When I was a kid in Belgium, most foreign movie was subtitled (often in French AND Dutch at the same time!). Only movies on TV for young children were dubbed. I soon learned a few languages, and later managed to follow the movies AND spot the the translation mistakes in the subtitles. Dubbing dumbs you down …
This makes me think of when I was in Europe, and in turning on the TV I saw that several languages were featured among the various channels. I knew enough to recognize French, German, and Dutch (even if I didn’t understand them), but one totally mystified me. It turned out it was in English, but the characters were speaking with such heavy brogues that I could barely pick out a single word. I certainly could have used subtitles then.
Put together a Mississippi rural cotton chopper, a Cockney from Covent Garden, a sugar plantation worker from rural Jamaica and a Scottish Glasgowman: They all speak English, but could they understand one another’s accents and idioms?
My dad, who knew German, went to the theater to see Das Boot… when the subtitle for “A-h-“ came up as just “you silly fool”, he was astounded that he was the only one in the theater who laughed out loud, especially as the German and English aren’t that far apart for the two words…
mfrasca about 1 year ago
Jules and Jim?
Jimmyk939 about 1 year ago
Tu est morte, ça, c’est correct. Because Stick is a girl
Faby about 1 year ago
Seriously?!? Even google translate would have done a better job with the dialogue!
erik.vanthienen about 1 year ago
When I was a kid in Belgium, most foreign movie was subtitled (often in French AND Dutch at the same time!). Only movies on TV for young children were dubbed. I soon learned a few languages, and later managed to follow the movies AND spot the the translation mistakes in the subtitles. Dubbing dumbs you down …
WF11 about 1 year ago
This makes me think of when I was in Europe, and in turning on the TV I saw that several languages were featured among the various channels. I knew enough to recognize French, German, and Dutch (even if I didn’t understand them), but one totally mystified me. It turned out it was in English, but the characters were speaking with such heavy brogues that I could barely pick out a single word. I certainly could have used subtitles then.
spaced man spliff about 1 year ago
Put together a Mississippi rural cotton chopper, a Cockney from Covent Garden, a sugar plantation worker from rural Jamaica and a Scottish Glasgowman: They all speak English, but could they understand one another’s accents and idioms?
Comicsandcookies about 1 year ago
My dad, who knew German, went to the theater to see Das Boot… when the subtitle for “A-h-“ came up as just “you silly fool”, he was astounded that he was the only one in the theater who laughed out loud, especially as the German and English aren’t that far apart for the two words…