THE MOST OBVIOUS MACHINE TRANSLATION IN MY PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

It may come as no surprise to hear the suggestion that professional translators (like me) have a refined acumen for determining what is the product of machine translation. That said, I was recently given a very small proofreading job where it soon became obvious to me that the original was a blatant and careless machine translation; I was genuinely surprised at how much work I had to do on it for such a small project – it was only a single-page birth certificate, after all.

Below I have reproduced the original material followed by what I did as the finished product of my own work. By the way, I have anonymised it, so don’t bother complaining that I have violated GDPR or anything. Well, why not?

Original material:
FULL COPY – BIRTH CERTIFICATE
YEAR 1982 No. 131

131- XXXXX
March 10
March ten nineteen hundred eighty-two, at eleven fifteen a.m., was born, avenue de la République, 20, XXXXX, of female gender, from XXXXX, born in XXXXX, electricity of France agent, and from XXXXX, his spouse, born in XXXXX, secretary, domiciled in XXXXX. Drawed up on XXXXX, on the father’s declaration, whom, after having read the current document, has signed with us, XXXXX, senior officer, acting by delegation of the Mayor of XXXXX.

CIVIL UNION registered at the district court of XXXXX on 26 June 2012 with XXXXX born on XXXXX in XXXXX. XXXXX on XXXXX. The Civil Registry Officer, XXXXX

After my work:
CERTIFIED COPY – BIRTH CERTIFICATE
Year 1982 No. 131

131 – XXXXX
March 10

This is to certify that
XXXXX
Gender: female
Daughter of XXXXX (born in XXXXX on XXXXX; French electricity grid operative) and XXXXX (his wife; born in XXXXX on XXXXX; secretary), living at XXXXX
was born on XXXXX at XXXXX at XXXXX

Drafted XXXXX at XXXXX. at the request of the father, who, having been invited to read this document and having actually done so, signed it in the presence of Us, XXXXX (senior officer, acting by delegation of the Mayor of XXXXX).
[Signature]

[Signature]

CIVIL UNION registered at the district court of XXXXX on XXXXX with XXXXX (born on XXXXX in XXXXX. XXXXX, XXXXX. The delegated Civil Registry Officer, XXXXX