Being an English student, I've always thought I could do better at translation, & that it's one of my weakest skills, but whenever I see the hilarious (& ridiculous) attempts at translations here & there, I feel that I'm soooo underestimating myself!
Just watch any movie in English & check out the subtitles in Arabic; you'd find wonders!!!
For example, the other day I was watching this movie when this guy tells this girl that she's hot:
Guy: "I think you're hot!"
Girl (to her bffs:) "He said I'm hot"
Wanna know how they came out in poor translation?
Guy: "أعتقد انك مليئة بالحرارة"
Girl: "قال إنني أتمتع بالحرارة"
Hilariously ridiculous & shameful!!!
Another example:
Eng: "Go straight ahead."
Ar: "امش بخط مستقيم"
Couldn't they use a more appropriate translation? What's wrong with "امض قدماً"?
Seriously, why don't they hire professionals to do the job & not depend on people who are poor at this job, or worse, depend a machine to do the translation without bothering to check up after it?! It's so ridiculous & really shameful! It sure makes me laugh, but come on!!! Translation is one thing & literal translation is a whole different thing!!!
But literal translation is not always the problem. Sometimes, the subtitles are worse than what was already said! (Gives more than the needed meaning).
Example:
Eng: "She's not easy!"
Ar: "إنها ليست عا..." (a word that describes the woman that does kinda job)
I swear I could not believe my eyes! I was like, what the?? O.o!!! Usually, you'd expect it the other way around!
I could go on forever listing examples as they are more than abundant, & do not only appear in movies. Like this hilarious find I just stumbled upon today:
"I'm Feeding"?? Feeding what? loool
I'm sure you all have your share of "Lost in Translation" examples, so please be generous & share some of the funniest you've stumbled upon with us! :D
