Introduction
The History of the Universe in 200 Words or Less (Schulman 1997) provides a precise and concise summary (Goodman 1997) of the history of the universe for those who understand written English. In the course of the AIR Universal History Translation Project (Schulman et al. 1998), which will provide this summary for speakers of more than twenty other languages, it was realized that the different translations include special insights developed over the history of different cultures. Now that automatic translation software is available via the World-Wide Web (AltaVista and Systran 1997) it is possible to discover these insights by translating the history into different languages and back. In this paper we present sequential translations of the history to and from French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish.
English
Quantum fluctuation. Inflation. Expansion. Strong nuclear interaction. Particle-antiparticle annihilation. Deuterium and helium production. Density perturbations. Recombination. Blackbody radiation. Local contraction. Cluster formation. Reionization? Violent relaxation. Virialization. Biased galaxy formation? Turbulent fragmentation. Contraction. Ionization. Compression. Opaque hydrogen. Massive star formation. Deuterium ignition. Hydrogen fusion. Hydrogen depletion. Core contraction. Envelope expansion. Helium fusion. Carbon, oxygen, and silicon fusion. Iron production. Implosion. Supernova explosion. Metals injection. Star formation. Supernova explosions. Star formation. Condensation. Planetesimal accretion. Planetary differentiation. Crust solidification. Volatile gas expulsion. Water condensation. Water dissociation. Ozone production. Ultraviolet absorption. Photosynthetic unicellular organisms. Oxidation. Mutation. Natural selection and evolution. Respiration. Cell differentiation. Sexual reproduction. Fossilization. Land exploration. Dinosaur extinction. Mammal expansion. Glaciation. Homo sapiens manifestation. Animal domestication. Food surplus production. Civilization! Innovation. Exploration. Religion. Warring nations. Empire creation and destruction. Exploration. Colonization. Taxation without representation. Revolution. Constitution. Election. Expansion. Industrialization. Rebellion. Emancipation Proclamation. Invention. Mass production. Urbanization. Immigration. World conflagration. League of Nations. Suffrage extension. Depression. World conflagration. Fission explosions. United Nations. Space exploration. Assassinations. Lunar excursions. Resignation. Computerization. World Trade Organization. Terrorism. Internet expansion. Reunification. Dissolution. World-Wide Web creation. Composition. Extrapolation?
English to French to English
Fluctuation of section of time. Inflation. Expansion. Strong nuclear interaction. Annihilation of particle-antiparticle. Production of deuterium and helium. Disturbances of density. Recombination. Radiation of black body. Local contraction. Formation of battery. Reionization? Relieving forces. Virialization. Eccentric formation of galaxy? Turbulent fragmentation. Contraction. Ionization. Compaction. Opaque hydrogen. Massive star formation. Deuterium lighting. Hydrogen fusion. Hydrogen exhaustion. Contraction of core. Expansion of envelope. Helium fusion. Carbon, oxygen, and silicon fusion. Production of iron. Implosion. Explosion of supernova. Metal injection. Star formation. Explosions of supernova. Star formation. Condensation. Increase in Planetesimal. Planetary differentiation. Solidification of crust. Volatile gas expulsion. Condensation of water. Dissociation of water. Production of ozone. Ultraviolet absorption. Organizations unicellular photosynthetic. Oxidation. Transfer. Selection and evolution normals. Breathing. Differentiation of cells. Sexual reproduction. Fossilization. Ground browsing. Extinction of Dinosaur. Mammalian expansion. Glaciation. Demonstration of sapiens of Homo. Animal domestication. Production in surplus of food. Civilization! Innovation. Browsing. Religion. Making nations the war. Creation and destruction of empire. Browsing. Colonization. Imposition without representation. Revolution. Constitution. Election. Expansion. Industrialization. Rebellion. Proclamation Of Emancipation. Invention. Mass production. Urbanization. Immigration. Conflagration of the world. League nations. Extension of vote. Depression. Conflagration of the world. Explosions of fission. The United Nations. Browsing of space. Assassinations. Lunar excursions. Resignation. Automation. Organization Of World trade. Terrorism. Internet Expansion. Reunification. Dissolution. World creation of Web Composition. Extrapolation?
English to French to English to German to English
Fluctuation of the section of the time. Inflation. Expansion. Strong core dependency. Destruction particle antiparticle. Production of the deuterium and the helium. Disturbances of the density. Recombination. Radiation of the black body. Local contraction. Arrangement of the battery. Reionization? Relieve the forces. Virialization. Eccentric cam arrangement of the galaxy? Turbulent division. Contraction. Ionization. Compression. Impermeable hydrogen. Substantial asterisk arrangement. Deuterium lighting. Hydrogen fusion procedure. Hydrogen removal. Contraction of the core. Expansion of the envelope. Helium fusion procedure. Carbon, oxygen and silicone fusion procedure. Production of the iron. Implosion. Explosion of supernew facts. Metal injection. Asterisk arrangement. Explosions of supernew facts. Asterisk arrangement. Condensation. Increase Planetesimal. Planetary distinction. Solidification of the crust. Erasable gas distance. Condensation of the water. Dissolution of the water. Production of ozone. Ultraviolet absorption. Single-cell photo-synthetic of the organizations. Oxidation. Transfer. Selection and Entwicklungsnormals. Respiration. Distinction of the cells. Sexual playback. Fossilization. Grunddurchstoebern. Deletion of Dinosaur. Mammal expansion. Glaciation. Demonstration of sapiens of Homo. Tierzaehmung. Production in the surplus of the food. Civilization! Innovation. Durchstoebern. Religion. Nations the war form. Creation and destruction of the realm. Durchstoebern. Settlement. Imposing without representation. Revolution. Condition. Selection. Expansion. Industrialization. Rebellion. Proclamation of the Emanzipation. Invention. Mass production. Refinement. Immigration. Conflagration of the world. League nations. Extension of the voice. Lowest point. Conflagration of the world. Explosions of splitting. The nations. Durchstoebern of the workstation. Murders. Moon excursion ions. Resignation. Automation. Organization of the world trade. Terrorism. Internet expansion. Reunification. Dissolution. World creation of the structure of Web. Extrapolation?
English to French to English to German to English to Italian to English
Fluctuation of the section of the time. Inflation. Expansion. Dependency strongly of nucleus. Antiparticle of the destruction particle. Production of deuterium and helium. Dispersions of the density. Recombination. Cancellation of the black body. Local contraction. Disposition of the battery. Reionization? To alleviate the forces. Virialization. Eccentric disposition of the cam of the galaxy? Turbulent division. Contraction. Ionization. Jam. Impermeable hydrogen. Remarkable disposition of the asterisk. Lighting system of deuterium. Procedure of fusion of hydrogen. Removal of hydrogen. Contraction of the nucleus. Expansion of the envelope. Procedure of fusion of helium. Procedure of fusion of carbon, oxygen and the silicone. Production of the iron. Implosion. Outbreak of the facts of the supernew. Injection of the metal. Disposition of the asterisk. Outbreaks of the facts of the supernew. Disposition of the asterisk. Condensation. To increase Planetesimal. Planetary distinction. Solidification of the crust. Cancellabile distance of the gas. Condensation of the water. Dissolution of the water. Ozone production. Ultraviolet absorption. Fotosintetico to unicellulare of the organizations. Oxidation. Transfer. Selezione and Entwicklungsnormals. Respiration. Distinction of the cells. Sexual Playback. Fossilization. Grunddurchstoebern. Omission of Dinosaur. Expansion mammal. Glaciation. Demonstration of the sapiens of Homo. Tierzaehmung. Production in the surplus of the food. Civilizzazione! Innovation. Durchstoebern. Religion. Nations the war shape. Creation and destruction of the reign. Durchstoebern. Plant. Imposing without rappresentazione. Turn. Circumstance. Selection. Expansion. Industrialization. Rebellion. Proclamation of the Emanzipation. Invention. Fabrication in series. Improvement. Immigration. Conflagration of the world. Nations of the alloy. Extension of the voice. Point more low. Conflagration of the world. Outbreaks to crack. The nations. Durchstoebern of the job station. Homicides. Ionian of excursion of the moon. Giving up. Automation. Organization of the world-wide commerce. Terrorism. Internet Expansion. Reunification. Dissolution. Creation of the world of the structure of the fotoricettore. Extrapolation?
English to French to English to German to English to Italian to English to Portuguese to English
Fluctuation of the section of the time. Inflation. Expansion. Dependence strong of the nucleus. Antiparticle of the particle of the destruction. Production of deuterium and helium. Dispersions of the density. Recombination. Cancellation of the black body. Local contraction. Disposal of the battery. Reionization? To alliviate the forces. Virialization. Eccentric disposal of the cam of the galaxy? Division turbulent. Contraction. Ionization. Jam. Hydrogen impermeable. Disposal notable of the asterisk. System of lighting of deuterium. Procedure of the fusing of hydrogen. Removal of hydrogen. Contraction of the nucleus. Expansion of the envelope. Procedure of the fusing of helium. Procedure of the fusing of carbon, the oxygen and silica. Production of the iron. Implosion. Outbreak of the facts of supernew. Injection of the metal. Disposal of the asterisk. Outbreaks of the facts of supernew. Disposal of the asterisk. Condensation. To increase Planetesimal. Planetary distinction. Solidification of the crust. Distance of Cancellabile of the gas. Condensation of the water. Dissolution of the water. Production of ozone. Ultraviolet Absorption. Fotosintetico to unicellulare of the organizations. Oxidation. Transference. Selezione and Entwicklungsnormals. Breath. Distinction of the stacks. Sexual Playback. Fossilization. Grunddurchstoebern. Omission of Dinosaur. Mammal of the expansion. Glaciation. Demonstration of sapiens of Homo. Tierzaehmung. Production in the excess of the food. Civilizzazione! Innovation. Durchstoebern. Religion. Nations the form of the war. Creation and destruction of the kingdom. Durchstoebern. Plant. Impo without rappresentazione. Return. Circumstance. Election. Expansion. Industrialization. Rebellion. Proclamation of the Emanzipation. Invention. Manufacture in the series. Improvement. Immigration. Conflagration of the world. Nations of the league. Extension of the voice. Lower point. Conflagration of the world. Outbreaks to the crack. The nations. Durchstoebern of the station of the work. Homicides. Ionian of excursion of the moon. To give above. Automatization. Organization of the commerce world-wide. Terrorism. Internet Expansion. Reunification. Dissolution. Creation of the world of the structure of fotoricettore. Extrapolation?
English to French to English to German to English to Italian to English to Portuguese to English to Spanish to English
Fluctuation of the section of the time. Inflation. Extension. Strong dependency of the nucleus. Antiparticle of the particle of the destruction. Production of the deuterium and helium. Dispersions of the density. Recombination. Cancellation of the black body. Local contraction. Disposition of the battery. Reionization? To alliviate the forces. Virialization. Eccentric disposition of the levy of the galaxy? Turbulent division. Contraction. Ionization. Clogging. Impermeable hydrogen. Remarkable person of the disposition of the asterisk. System of the illumination of the deuterium. Procedure of the fusion of hydrogen. Retirement of hydrogen. Contraction of the nucleus. Extension of on. Procedure of the fusion of helium. Procedure of the fusion of the coal, oxygen and silicone. Production of the iron. Implosion. Bud of the facts of supernew. Injection of the metal. Disposition of the asterisk. Buds of the facts of supernew. Disposition of the asterisk. Condensation. In order to increase Planetesimal. Planetary distinction. Solidification of the crust. Distance of Cancellabile of the gas. Condensation of the water. Dissolution of the water. Production of ozone. Ultraviolet Absorption. Fotosintetico to unicellulare of the organizations. Oxidation. Transference. Selezione and Entwicklungsnormals. Breathing. Distinction of the batteries. Apparatus of Sexual reading. Fossilization. Grunddurchstoebern. Omission of Dinosaur. Mammal of the extension. Glaciation. Demonstration of sapiens of Homo. Tierzaehmung. Production in the excess of the food. Civilizzazione! Innovation. Durchstoebern. Religion. Nations the form of the war. Creation and destruction of the kingdom. Durchstoebern. It plants. Impo without rappresentazione. Return. Circumstance. Selection. Extension. Industrialization. Rebellion. Proclamation of the Emanzipation. Invention. Manufacture in the series. Improvement. Immigration. Conflagration of the world. Nations of the league. Extension of the voice. Lower the end. Conflagration of the world. Buds to the crack. The nations. Durchstoebern of the station of the work. Homicides. Jo'nico of the excursion of the moon. In order to give above. Automatization. Organization of the commerce everywhere. Terrorism. Internet Extension. Reunification. Dissolution. Creation of the world of the structure of fotoricettore. Extrapolation?
Conclusions
The data above are too rich with cultural, historical, and cosmological insights to fully discuss them here, so a brief summary of particularly interesting translations will have to suffice:
English Massive star formation German Substantial asterisk arrangement Italian Remarkable disposition of the asterisk Portuguese Disposal notable of the asterisk Spanish Remarkable person of the disposition of the asterisk English Sexual reproduction German Sexual playback Spanish Apparatus of Sexual reading English Fission explosions French Explosions of fission German Explosions of splitting Italian Outbreaks to crack Portuguese Outbreaks to the crack Spanish Buds to the crack English World-Wide Web creation French World creation of Web Composition German World creation of the structure of Web Italian Creation of the world of the structure of the fotoricettore Portuguese Creation of the world of the structure of fotoricettoreThe identification of significant cultural, historical, and cosmological insights from these and other examples is left as an excercise for the reader.
References
AltaVista and Systran, 1997, http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/cgi-bin/translate
Goodman, J. 1997, personal communication
Schulman, E. 1997, Annals of Improbable Research, 3, 1, 27
Schulman, E., Ahermaa, M., Azevedo, J. M. N., Berry, D. M., Blanc, J.-F., Codogno, M., Daniell, T., De Comite, F., Ehrgott, M., Fourie, P., Suárez García, E. J., György, V., Irmay, R., Irmay, S., Kalb, S., Kucera, J., Louko, J., Morris, Rh., Murphy, P. P., Pedersen, A. G., Ratinen, M., Ucko, A., Wesselingh, R. A., Afonso, W., Cristos, C. J., Mansfeld, F., Duffy, R., Eichin, M., Ponte, R. M., Reale, F., Bar-On, J., Berry, Y., Biham, E., Enqvist, K., Eskes, H., Friedland, J., Giel, D., Kantorowitz, E., Ornan, U., Rullan, V., et al. 1998, Annals of Improbable Research, in press