MovieChat Forums > Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler (1922) Discussion > Translation question

Translation question

posted 14 years ago by Balok-2
9 replies | jump to latest

I have the Eureka (region 2) DVD release. While they certainly did a good job on the restoration, the "newly translated" English version of the intertitles sometimes seems like it came from Google translate or worse (e.g. "Schicksal" is routinely translated as "faith" instead of "fate"). My question is about the word "Schlappschwanz," which is translated as "wimp." Given the meanings of the two halves of the word ("schlapp" = weak, "Schwanz" = tail), my *guess* is that it's actually quite a bit stronger term than "wimp." Am I right, or is "wimp" really a good translation of "Schlappschwanz"?

[–] boodha-3 14 years ago

Schwanz doesn't always mean tail, it can also mean penis. But I think the translation is still alright, because even though it's bellow the belt its not considered that insulting. Maybe "pussy" would have been a more accurate translation.

[–] lothd 14 years ago

"Wimp" is accurate.

[–] yj270 14 years ago

Pardon my French, but 'Schlappschwanz' (an extremely derogatory in German, so be forewarned) can also mean 'limp dick' or 'flaccid cock'.

A similar word in Russian would be 'Mudak', which translates to 'A man who has no balls'.

Again, I'm only using these words to help define a term, for academic purposes only.

[–] LouisRenault 13 years ago

The translation is sometimes downright wrong but more often simply comical. I wrote down a few I liked:

since about 6 weeks the authorities are receiving complaints

you should be with Hull since 10 minutes already

you should provide me the possibility to immediately leave the room

On the subject of translations, my father once saw a film (I think with Emil Jannings) with a title board that read "he then out the window gesprung himself." I'd love to know what that film was.

[–] rnlol 12 years ago

Some of the translation is terrible.

Some of it's actually borderline unintelligible:

"I, a person who usually don't even touches playing cards, had so much luck that it was virtually awful tome. I just showed the cards and won."

"virtually awful tome"?

Is that meant to be "to me"?

Even still, what the hell does that phrase mean?

[–] Rosabel 11 years ago

Clearly not translated by a native English speaker. Which is odd, because you'd think for a high-quality restoration like this they could afford to hire a good translator.

I'd have translated that, "I scarcely ever play cards, yet my luck was so good it almost frightened me! Every time I turned over the cards, I won."

Flat, drab passion meanders across the screen!

[–] rnlol 11 years ago

Ah, thank you.

rankfilms.proboards.com

[–] Skreee 12 years ago

It is. Its origin (as others have given) may be crude, but the word itself isn't too bad. I would use it when talking to my Mum, and I wouldn't use "sh!t" or "ass" with her.

[–] Jumbajookiba 11 years ago

I just watched it on Sky Arts and that was the only negative about it, that many of the intertitles were badly translated, but, that was not the fault of anyone to do with the original film and to be honest didn't affect my enjoyment of the film at all, which I have to say was brilliant.

I am a four eyed evil genius.