Radotages d’un Traducteur

Source: El País Online

In the article entitled El año que el AVE sedujo a los españoles, I came accross the expression “una puntualidad británica”.

Ha habido algún accidente, algún intento de atentado, pero nadie ha resultado herido en el AVE en estos 15 años, en los que Renfe puede alardear de una puntualidad británica

Initially, I couldn´t quite believe what I was reading. You see, “puntualidad británica” supposedly means:

British punctuality, to arrive on time

To the british reader, this just simply does not make sense. In fact, I had to go back several times and check that my eyes hadn´t deceived me. What the Spanish are doing is comparing their increasingly punctual trains to the apparently “exemplar” running of british railways. Since when has Britain been a good example? Our railways are a nightmare and the majority of trains certainly do not arrive on time. I think the expression should be changed to something more realistic, how about “puntualidad francesa, alemana, suiza o japonesa”. Any of these four would be much more appropriate and would clear up any doubts on the matter!

As for the overall translation:

There´s been the odd accident or attempted terrorist attack, but nobody has been injured in the AVE in the last 15 years - during which Renfe can boast about its “British punctuality”.