One day in September, late in the summer after my grandparents passed, my aunts wrote an ordinary series of messages. The English translations are full of optimistic mistakes. In one, I, the "little granddaughter", have published a "book" – in reality, just an article – and in another, a grandchild has bought a "villa with a pool" – in reality, a small house in Arkansas. It had been a difficult year for our family, and even the cockroaches, one of my aunts wrote, were bullies.
9月的一天,也就是夏末的一天,爷爷奶奶去世了,阿姨们写下了很多普普通通的信息。而英文翻译里全是一些搞笑的错误。其中一个,我,那个“小孙女”,出版了一本书——实际上只是一篇文章,另一个,一个孙子买了一栋“带游泳池的别墅”——实际上只是阿肯色州的一栋小房子。这一年对我们家族来说是艰难的一年,我的一位阿姨写道,甚至连蟑螂都成了恶霸。
Here's how WeChat translated my aunts' messages into English:
下面是微信将阿姨们的留言翻译出来的英文:
Hello, Mom and Dad! We won't talk about it today if we want to be sad and sad. Dad, it seems that you are a handshake at home, in fact, you love us, we understand in our hearts. Your greatest wish is to have a famous writer in your children and grandchildren. Your little granddaughter is working towards this goal. She recently published a new book that can do what she likes and dream and fight for it. Mother told you about the current situation in the family, your great-grandson changed to a new work unit, it is said that the new goldmine is about to be dug. The second grandson now has a lot of dollars. Granddaughter always buys clothes and shoes. Your grandson bought a villa with a pool. Children can live on their own, and we will be satisfied with enough food and clothing. Mom, Yahan is in the third grade of school. Ting Yu is promoted to the middle class. Niu Niu has a sharp mouth. Xiao Erbao toddlers, that looks lovely to the extreme.
爹妈你们好!如果我们想要悲伤,但今天我们不说伤心事儿。爹,在家里您似乎是一个握手的人,其实您是爱我们的,我们心里都理解。您最大的愿望就是在你的子孙后代中有一个著名的作家。您的小孙女正朝着这个目标努力。她最近出版了一本新书,这本书可以做她喜欢的事、梦想和为之奋斗。妈妈跟你讲了家里的近况,你的曾孙换了新的工作单位,据说新的金矿就要挖了。第二个孙子现在有很多美元。孙女总是买衣服和鞋子。你孙子买了一栋带游泳池的别墅。孩子们可以自己生活,我们有足够的食物和衣服就满足了。妈妈,雅涵上三年级了。余廷被提升为中产阶级。妞妞有一张锋利的嘴。小二宝的孩子,看起来可爱到极点。
Mom, the cockroach recently in our open a community, really bully our family no one ah.
妈妈,那只蟑螂最近在我们开了一个社区,真的欺负我们家没人啊。
Mom and Dad, it is often said that parents, home, parents are not, only the way home. The laws of nature are irresistible. It's just that we miss you so much.
爹妈,人们常说,父母,回家,父母不在,只有回家的路。自然法则是不可抗拒的。只是我们太想你了。
Mom, Dad, the weather is cool, miss you more.
爹,爸爸,天凉了,更想你了。