MovieChat Forums > Sepet (2005) Discussion > Translation and subs

Translation and subs

posted 18 years ago by megabigblur
2 replies | jump to latest

Could someone please tell me what the Jawi calligraphy just before the first scene (where Ah Loong is reading to his mum from Rabindrath Tagore) means?

Does anyone else find the inaccuracy of the English subs on the DVD annoying? There are a number of scenes where people are actually speaking English - granted, it's a bit Manglishy, but still intelligible to people who know only English - but those parts are subbed with 'proper' English. Very irritating.

Man, I love this movie. Showed it to my American friends because I was tired of trying to explain what "Malaysian culture" is like. The constant switching between languages was baffling to them. Sheesh. North Americans like to think they're so multicultural or what...your head lah. My boyfriend claims Orked and Ah Loong look alike to him (Sharifah Amani is fair-skinned, but still...). Then he complains when I can't tell the difference between him (Jewish) and all the other mat sallehs, hehe.

[–] chiefguy 18 years ago

Yes, it reads "Bismillah-hirrahman-nirrahim" meaning "In the Name of Allah, the Most Magnificent and the Most Beneficient". It is a common invocation whenever a Muslim starts on something with good intention. Examples, before eating, drinking, driving, etc, also before intercourse with one's (legal) spouse ;-)

[–] obscure_note 18 years ago

ala.... kill joy betul kena kata bismillah before u screw ur spouse! :p