Self-Aggrandizement: Lost in Translation

For the past year or so, we've been using Vonage for our business phones, and we couldn't be more pleased with how well it's worked thus far. Aside from cheap, reliable service, Vonage has provided a slew of bells and whistles we've much appreciated - first and foremost, emailing us voice mail messages as .WAV files.

And while that's worked quite well, sadly, my trusty Blackberry Pearl is unable to open those audio files. So I was quite excited when, a few weeks back, Vonage added a new voice mail feature: emails now include not just the .WAV, but also a transcription of the message in the body of the email.

Ninety percent of the time, the transcription is spot on. But as the service is clearly the result of offshore outsourcing, every so often, messages come back in a language halfway between English and the writer's native tongue.

Observe this email from yesterday, to my colleague Chris, and from Jeremiah at PostWorks, the post-production facility we're using to finish the trailer for Naming Number Two. The actual message basically says that the tape is 24p, and they want to make sure that works for the editor. The transcription reads.

Hey Chris this is my gosh we're supposed to work calling you regarding this this down converse That's questions natural that sort tape this is true 24 P. So in order to do it down whereas in we would have to run it at 2398 I'm wondering if this is going to work for you or but but what do you make of all this we were expecting a true 24 PE for the dog person. if you get a chance give me a call [phone number] again it's my gas burner from post works and and so she emailed as well as if we catch either take it by

Very naaaice.

Lost in Translation Filed Saturday, May 5 2007.

Lost in Translation
Filed Saturday, May 5 2007.