For compliments or complaints call....

Question

I just noticed the back of the schoolbus says "For compliments or complaints call...." and then in Spanish "Para comentarios o sugerencias llama al......"

I understand not directly translating but that is so far off from what the original says, the original is almost sarcastic, as if anyone would call for a compliment, it's like an underhanded joke, but the Spanish one is so dry.....

What's so bad about "Para cumplidos o quejas llama al......."

Gracias

Answer 1

The definition of "cumplido" is a flattering action showing servile complaisance or deference. Somehow, it feels funny that you ask your customers to do that to you. Even though dictionaries translate "compliment" as "cumplido", they are not the same. You'd have to say something like "comentarios positivos" to match the exact meaning.

But it's the same in English, no one would call for a compliment, it's ridiculous for them to put that on the bus, it's simply not going to happen, that's what makes the English version so funny, it's like bizarro world where someone would call for that. - jeezzle, May 2, 2011

Answer 2

There are, for example, big department stores in Mexico DF that have an office for "Quejas" but not for "Cumplidos" maybe because no one would ever stop by to compliment them. Maybe just because it is so unusual, but in this context "Cumplidos" sounds really funny. A lot of right and wrong in languages has to do with general usage and nothing more.