Awkward Advertising: that bloody Match Affinity commercial
Archives
Translate these phrases into actual English and you’ll win a prize!*
Wednesday
Jan 19 2011
Yesterday a friend of mine sent me this amazing email a friend of his had just received. He forwarded it for a laugh and also as incontrovertible proof that he’s got friends. Reader, the email didn’t disappoint.
We’ve all had those begging scam emails, right? The ones where Foreign Person A is in Plight B where Threat C means Armageddon unless you send them your entire life savings, yeah? And you usually hit delete? Yeah, me too. But be warned – delete it without reading it and you could be missing out on COMEDY GOLD.
The email was addressed to “The entire radio station.”
Ergo:
“Because now the world’s crisis, our “home disabled ?52/41” will not get money from sponsors (because they are bankrupt) for medicines and because of this we can not always give us the necessary medicines. We hurt pain.
Our group of 60 people like your radio, we listen via the Internet! Many times. We are a real fan of creative DJs, music and programs. We really love your country, your music and listen to your radio, we will drown in your life and the world. We are angry dream souvenirs with the logo of your radio! Thank you!”
I’ll send a prize* to anyone who can successfully translate:
a) “We will drown in your life and the world”
and
b) “We are angry dream souvenirs with the logo of your radio.”
Intriguing, isn’t it?
*by ‘prize’ I mean ‘nothing.’
3 comments · add a comment · this blog is moderated
Emma Clarke takes no responsibility for any comments below, as these do not necessarily represent her views.
BoÂ?tjan
19 January 2011 at
08:55
Ad a: It's the same as "I'm drowning in your eyes", but it means that they want to be a part of your country and the world you live in. You can say: " I want to make a butter of your country and smear it all over my body". Ad b: Simple: "We are angry when we only dream about souvenirs with a logo of your radio". There. If you need more help, just tell me.
Emma
19 January 2011 at
08:58
Bos! That's INCREDIBLE! Such insight! I think it's because Slovenian is your first language and not English that you're able to understand it. Amazing. Humbled.
piehole voiceovers
27 January 2011 at
10:12
It's funny to see how much effort they put into writing such an mail - imagine with their level of English, they had to spend hours putting it all together. Would be interesting to see what motivated them. Did they really believe you would "help"?