Lost in Translation: The $10 Million Comma

In 2006, a missing comma cost a Canadian company $10 million—all because of a single punctuation mark lost in translation between English and French.  

The Contract That Started It All 

A telecommunications company, Rogers Communications, signed a deal with one of its suppliers, Bell Aliant, to use their telephone poles. The contract was drafted in both English and French, as required by Canadian law.  

In the English version, the agreement stated that the deal would last for five years, after which it could be canceled with one year’s notice.  

But the French version had a critical difference. Due to a missing comma, it implied that the contract could be canceled at any time with one year’s notice.  

The $10 Million Dispute  

A year into the deal, Bell Aliant decided to terminate the contract early, citing the French version’s wording. Rogers was furious—they believed they had a five-year guarantee.  

The case went to court, where linguists and lawyers debated the power of a single comma. The judge ruled in Bell Aliant’s favor, stating that the French version took precedence in Canadian law. Rogers was forced to renegotiate—costing them an extra $10 million.  

The Aftermath 

The case became infamous in legal and linguistic circles, proving that punctuation can be worth millions. It also highlighted how minor translation errors can have massive consequences in international business.  

The Lesson  

Always double-check your commas—especially when money’s on the line. A single slip in translation can change everything.  

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