Watch Your Language
The process and perils of translating foreign content for global audiences.
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Was that guy wearing a Trump yarmulke?
he asks, gesturing at a hypothetical city resident.
Broussards concern is not misplaced.
The companies that produce and distribute those specials all have uniqueprocesses in place for generating these subtitles.
According to Volk-Weiss, a common complaint is some form of: I speak English and Korean.
The translation was close, Panday says.
A lot of comedy is melodious, and it has to do with rhythm and timing.
A lot of subtleties go away with subtitles.
There are small words or sentences in Dutch where you cant really translate every word literally.
Maybe they didnt want to use the name because its a brand, he speculates.
He doesnt understand how theyre able to suppress the rage this must inspire.
Pandays Explanation: In Holland, we have two types of detention.
One is like prison.
Konings Joke in Dutch: En toen zag ik rechts een bordje en daar stond op Buckelpiste.
En ik kan geen Duits, maar ik dacht buckle is babypiste.
Zon heel lieve roze piste met ponys en clowns en allemaal leuke dingen.
The Joke, Subtitled in English:I saw a sign that said Buckelpiste.
I dont know German, so I thought it was a slope with buckles, for babies.
A buckle-down slope with ponies and clowns and fun stuff like that.
Context of the Joke:Koning is telling a story about being a novice skier.
Hes on the top of a very high hill and is afraid to go down.
He sees a slope off to the right labeled Buckelpiste, which is a German word he doesnt understand.
Konings Explanation:Its like sayingbaby-pisteinstead ofbuckelpiste.
Because I thought the German word forbuckle well, its like Austrian, but its German I thoughtbucklemeansbabyin Austria.
Konings Joke in Dutch:En dit is het moment in de film dat iemand lets heel cools zegt.
Weet je wel van:Lets goorLets do it.Iets met Lets in ieder geval.
Maar hij zei helemaal niks metLets.
Dat had hij mogen zeggen inderdaad.
The Joke, Subtitled in English:In the movies, theyll say something cool.
Something like Lets go or Lets do it.
Always something starting with Lets.
But he didnt say anything like that.
Lesions would have been a more appropriate word.
Hes about to ski down a particularly steep hill, slam into a cabin, and lose consciousness.
Konings Explanation:Its a pun.
It sounds like Lets go or Lets do it.
Thats what you call a personal injury lawyer.
Koning recognizes, despite identifying some noticeable flaws, that the process is an uphill battle.
I thought the translations were pretty accurate, he says.
Its very difficult for my style because Im a bit fast.
I go fromthistothatin a couple of seconds.
You know what we callnitpickingin Dutch?
he asks as an aside.
Had it been included in his special, this expression might have given the subtitlers some trouble.
Translated literally, he notes, it means ant fucking.
