Let's try and get 1,000,000 replies to this post

To my knowledge, it was a spontaneous translator's decision. You have to consider that these names stem back from the fifties and sixties, when kids did not have any use for American names or didn't get the references and implications these names contained. So they just came up with the next best thing in German. For instance, no German kid had any sort of idea who Scrooge was, so they just gave him an old-fashioned German name. I guess only Donald, Mickey and Goofy stayed, because these names were too well-known by that time already.
 
Probably the reason is that those are quite old characters and international translation conventions in the past favoured rendering all concepts in the respective language, even translation of names. More recently, transcription is preferred as a means, especially in proper names. In Bulgaria we have kept the original names, probably because the films became popular more recently, in the 1990s.
 
Yeah, they're all "funny names" in German. It's the same with the Asterix comics. Most characters there have something in German that end in -ix, and is usually some sort of pun on their character.
 
Ah, we have the same here. But when there is a pun, you really should try to keep it, otherwise the fun part is totally lost.
 
The good thing is that Asterix got a very good translation in German that wasn't afraid to deviate from the French if necessary. For instance, the fish dealer is called "Verleihnix", which means as much as "don't lend anything". His wife is called Jellosubmarine. I can't help but chuckle at that. :D
 
That's great! I burst out laughing at Jellosubmarine. :lol:
We have a great translator, who works mostly on Terry Pratchett's books. And because they are very difficult to translate, she really shines at that. She's my idol.
 
Most people think that just being able to speak fluently in two languages qualifies you to be a translator. I'm always amazed by that naivety. I even have trouble translating my own work from one language to the other!
 
Oh, I totally agree. I hate the fact that everyone claims they speak English well, but when they actually try to say something, it's me who gets embarrassed.
 
Incidentally. 1997: Hong Kong is returned to China, Islamist terrorists massacre tourists at Luxor and Princess Di is chased to death by paparazzi, triggering the most bewildering of public emotional outbursts I have ever witnessed. James Cameron sinks the Titanic, causing Celine Dion to wail herself to the peak of the charts for what seems like forever. Bruce Dickinson returns to playing heavy metal with his mates, Roy Z and Adrian Smith. Judas Priest reappear with Ripper Owens, who would later become the weirdest tragicomic character in the world of metal.

Father, forgive us our sins, 'cause we're all the junkies who never can win!
 
Which results in an immensely good album that could be counted among the best of the nineties.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top