Yup, yeah, I know.. they're not uncommon, but very confusing to illiterates like me when it comes to various languages I really wish I understood. I'm on my fifth attempt at one other language currently. To be honest, when I said that, I was thinking of an old Jerry Seinfeld routine about the name of a cabbie when he mentioned that letter "O" with the thing over it, and never having learned that letter in chemistry class.

I agree with you about those automated translators. Really, though, when there are masters of any language, how well would one expect a generic corporate auto-translator to convey what was intended by the original author? Probably not its intent anyway. That's why I try to find a real person instead, not that that's any guarantee either of course.

I'm still heartbroken that I cannot bear to read Dostoevsky's The Possessed after he spends 6 or 7 pages on ultra-descriptive things about what somebody is wearing. Whaaa?? Why is he torturing me with these voluminous boring details? No wonder it's 750 fucking pages. Nobody can explain it to me. No wonder some cultures are nearly impenetrable. I need to buy the Cliff's Notes.

Thanks for replying on a topic that interests you.