How is that a win? There are lots of formal reasons to write out a number rather than use the digital form (as in digits, not as in computers), and their service failed to provide it. If I wanted "302", I would have requested a translation of "302". I am sure that "three hundred and two" is not written out as "302" in formal German prose, cultural differences or no.

But how do you say three hundred two in German? Obviously not "three hundred two" or 302.

So click the listen and write down what it says (dreihundertzwei fyi).

It's a win because it translated meaning (it parsed "three hundred and two"), not the literal.

Also, if you wrote the english CORRECTLY, it translates the formal version. You gave it slang, you got slang back. http://translate.google.com/translate_t?hl=en&q=three+hundred+and+two&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sl=en&tl=de&sa=X#en|de|Three%20hundred%20two

Note the capitalization (which switches it to written out in word form), and the removal of the incorrect "and" ("and" separates decimal points in American English.)

So you can't really blame google for your failings.



German uses the same alphabet and numbers - 302 is correct. Also, playing around with it, it seems to really just not like ones place. If you do "ten thousand three hundred", you get back "zehntausenddreihundert". But if you do "ten thousand three hundred two", you get back 10.302

Perhaps to write it out, but to *say* three hundred two:

One Hundred One Dalmations. I don't think so. Last time I checked the inclusion of the 'and' was a stylistic choice. And capitalization is stunningly arbitrary to switch on full-word translation.

The Hundred and One Dalmatians was written by an English author, hence the and. Omission of the and is not a stylistic choice in the UK, and inclusion of it is not slang.

Ah, my mistake then. In my writing I almost always use the 'and'; it looks odd to me without it.

I'd agree that Google's translation service was being silly, but judging by the unintelligible rubbish it tends to produce I'm not entirely surprised. Babelfish tends to do a far superior job.

Google's random word picker can also be found providing the audio transcription to YouTube videos and in the suggested tags feature:



I've never quite worked out how eBay's currency converter works, either.

Lol@ "thermometer" and "Star wars" That cracked me up.

While doing homework:


I typed it in as -1 13/15 and got it wrong +/

Yeesh, that sucks, comicIDIOT. Ben, that's some pretty epic fail all around. May I ask what the calculator is for?

I didn't win it (or, indeed, any calculator I've bid for on eBay, as I don't have a money tree in my garden) but it was an attempt to fix a bug in BBC BASIC where it would crash when a USB cable was plugged in. I never got to the bottom of that.

Ah, that's a pain. Let me know if there's anything I could do to help you track it down.

Kerm: And in formal German writing I think it is actually acceptable to use numerals. I know that within formal essays numbered lists and what have you are actually the norm, along with other things that are much more practical than using solely lettered words forming paragraphs.

Sure, numbered lists, but if you're telling a dinner guest that you're expecting 20 others to show up, you'd still inform them that you're expecting "twenty additional guests", not "20 additional guests".

Not just numbered lists. It's perfectly alright in an essay to write 200 instead of zwohundert. I thought by formal situations you meant a formal essay.

You should check again, because it isn't a stylistic choice. 'and' is a verbal/written decimal point, and has been for a long time.



Lots of people almost always screw up English - that isn't really a defense, just an admission that your mistake is actually a bad habit.

There are formal occasions outside of essays, you know.

@Kllrnohj: Nevertheless, it looks and sounds correct to me, so I'll probably continue to use it.

Could you provide an example of that? I've never seen that usage - "point" is the only verbal/written decimal point I've come across in English.

I take it you're speaking for the entire USA, then?

It's time for bed. I need to be more aware when I post.