Serenity for someone who speaks English as a second language

POSTED BY: Serenyty
UPDATED: Friday, March 31, 2006 08:08
VIEWED: 3613
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SERENYTY

Saturday, March 18, 2006 2:57 AM

I'm just wondering, if anyone is from a country that doesn't speak English as a first-language, how was watching Serenity for the first time, if not in the language you speak best? Is it hard to understand, or relatively easy?

I have a friend coming to visit tomorrow from Japan, and she's staying for a few days. My friend speaks English extremely well, for it being a second language. We are able to have conversations together, and she'll understand. Trouble is, I want to show her Serenity, but I don't know how well she'll understand it.

She took English for 10 years, including university classes.

As for what she has seen completely in English, and liked: She saw both Spiderman movies while here last (as an exchange student we hosted), but didn't understand Death of a Salesman when we took her to see that at a local theater. Probably because they speak too quickly.

Can anyone help me here?

~A message from Serenyty~

EMPXENU

Saturday, March 18, 2006 1:54 PM

It's probably not the jive she's used to hearing but there's subtitles, right?

----
Jesus was a spineless pinko-commie pacifist

GFUNK

Saturday, March 18, 2006 10:39 PM

Well, i'm from austria (in europe, not australia ;) )
my native language is german.
when i first watched a firefly a few weeks ago, i watched it in english , with subtitles. and well, it's a bit diffrent to the english u learn in school, but i understood almost everything, except a few words i had to look up the german translation.

so, if u have subtitles, i don't think it will be a problem.

btw: the german synchronisation sucks. unfortunately my siblings and my mum don't understand english good enough.

SERENYTY

Sunday, March 19, 2006 12:57 AM

Well, she's here. And I'm showing her Serenity.

We are able to communicate in English very well, so I doubt it will be a problem.

~A message from Serenyty~

DOLLWEN

Sunday, March 19, 2006 1:04 AM

I saw Firefly and Serenity with English subtitles, and didn't have too much problem understanding the dialogues. It's true, though, that Whedon has a very peculiar way of using language; but I was already familiar with this "slanguage" ,since I'm a big fan of BTVS and Angel.

"If wishes were horses, we'd all be eatin' steak"

OOKAMIKAWAHARA

Sunday, March 19, 2006 8:20 PM

Hey Serenity,
Sorry this post is late, but if she has any problems understanding the movie let me know. I can field the questions since Japanese is my 2nd language and I'm at conversational level right now. Hope she is enjoying it!!! Yeah I'm trying to add some more converts from Japan, but will take a while since I'm state side right now.
Well hang in there and have fun!!!!
mata, Ookami yori

I ain't disagreen, I only wanted a drink !!!
nan da yo ??? Sarge doko desu ka?

GIXXER

Sunday, March 19, 2006 9:24 PM

I have to say, with some degree of embarrassment, that people who have English as a second language generally speak it better than what we do.

KJIPPO

Sunday, March 19, 2006 9:38 PM

I speak english as a second langauge but prefer to watch movies with english subtitles. It makes it a lot easier to follow especially with all the slang such as in Serenity.

And also one does not have to sit through the pain of reading the norwegian translation of Joss' great dialogue.

GIXXER

Sunday, March 19, 2006 9:45 PM

(Jayne voice)

"Aint that just like English, but depressin'?"

SERENYTY

Monday, March 20, 2006 12:37 AM

Thanks for everything!

She's watching it now; I just had to check my email and a roleplay group I'm in.

So far: I think she likes it, but the jokes aren't really catching.

~A message from Serenyty~

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