Lost in French Translation, Part 08: Out of Gas
POSTED BY: fortinm
UPDATED: Friday, January 4, 2008 05:45
VIEWED: 3389
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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 (Jaynestown): http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=4&t=31884
Next review (Ariel): http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.asp?b=4&t=32220
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
The French translation for this episode is average. The quantity of mistakes is not huge but their severity is notable. On the other hand, Inara and Mal initial meeting scene is very well done. At least as good as the original, which has been a rare treat since I started these reviews.
There is also an aspect of the translation that I find quite fascinating. In the flashbacks (and only in the flashbacks) Zoe and Mal use the third person to address each other instead of the second person (vous instead of tu). I probably don't have to remind you that, in French, it is a mark of respect or distance between people. Having experienced the war in the same platoon, some of you may find this choice inappropriate. However, it adds some colors, some information, to these scenes and I very much like the added subtlety. Kudos for this choice!
The Chinese roster:
Omitted - When Zoe qualifies Serenity of fei-oo. They replaced it by the term rusted.
Kept - When Wash, on injured Zoe's side, tells Mal off.
Omitted - Jayne stopping Mal and Wash from fighting.
Kept - The ship's warning about the lack of oxygen.
Kept - When Mal sees Bester and Kaylee acting in a friendly manner.
Omitted - Mal's dong-ma to Kaylee.
Omitted - The captain qualifying Serenity of go se.
Translation score: 3/5
Chinese score: 3/7
Chosen Excerpts
ZOE
You paid money for this... On purpose?
On vous a donné de l'argent avec? Ou vous avez payé?
They gave you money with this? Or did you pay?
I have no problem with this translation. The joke is different but, at least, there's still a joke.
ZOE
Voilà!
Bon appétit!
Enjoy your meal!
That's rich! I fail to see the relevance of translating a French word into another French word.
JAYNE, INARA and MAL
- Aww, come on 'nara. Who'd know?
- You. Anyway, A Companion doesn't kiss and tell.
- So there is kissing?
- Ah! S'il-te-plaît, Inara. On est entre nous.
- Non. Une fille ne raconte pas ce qu'elle a fait.
- Ah! Donc tu en as fait.
- Aww, please Inara. We're between ourselves.
- No. A girl does not tell about what she has done.
- Ha! So you did some.
I prefer the original exchange, but I must admit that translating it from French to English has given me a new appreciation of the French line. It does sound a bit strange in French 'though.
RIVER
I didn't get you anything.
Je n'ai rien déchiffré.
I didn't decipher anything.
Sorry girl, I can't decipher what you're trying to say here. Is she crazy or what? Oh! Wait!
KAYLEE
In fact, it's pretty much what we just had for supper.
De toute façon, t'as intérêt à aimer, hein? Parce que y'a que ça à manger.
Anyway, you better like it, eh? Because there's nothing else to eat.
The translators have gone a bit too far. We don't know for a fact that they have nothing else to eat, but it's nonetheless a reasonable assumption. I'll let this pass.
WASH
I'll take a look at the helm.
Je vais vérifier le bouclier.
I'll check the shield.
Da
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Gotta say, I find these really interesting. This one is particularly entertaining, as far as your comments go. 
It's also cool to see how much meaning and information is in a single line of dialogue, and how a small shift in wording changes things. It explains why those writers (well, the good ones like the Joss and his posse!) should be pulling in the bucks. (I'm meaning a little rah-rah to the WGA folks there...)
So - thanks fortinm!
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hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left
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