Lost in French Translation, Part 13: Heart of Gold

POSTED BY: fortinm
UPDATED: Thursday, March 20, 2008 22:33
VIEWED: 5942
PAGE 1 of 1

FORTINM

Sunday, February 24, 2008 7:51 PM

This review is part of a series of articles analysing the translation work for the French dubbed Firefly series and movie(s). It is intended for anyone who would like to know a little better how a French audience would perceive Joss’ wonderful creation.

Introduction to this series: http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=4&t=31382
Previous review (The Message): http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=4&t=32672
Next review (Objects in Space): http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=4&t=32947

The various excerpts analyses are formatted like this:
In bold is the original line.
In italic is the French translation replacing the original lines.
In bold and italic is my English translation of the French lines.
In regular text is my personal comment on the translation work for the excerpt.

General comments
I have nothing bad to say about this episode. It was a very faithful translation. As for the Chinese, only the "Earth-That-Was" puppet theatre narration was kept.

On with the excerpts then...

Translation score: 5/5
Chinese score: 1/8

Chosen Excerpts

MAL
It's a warrior-like... Strikes fear into the hearts of...
C'est une espèce de cri de guerre. C'est un moyen de... de se rassurer.
It's a sort of war scream. It's a way to... to reassure oneself.
No comments.

MAL and INARA
- You know, not altogether wise, sneakin' up on a fella when he's handling his weapon.
- I'm sure I've heard that said. But perhaps the dining area isn't the place for this sort of thing.
- What do you mean? It's the only place with a table big enough.
- Cela dit, il est vrai qu'il n'est pas sage d'arriver derrière quelqu'un durant un entrainement.
- J'ai déjà entendu cette consigne. Mais ce n'est peut-être pas l'endroit idéal pour s'exercer au tir.
- Ha! Au contraire, c'est la pièce la plus grande du vaisseau.
- That being said, it's true that it's not wise to come up behind someone during training.
- I already heard these instructions. But it may not be the ideal place for shooting practices.
- Ha! On the contrary, it's the biggest room of the ship.
I doubt that Mal would practice shooting anywhere in Serenity.

MAL
This "distress" wouldn't happen to be taking place in someone's pants, would it?
Cet appel de détresse n'aurait pas été lancé par un de tes plus fidèles clients?
Could this distress call have come from one of your most faithful customers?
No joke here. This line doesn't work with the look on Inara's face and the incidental music.

MAL
Only because I was eavesdropping.
Non. Le rideau est un peu épais, alors…
No. The curtain is a bit thick, so...
Now, this is a good joke.

JAYNE and INARA
- That's the whorehouse?
- Yes.
- How come it looks like a frozen dinner pack?
- C'est ça la maison close?
- Oui.
- Pourquoi les murs ressemblent à la banquise?
- That's the brothel?
- Yes.
- Why do the walls look like an ice field?
Maison close is a nicer word than brothel but I couldn't find anything better. It literally means "closed house". They use this expression a few times during this episode, which is fine with me. However, the frozen dinner pack is a better joke than the ice field.

MAL and JAYNE
- I'll introduce you to the rest later. They're good folk.
- Can I start getting sexed already?
- Well, that one's kind of horrific.
- Je vous présenterai le reste de l'équipage tout à l'heure.
- Quand est-ce qu'elles se mettent au travail?
- Il y a un peu de tout, vous verrez.
- I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew later.
- When will they start working?
- There's a bit of everything, you'll see.
This is very good and well rendered. More subtle in French, but as funny.

JAYNE and WASH
- Whoo! My John Thomas is gonna pop off and fly around the room, there's so much tasty here.
- Would b

WORLDOFHIGLET

Wednesday, March 19, 2008 4:51 AM

Again, you have done a great job here, Michel. Not least because reading your translations is like having a 'compilation tape' of great quotes from the episodes.

The translations here are not too bad, as you said, but the stand-out missed entendre (yes, I know un peu francais, try not to faint ) is the Mal/Inara non-reference to 'weapon'. Now, in the English I'm very certain that 'weapon' does not only mean weapon, and it's disappointing that the translators missed/couldn't be bothered to wedge a similar reference in. Especially as Inara/Mal exchanges nearly always have underlying sexual tension, expressed or not.

You are beholden to no man
http://worldofhiglet.blogspot.com/

FORTINM

Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:25 PM

A double entendre? Damn! Call me stupid, but I completely missed it, over and over again. I had no idea what you were talking about and had to go over my excerpts list a few times to finally find it. Thanks!

I feel ashamed.

WORLDOFHIGLET

Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:33 PM

You feel ashamed? Non and double non! I have a finely-honed ear for double entendres (years of practice) and hear them everywhere (whether they are there are not!). After the great job you have done here no need for shame just enjoy the fact that you can always find something new in the dialogue.

You are beholden to no man
http://worldofhiglet.blogspot.com/