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June 25, 2026
3:14 pm
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Major Mistakes that AI Makes

AI-generated translations are accurate. Except when they’re not. And if you don’t speak the target language, how will you know whether an AI-only translation conveys the correct meaning? Or whether it culturally adapts your text to gain the maximum effect you seek? Normally, you don’t and AI doesn’t.

Two recent examples for our clients prove this point:

AI Legal translations into Spanish which were wrong

English original: "clear through customs"

AI translation: nacionalizar (meaning "nationalize". Clearly wrong!)

Correction: despachar en aduana (clear customs)

English original: "supporting documents"

AI translation: documentos de soporte (meaning "documents of support" or documents that provide support as a service)

Correction: documentos de respaldo (supporting documents)

English original: "Execute documents..."

AI translation: Suscribir documentos...(While the term is used as "to sign" documents, it is more commonly means "to subscribe")

Correction: Firmar los documentos...(This is the universal, everyday word for signing a document, contract, or check. It literally means to make something firm and stable.)

Acculturating a brochure into French about one of our own services

English original: “Verification of company names, product names and slogans to ensure no embarrassing mistakes in other languages before companies spend huge amounts in marketing."

AI translation: Vérification des noms d'entreprises, des noms de produits et des slogans afin d'éviter toute erreur embarrassante dans d'autres langues avant que les entreprises n'investissent des sommes considérables dans le marketing.

English meaning of AI Translation: Verification of company names, product names and slogans to avoid any embarrassing mistake in other languages before companies invest considerable amounts in marketing.

Need for Cultural Adaptation:

French recipients—whether in Europe or Francophone Africa—will generally respond better to a more understated, factual style. The emphasis should be on the substance rather than on American superlatives which often appear arrogant overseas.

Linguists’ Acculturated French: Nous accompagnons les entreprises dans la vérification de leurs raisons sociales, noms de produits, slogans et supports marketing afin d'éviter toute difficulté linguistique ou culturelle avant leur lancement sur de nouveaux marchés.

Translation of Acculturated French into English: We assist enterprises in vetting their company names, product names, slogans and marketing materials to avoid any linguistic or cultural issues before their launch into new markets.

NOTES

The acculturated French is toned down from the original English which was, “to ensure no embarrassing mistakes in other languages before companies spend huge amounts in marketing."
These subtle but critical differences can make or break your success among ethnic US or overseas audiences.

BLOOPERS

Critical mistakes also happen when foreigners assume that their learned English is correct:

Sign in Hong Kong dentist’s office: “Teeth extracted by the latest Methodists.”

Sign in Norway cocktail lounge: “Ladies are requested not to have children in the bar.”

Sign in Mexico hotel: “The manager has personally passed all the water served here.”

MORAL of the STORIES

Do not assume that AI alone and non-native speakers convey the meaning correctly.

Do not assume that AI alone gets it right. Maybe it does and maybe it doesn’t.

When precision matters, our hybrid combination using professional linguists guarantees accuracy.

Even if the words or concepts are translated “correctly,” they may not be accurate culturally. Appeals and benefits in one place may not resonate in another. You have insurance. Using professional linguists is another (inexpensive) insurance to verify that the substantial sums you’ve invested will resonate with your audience.

For a free quote to get it right, please contact us, the only folks with 35 years’ experience serving clients of all sizes and in all industries.

Thank you,