Red Dwarf translation smeg-ups...

[Quatermass]

Or: Stumbled over the language hurdle with two broken kneecaps and a poker lodged in the skull.

So...humour. Humour is probably one of the hardest things to translate across languages, due to different puns, language structures, cultural differences, and so on. Sometimes, the result ends up better in the finished product, like the time Goscinny praised the English translators of Asterix for cleverly using the term 'old fruit' in Asterix in Britain. Other times, well...

So, in the interests of Red Dwarf fans, I present to you some of the differences between Czech Dwarf and original Dwarf. Some translations are good, while others are more questionable than that German translation of Pyramids with the Maggi Soup advertisement.

Here's the page on the official Red Dwarf website. Czech out the differences.

 

[Anonymous]

Q, has much as I love poking fun at the Maggi-mash-up too, there are far far better examples of german translation desasters...

 

[Quatermass]

Q, has much as I love poking fun at the Maggi-mash-up too, there are far far better examples of german translation desasters...

I just used it as an example the forum would understand. Of course, if you could find some funny examples, post 'em, preferably if they're TV or film related.

 

[deldaisy]

I do have to admit I thought I had a fairly good understanding of the "English as is spoken by Lister" when I started watching Red Dwarf but I always had to think twice about a few of the lines. Smeg was the first time I had ever heard it. I always thought it was a purely Red Dwarf thing. Is it?

Thanks Q.

I watch alot of SBS (a multicultural channel here that shows TV and Movies from all over the world. The ones captioned by SBS (and indeed SBS caption a huge amount of international programmes and movies for the world... they do it well) are great some of the other captioned translations leave me thinking... that didn't quite translate did it?

I pity the poor translators.... they must get so much schick.

 

[Willem]

Smeg was the first time I had ever heard it. I always thought it was a purely Red Dwarf thing. Is it?

It's not a made-up word by the Red Dwarf writers if that's what you mean. It's not a word you'd use (much) in polite conversation though

I remember watching some Benny Hill on Belgian tv when I was young. There was a joke about someone not remembering a loving nickname, only that 'it was something with a B'. It was, of course, 'Honey'.
Since this joke doesn't really translate into Dutch the subtitler did a literal translation, followed a written explanation of the joke

 

[Tonyblack]

I used to love Red Dwarf, but gave up on it eventually. The first three series were the best. The fourth was pretty good and then it just seemed to go downhill. A real shame.

 

[deldaisy]

One of my fav Red Dwarf jokes...

Rimmer: Code Red! Code Red!
Kryton: Ahhh Sir? Are you SURE you want to go to a code red?
Rimmer: Code Red Kryton! Hurry!
Kryton: Well you DO realise Sir that going to a code red WILL entail changing the light globe from blue to red.....

or something like that....

You know what show I lOVED????? Brittas (?) The one in the sports center.

 

[Tonyblack]

One of my fav Red Dwarf jokes...

Rimmer: Code Red! Code Red!
Kryton: Ahhh Sir? Are you SURE you want to go to a code red?
Rimmer: Code Red Kryton! Hurry!
Kryton: Well you DO realise Sir that going to a code red WILL entail changing the light globe from blue to red.....

or something like that....

You know what show I lOVED????? Brittas (?) The one in the sports center.

Brittas Empire - brilliant show! I used to have a boss just like Mr Brittas.

 

[The Mad Collector]

I think we all have which is what made it so funny

 

[deldaisy]

Oh yeah Mad..... I had a boss like Brittas. Had... thats the word of the day for a boss like Brittas

 

[DaveC]

New series of Red Dwarf next Autumn on Dave, currently being written, filming in Spring. Hope it's good.

http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/index.cfm

 

[SpideyGirl]

New series of Red Dwarf next Autumn on Dave, currently being written, filming in Spring. Hope it's good.

http://www.reddwarf.co.uk/news/index.cfm

My gosh, hope they do it justice! It'll be like the restart of Doctor Who again for my nerves!

 

[deldaisy]

Yeah I saw one they made ages after the series had finished and it "lack" something.