The translator is able to translate the words themselves, but not the context needed to actually understand the translated phrases.

I find it no different than the translation weirdness in the Voyager episode "Nemesis" where the people are understandable, but all the words they choose are just slightly off of what's normally spoken in English. Like.... Nemesis instead of enemy. Glimpses instead of eyes. Trunks instead of woods. Why would the translator use those words instead of more common words that mean the same thing?