This is a Nearly FML. It’s an FML, nearly. It got positive votes from the users, by wasn’t approved by our team.

By MyMummyIronsMyTrousers - 01/03/2016 01:24 - United States - Mclean

Today, I printed out a worksheet that detailed instructions for my students to write a letter from the perspective of a Chinese immigrant in 1870 as part of their history homework. Half my class decided to Google Translate their assignment into traditional Chinese. FML
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Top comments

djinnsnme 19

I mean, they aren't exactly wrong.

73 4

Comments

askullnamedbilly 33

More like smartass class, honestly.

6 2
laden_swallow09 34

Google Translator doesn't account for grammar, sooooo, not all that much.

2 4
DavidMcClain 12

Welcome to foreign language. Just by personal experience, my high school language classes consisted of 80% of the class Google translating assignments. It's sad, but it does happen!

6 34
bethrh 49

this was a history class, not Chinese class.

20 1
DavidMcClain 12

Having students write in a foreign language in a history class?

0 29
Purexinsanity 46

#9 I'm pretty sure the instructions said nothing about writing in a foreign language and it's definitely not a language OP can read, hence the FML.

21 0
splinteredApple 36

#9 the teacher didn't say to write it in Chinese, the students are just smart asses and decided it would be funny to. It is pretty funny though.

15 1
jen1097 25

I can't lie.. But that's exactly what I would have done..

3 20
djinnsnme 19

I mean, they aren't exactly wrong.

73 4
lchollett 22

Fail them and say you "couldn't understand it." It's technically true, and people have been failed for less than that.

7 25
MetalxSoldier 26

I'm sure you'd make a great teacher.

12 2
yerawizardlizzy 27

And it's technically true that a Chinese immigrant from 1870 would write in Chinese.

9 0
askullnamedbilly 33

Oh c'mon. As far as pranks go, that one is actually kinda funny and pretty harmless - after all, they had to have typed up the assignment in English before sending it through Google translate, so OP can just ask them to send them the original text after they had a good laugh. They were just taking the piss, if OP punishes them for it instead of showing them some humor she'll be known as that hardass no-fun teacher everyone hates. My personal suggestion: Tell them they need to edit their assignments and give them written feedback to incorporate in their new version - in traditional Chinese. See how they deal with that.

10 1
CheekyRaccoon 27

So the next time they do something wrong they should have bamboo shoots under their fingernails?

9 0
kevinfmls 12

If there is a will there is a way. Next time print it saying no google translate? But FML, OP.

4 2
CODplayer4lyfe 24

Jokes on you then, I guess

8 0
Vanderdale 14

As it was a history class and not a language class I'm assuming the OP meant for her students to write their assignment in English, meaning that the students were either being smartasses or dumbasses.

5 7
splinteredApple 36

OP said from the perspective of a Chinese immigrant, and she didn't say do it in English. Sure, the students are being smart asses. But OP did say from the perspective and I can't imagine a Chinese immigrant writing in English at that time.

5 1
yerawizardlizzy 27

I guess I'm the only one who finds it quite clever.

5 0
JusTheo 17

They took the meaning of write in the perspective too literally

5 0