Well, just a quick post here. I was just watching psych but I didn't really pay attention, but fortunately (or rather unfortunately), I noticed this. Spencer came in holding his eye, saying something along the lines of 'Ahh, ouch, it's what old ladies have in their handbags' and that blonde chick started guessing things. She said 'A spray? Peppermint?' to which he replied 'Yeah, a spray, but not peppermint!' and she said 'Mace!' and gave them the clue to who the murderer was.
Now, that doesn't sound so bad in English, but if you translate it to German, it doesn't make much sense. Around here, we do not know the term 'mace', and it's 'pepper spray'. So the joke makes no fucking sense anymore.
And that also happens to Harry Potter 7, where the really awesome joke of George after him losing an ear just gets really flat in German. After Fred asks 'How are you feeling?' George says 'I feel holey.' In German, he says 'I feel like Swiss cheese.' (which is known for having a bootload of holes.) That completely kills it, I didn't even smile, I just rolled my eyes and read on.
What do you think, do translations kill jokes and the little bit of fun that may be left in some movies/TV shows/games?
1 comment:
Not always, but sometimes. Like in some anime (Azumanga Daioh especially) the joke only makes sense in Japanese.
Or like in Hong Kong action films where they like to make jokes, they're fine in the sub but they completely ruin it in the dubs.
It's sad, I know... XD
You were in my dream last night but I forgot what happened. Helpful O_O
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