I am seeking a translation of two sentences from Telugu into English.

Telugu text here:
http://www.geocities.com/ninjabread/telugu.jpg

I have an English translation that I do not fully understand.

English translation provided with letter:
'My question is why the Australian people having the Favor of national.
What is the main reason?
And your wife (Mary) what she was doing? And How many children's are
you having and. what they are doing?'

As an answer I would like:
1)A new translation I can understand of 'why the Australian people
having the Favor of national'. As it is I do not understand the phrase
'Favor of national' and can't answer his question.

Background information that might help you in translating:
This letter is from an 11 year old boy. My correspondent and I have
established a mutual like of cricket, and I sent a cricket related
item in my last letter and he thanksed me at the beginning of this
letter (not shown in scan). Perhaps he is referring to 'Favor of
national' in relation to sport. I wouldn't expect a political question
from him, but I just don't know.

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Not required for the answer price, but I would like if you could oblige me:
Can you confirm/check the translation of the second section about my family?
I am female and not married, but I think those facts have not been
communicated well in previous letters. Am I being addressed as a
married male in this section?

Any other advice on the culture of the people of the Godavari area of
India would help me in future correspondence, but is above and beyond
what I require for this question to be answered.

Many thanks

---

Clarification of Question by ninjabread-ga on 14 Oct 2005 04:57 PDT

Link to full letter for further reference:
http://www.geocities.com/ninjabread/telugu_full_letter.jpg

You can find lots of sites about Godavari, like this one:
http://eastgodavari.nic.in/

Apparently Telugu confuses translation software, and maybe your young
correspondent - or the language -  has a different feel for tenses.
The second sentence seems clear:  And your wife, what does she do? 
How many children do you have, and what do they do?
Yes, I believe that he assumes you are a married male, maybe a first
impression that has blocked his catching remarks to the contrary.

I think "favor" is probably a verb and not a noun, so something like:
My question is why the Australian people prefer the national?
I exect that "[the] national" could be short for "the national
team/side", perhaps acceptable in Telugu, just as we can speak in
context of "the British" or "the Aussies".
Admittedly, that doesn't really make sense of his question, since it
would seem obvious why, but maybe it does in the context of the
cricket article, which, of course, he may not have understood
correctly - perhaps double negative:  "There aren't any Aussies who
don't favor the national side." (maybe "favor" is better.)
It might be interesting for you to have a native speaker read one of
his letters to learn how correct his Telugu is.

Maybe an Indian commenter can clear this all up.
Cheers, Myoarin

The translation is:

"You have asked me to ask questions about you or your country. Very happy.

Australian people have high levels of national pride. What is the
important reason ?

What is the occupation of you and your wife Mrs. Marie ? How many
children do you have and what do they do ?

Our important food is - Rice. What is yours ?"

Wow! I am so grateful! 
Now I can understand about the nation comment. 

I'm a little nervous, the translation I was provided has no mention of rice. 
If you're up to it vsssarma or anyone else here's a full copy of the
letter (identifying details removed):
http://www.geocities.com/ninjabread/telugu_full_letter.jpg

myoarin: thank you for your hard work. yes the tenses are probably different. 
I help in a casual conversation group for (mostly) asian students
learning English, the biggest thing that gets lost in translation I
find is time and dates, ie. next week, last week, this Thursday ...
went, going to

That link for Godavari is good, thanks. I've worked out now that my
young correspondent identifies my first name and the wife and my
surname and the husband. Looking closely at the letter he has written
Mr. Surname, Ms. First name. Either I truly have a split personality,
or I shall try to clear this error up in my next letter.


I value and respect the work the original translator puts into these
letters. I couldn't very well write back, I'm sorry I don't understand
what you asked me, you translotr didn't doa very good job. Thanks for
helping me out of a bind.

I have seen the full text as given by ninjabread. I am unable to
understand what myoarin is saying. The hand writing is certainly that
of a child. I truly believe that it is a child who has written this
Telugu message.

East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh State in India is an
extremely fertile land, practcally a granary. The people are highly
cultured and educated.

@vsssarma

Hmm.. first time I looked at that image it was cut off at the eyes.
So the background is actually a young female teacher.

That writing may, or may not be that of a child. I know that in the UK
it was customary for infant teachers to write in 'childish' script.

My take is that the thing is some kind of begging scam.
The translation sounds like a 'form letter' designed to qualify the mark.

Freddie,
I wouldn't worry about it, though I have to admit that I also wondered
how the correspondence started, but it's none of my business.

Vsssarma,
Based on your input, now I also kind of wonder what I was talking about.  :)

Myoarin

Hello frde-ga

Thank you for your concern that I was being scammed. 
This letter is genuine and its intention is innocent. It is from a
child I sponsor through the sponsorship program of a major,
well-trusted and established charity. Correspondence is through the
charity organization that organise translation of written letters.
Other letters we have written have been well understood (other than an
understandable cultural misunderstanding where I have not made it
clear the sponsorship is from a single person, not a couple).

I agree the letter has a form letter sound, and it is quite possible
an adult has guided the child in writing so the structure is a little
stilted. I would say the translator is not fluent in English, which
led to my difficulty in understanding.

Next time could you please tone down your initial comments? I was
offended by your comment ?the joke is that the hairy a*sed male who
sent it reckons you are a paedophile?.  I can see you are trying to
help, but it did not directly relate to my question of translation and
hurt me.

Thanks,
ninjabread

Ninja,
Thanks for the information.  That was just what I thought you were
involved in.  Keep up the good work, Myoarin

To, Ninjabread & Others, 

Before we all close the issue, I would like to add that a 11 year old
boy from Godavari district is not a child exactly as his intelligence
can be very good. He may have typically completed 7th standard and may
not need 'prompting' to write the letter that was written. Yes, since
the bone structure of his hands can be soft and hence we see the hand
writing of a child. This is a genuine case and I have no doubt about
it.