Interpretation mishaps

Mezmerized · (#1 (**permalink**))

As most of you would be aware, the Immigration services usually hire other Imigrants of to help translations with the new arrivals of a particular country. One time this Ethiopian man was hired to interpret for a young lady who used to be a traditional "funeral singer"(for those who don't know this, its a practice in some African countries to have people who are professional funeral singers....as well as entertaining people, they also do the all soapy funeral stuffs of saying nice things about the diceased etc)

Anyways, In the middle of the interview, the immigrationofficer asked the interpreter to ask the young lady what she did for a living back home....she says she used to be a funerals singer. Up to this point the interpreter has managed to fool everyone about the fluency of his English.....he just didn't know how to translate the funeral singer from Amharic to English, realising thathes stuck, he turns around and mumbles to the IO that the girl used to a funeral DJblkbrukteet

When i heard this i was tears.....thank God that the restaurant was empty because we were cracking up like crazy...lol

Abissinia · (#2 (**permalink**))

Funeral DJ

bighairlol

Has to be one of the funniest things i have heard all year. Man my stomach is actually in pain from laughing so much.

Apparently in the West they call them town criers, although in Africa this people donâ€™t just announce deaths they also sing at funerals. Basically their job is to sing praises about the deceased in a really sad voiceâ€¦. Itâ€™s so sad even passer-byes weep and mourn the person they've never met. Skillful people they are.

Maat · (#3 (**permalink**))

Quote:

bighairlolFuneral DJ makes you forget for a minute that it's actually asad ocassion.