Sunday, April 30, 2006

National Anthems: Star-Spangled Banner

May I add my dos centivos to the Spanish-language Star-Spangled Banner controversy? Here's a compromise. Let's translate the lyrics to Spanish, then back to English, using Babel Fish:
The Oh, opinion can you see, by the early light of the dawn, what we hailed so proud in flashing last of the twilight? Of whom ample rays and shining stars, with the dangerous fight, on embankments we watched, so galantemente we flowed? And the red fulgor of the rockets, the pumps that exploded in air, gave the test with the night that our flag still was there. Opinion of the Oh, that flag still stars-star-spangled shakes on the Earth of free and the home of the brave one?

And for German-Americans:
OH -, legends can do you, by the early light of the dawn, which see so proudly we hailed at last shining of the dawns? Who expanded strips and bright of stars, by the dangerous fight, over the RAM parts did we fit, did flow so courageously up? And the red sharp gloss of the rockets, the bombs, which burst in an air, gave proof by the night that our marking sign was still there. O legends, moves these star star spangled flag already over the country of the free and the house of the courageous wavelike?

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