I'm always curious about the differences between italian and english speaking, wheter I look a film or read a book (especially now that I'm reading Deryni books), so I ask your help to know how sound a particular phrase in the original version.
The book is "Deryni rising": the scene is when, just before Kelson coronation, Duncan helps Morgan to dress and, when finished, he says a comment about his cousin's good looking. Could you tell me which are the words in the original version, please?
Buon giorno, amici.
He is talking about Kelson's appearance - robed to go to his coronation. If my italian is close, it might be translated as "Que bella". It's been too long since I tried to speak it, let alone write it.
Obiwan
The italian version says:
Duncan: -No, credo non ci sia modo di evitarlo. Nonostante tutto credo che sarai il campione piĆ¹ dannatamente affascinante che Gwynedd abbia mai avuto-.
Morgan: -Hai proprio ragione-.
I think the english version would sound about this:
Duncan: -No, I guess there isn't a way to avoid it. ?? I think you'll be the more fascinating (or handsome) champion Gwynedd had ever seen-.
Morgan: -You're right-
I'd go with "Handsome" for that translation. But, Alaric is a fascinating (or intriguing) character. A most powerful player on the stage of Gwynedd.
From the English-language edition:
"No, I'm afraid there's simply no way of getting around it," he muttered. In spite of everything, I do believe you'll be the most devilishly handsome Champion we've had in a long time!"
"I do believe you may be absolutely right!" Morgan agreed, striking a pose.
"And you may also be the most conceited Champion we have ever had!" his cousin went on.
"What?"
Duncan wagged an indignant finger. "Now, Alaric, remember. I am your spiritual father. I only tell you this for your own good!"
Oh, thank you so much The Bee!
i am curious how "devilishly handsome" translates to Italian. I watch a lot of english language movies with spanish subtitles and am amused by how the swearing is handled in espanol (I speak only a little spanish) - part cultural and part lack of colorful metaphors in spanish ;)
"Devishly handsome" is litterally "diabolicamente bello" but, in the italian version of the book they use "dannatamente affascinante"
Translating this back into English would be something like 'damnably fascinating.'
I could go for that. The older I get, the more 'damnably fascinating' Alaric Morgan gets.
But I still think he has nothing on the characters from Camber's time! :)
I believe you Italians have a saying: "Ogni tradditore traddutore."
Well, in the last years I realised that the italian translations of movie, especially, is very different from the original version, even in some points where it wouldn't be necessary.
I discover it watching "the dukes of hazzard", but I guess it's a bad use of italian to translate title of movie or phrase in different ways
Quote from: morgan on April 01, 2008, 11:21:13 AM
Well, in the last years I realised that the italian translations of movie, especially, is very different from the original version, even in some points where it wouldn't be necessary.
I discover it watching "the dukes of hazzard", but I guess it's a bad use of italian to translate title of movie or phrase in different ways
To be fair, sometimes a title or bit of dialogue is an idiom or some cultural reference that wouldn't make sense if translated directly. For example, I remember when I was in Italy seeing posters for "The Frisco Kid"--the Italian title translated back in to English, "Excuse me, sir, which way is West?" "Il Fancullo de Frisco" wouldn't make much sense in Italian, but "Scusa, signore, dov'e oeste?" really does sum up the plot nicely. Another American movie out was the Barbara Streisand movie "The Main Event", whose Italian title was, "Ma, e tutte matta?" ("What? Is she totally insane?")--again, it conveys what the movie is about more directly than "Il Fatto Principale" would have done.
I'm not sure what the Italian title of "Dukes of Hazzard" would be--"I Duci del Periglio" makes no sense.
In some case you're right, but in some others there are phrase that make perfect sense in both the languages.
Talking about "the dukes of hazzard" (the italian title is only "hazzard" but, to translate it, it means "i duchi di Hazzard"), the titles of the episodes, in most cases, completely different
Speaking of translation, could someone please translate elkhound's second to last post? I'm curious.
Quote from: Gyrfalcon64207 on September 09, 2008, 07:46:12 PM
Speaking of translation, could someone please translate elkhound's second to last post? I'm curious.
"Every translator is a traitor." It doesn't come across quite as well in English (thus proving the point.)
A similar saying--and highly sexist, so I haven't brought it up until now: "Translations and women: beautiful or faithful, seldom if ever both."
Thanks. I like the saying. The second one is funny, even if it is sexist. Switch in the word 'people' instead, and you can make it neutral, and prove the first point even within a single language. :)