Lost in Translation

By Morgan Karpiel

One of the funny things about humans is how culture-driven we are. Why is that? Wouldn’t it be a great Darwinian advantage to simply blend in anywhere? But no, we all grew up in a certain place and that place will determine how we interpret things throughout our entire lives.

As an American living in Poland, I see things very differently from the people around me and nothing illustrates that difference more than marketing campaigns.

Marketing campaigns throw out countless numbers of images and phrases per month and, usually, they all bear the signature of their culture of origin.

How would you interpret the following products found in Polish grocery store?

Never go anywhere without your Foxy Asso paper towels.

Would you eat this man’s yogurt? Scary man yogurt?

Maybe you’d like to sample cosmetics with the reassuring name of ‘Success Eye Tech’? Much improved from the earlier ‘No Success Eye Tech’.

And finally, you might want to have a make-over. Just not one like this.

The differences in language and culture make for funny comparisons, but I love living in Krakow and having a business here. No matter how well I can speak the language, however, I’ve come to realize that I’m always going to interpret things as an American. Sometimes that makes it funny. Sometimes that makes it lonely, but ultimately, living outside your own culture is the adventure of a lifetime J