Comments in a foreign language?

[TheLobster]

I haven't seen any mention of this, and I'm very new to publishing on Lit, so I figured I'm gonna ask.

What do you do with foreign language (i.e. non-English) comments on your (English) stories?

I've had several so far, all in Spanish, and it kinda surprised me. I cannot quite understand the motivation of people leaving them. They have clearly enjoyed the story (Google Translate told me so, since my Spanish is negligible), so they clearly posses sufficient command of English to read not just fiction, but erotic fiction no less. I have a hard time believing they weren't able to write a comment that other readers would be much more likely to understand.

Perhaps I'm overthinking this. If you do receive comments like that, what do you with them? Leave? Delete? Something else?

 

[Trionyx]

For someone with a modest second language proficiency, it is easier to read that language than it is to write or speak it. I am pleased when someone leaves a comment, even if it is not in English. I delete only comments which are inappropriate, no matter which language they are in.

 

[samhasstories]

I've never had a foreign language comment, but I don't see why it would bother me. As you said google translate is easily accessible, which would help me read their comment. Unless there's something offensive about the comment itself, I just appreciate when someone takes the time to drop a note.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I have a hard time believing they weren't able to write a comment that other readers would be much more likely to understand.

Perhaps I'm overthinking this. If you do receive comments like that, what do you with them? Leave? Delete? Something else?

Why would you think it strange that someone might want to comment in their native language? You should be pleased they've read your story and pleased they made the effort to comment.

 

[TheLobster]

Oh, but I am! It was simply a bit unexpected. I'm so used to just use English as a default, even though it's not my native language either, that it honestly surprised me.

Like I said, I'm very new to this, so any insights are greatly appreciated. I'll leave the comments be, of course.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I've gotten comments in a variety of languages, Czech, German, Polish. Most of them have taken the trouble to provide the comment in not only their native tongue but a rough English translation. Those that haven't, I have just pasted into Google Translate and gotten a decent translation.

 

[SimonDoom]

I've had a few, including a few in Finnish, which I did not recognize at first. I think it's fun to know that someone from another country has enjoyed my story in English. A few times I have replied "Thank you" or the equivalent in their language.

 

[THBGato]

Kind of off topic, but I've been toying with the idea of translating my stories into Spanish (which I speak and I'm trying to improve my skills in - so it would be as much for that reason as anything else). Has anyone else ever translated their own stories into another language? Was it worth it?

 

[StillStunned]

Kind of off topic, but I've been toying with the idea of translating my stories into Spanish (which I speak and I'm trying to improve my skills in - so it would be as much for that reason as anything else). Has anyone else ever translated their own stories into another language? Was it worth it?

Translation takes practice. Lots and lots of practice. As in, years of full-time translation before you're at a point where it reads like something that was originally composed in the other language.

 

[THBGato]

Translation takes practice. Lots and lots of practice. As in, years of full-time translation before you're at a point where it reads like something that was originally composed in the other language.

I translate a lot into/from Spanish in my daily working life.

 

[StillStunned]

I translate a lot into/from Spanish in my daily working life.

Then presumably you've had that practice, and presumably you know how difficult it can be.

 

[THBGato]

Yeah, I do. I'm under no illusions there. My question was whether anyone had done it and felt it was worth the effort.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yeah, I do. I'm under no illusions there. My question was whether anyone had done it and felt it was worth the effort.

There was a thread a couple of months ago from a writer who had a fan who translated a long story into German. Do a search on threads here in the AH, and you could contact the guy.

 

[MyBareTorso]

I'll gladly take comments in ANY form...semaphore, wing-dings, sign language, emojis, smoke signals, raven, you name it...

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Yeah, I do. I'm under no illusions there. My question was whether anyone had done it and felt it was worth the effort.

I need more practice writing in German, so I've considered trying to translate one of my stories. There's a couple 750 word ones that might be within my powers (and then ask for an editor).

 

[gordo12]

i've had several comments in foreign languages. At first, I deleted them because I couldn't read them, and then started using Translate. Several were OK and I left them alone except to post a translation for the other readers. One was so weird I just deleted it. I've always been iffy about them. If a person can handle English enough to read a story, it seems reasonable to me they can comment in the same language.

 

[MillieDynamite]

So far, I've not had this issue here. I think I had it on another website. If it's Spanish, I can probably get their meaning. For any other language, I'll have to A. Figure out the language, B. Translate online, and C. Decide if I'm answering in English or try to translate it for them. Most of the time, I don't actually respond to comments.

 

[Unblemished]

Once had a commenter who I’m pretty sure was calling me a moron in Chinese

It was on a rather cliche exotic-Asian-girl stroker though so honestly I probably deserved it lol