www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas/04/19/canada.couch.ap/index.html
Most Popular Chinese translation error blamed for slur on sofa label Story Highlights Couch buyer's daughter, 7, discovered slur on new couch Chinese software firm cites problem with translation software Buyer is consulting with a lawyer and wants compensation Adjust font size: Decrease font Decrease font Enlarge font Enlarge font TORONTO, Ontario (AP) -- Doris Moore was shocked when her new couch was delivered to her Toronto home with a label that used a racial slur to describe the dark brown shade of the upholstery. The situation was even more alarming for Moore because it was her 7-year-old daughter who pointed out "nigger brown" on the tag. "My daughter saw the label and she knew the color brown, but didn't know what the other word meant. I never thought that's how she'd learn of that word," Moore said. "I know this is a very bad word," Huang Luoyi, a product manager for the Beijing-based company's translation software, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. He explained that when the Chinese characters for "dark brown" are typed into an older version of its Chinese-English translation software, the offensive description comes up. "We got the definition from a Chinese-English dictionary. Maybe the dictionary was updated, but we probably didn't follow suit," he said. Moore, who is black, said Kingsoft's acknowledgment of a mistake does not make her feel better. "They should know what they are typing, even if it is a software error," she said. "In order for something to come into the country, don't they read it first? Romesh Vanaik, owner of Vanaik Furniture, where Moore bought the sofa, said it has been a best seller. He said he checked his stock but found no other couch with the offensive label. I've been here since 1972 and I never knew the meaning of this word," said Vanaik, a native of India. His supplier, Paul Kumar of Cosmos Furniture in Toronto, denied responsibility and refused to give the name of the couch's Chinese manufacturer. It's not the manufacturers' fault," he said, adding that Kingsoft was to blame. Huang said Kingsoft has worked to correct the translation error. In the 2007 version, typing "dark brown" in Chinese does not produce the racial slur in English. But if the offensive term is typed in English, the Chinese translation is "dark brown," he said. Moore is consulting with a lawyer and wants compensation. Last week, she filed a report with the Ontario Human Rights Commission. Commission spokeswoman Afroze Edwards said the case is in the initial stages and could take six months to two years to resolve. Moore, 30, has three young children, and said the issue has taken a toll on her family. We don't just need a personal apology, but someone needs to own up to where these labels were made, and someone needs to apologize to all people of color," Moore said.
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