Almost everyone loves going to the movies... escape reality watching a good action movie as if you were the hero/spy, laugh so hard at a comedy that your sides hurt, watch a children's movie and remember how simple life was when you were so much younger.
Most of the time the movie titles in the US make a lot of sense to Americans, but these titles do not always translate well into other languages. Often the movie title only makes sense in the context of the movie, often a short and catchy phrase.
Earlier this year I had a discussion with my team about a few of the more interesting translations of American movies titles. Review the following movie titles from their Polish translated names and see if you can figure out the movie or TV show:
Twirling Sex ("Wirujący Seks")
Glass Trap ("Szklana Pułapka")
Involuntary Fiance ("Narzeczony Mimo Woli")
Absolute Memory ("Pamięć Absolutna")
Underground Circle ("Podziemny Krąg")
Electronic Murderer ("Elektroniczny Morderca")
Western Sultans ("Sułtani Westernu")
Steal the Moon ("Jak Ukraść Księżyc")
Fashion On Success ("Moda na Sukces")
Dear Troubles ("Kochane Kłopoty")
The World According to Bundy ("Świat według Bundych")
Reality Without Sugar ("Orbitowanie bez Cukru")
Prisoner Hate ("Więzień nienawiści")
Won Dreams ("Wygrane marzenia")
Ready for All ("Gotowe na wszystko")
Most of these titles can make sense in some way if you know the show, but language translations are not always straight forward. I have heard many translators say something 2-3 times longer than the original words spoken in English... and a few times the same thing the other way around. What may be captured in a small word or phrase may require an entire sentence or two if you want to convey the same thought in another language.
How did you do above?
Twirling Sex ==> Dirty Dancing
Glass Trap ==> Die Hard
Involuntary Fiance ==> The Proposal
Absolute Memory ==> Total Recall
Underground Circle ==> Fight Club
Electronic Murderer ==> Terminator
Western Sultans ==> City Slickers
Steal the Moon ==> Despicable Me
Fashion On Success ==> Bold and Beautiful
Dear Troubles == > Gilmore Girls
The World According to Bundy ==> Married... with Children
Reality Without Sugar ==> Reality Bites
Prisoner Hate ==> American History X
Won Dreams ==> Coyote Ugly
Ready for All ==> Desperate Housewives
Since we would not like titles to movies that require a sentence, those creating titles in other languages need to be "creative". What becomes even more challenging is when a sequel arrives that has no association to the original title's translation:
Die Hard 1 ==> Glass Trap 1 ... the big building with a lot of glass windows trapping everyone.
Die Hard 2 ==> Glass Trap 2 ... ??? no big glass building, but Dulles airport, not really trapped.
Die Hard 3 ==> Glass Trap 3 ... ??? now in NY financial district, in a dam tunnel... but not really trapped
(Really "Die Hard with a Vengeance", but "Vengeful Glass Trap" does not make sense either).
You get the idea. Titles are not easy to create.
I wonder what non-English titles have done this the other way around.
No comments:
Post a Comment