Found (humor) in translation

A stop sign in France is quite typical: red octagon with the word "STOP" written in the middle.  But when I remembered learning the French word for "stop" was "arrêt," I asked le french boyfriend why the sign said stop, which lead to this conversation:

Me - Why do you use english words on your road signs?

LFB - French people also say "stop" to mean "stop"

Me - But that is English... why don't you use "arrêt?"

LFB - Why do you guys use "rendez-vous?"

Me - ...Touché, sir.

Although he didn't understand my last phrase since they apparently don't use that word that way.

One of the things I find entertaining as an English-speaking person in a French-speaking country is seeing the different translations between the two languages.  Also when English words have been integrated into the French language, such as "parking," "weekend," "email," etc.  Although, officially, "email" and "weekend" are unacceptable (in French administration).

Translations of movie titles and books are still a mystery to me.  I am currently reading Harry Potter in French... except in the book, 'arry goes to Poudlard (Hogwarts) and uses a magical baguette (wand).  I've had discussions about this to many people, including this google reader post and comments between myself and American friends on the subject of translating American movies.

Sharon S - I think Gueule means more like the mouth of an animal. A really rude way to tell someone to shut up is to tell them to close their GUEULE.

Nicholas Y- Here's what they're calling it elsewhere. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1411697/releaseinfo#akas

Looking at Google Translate, gueule does translate to mouth or muzzle. I'm currently wasting time investigating the origin of that idiom.

Katie P - In England, my housemate coined the term "gruel" as a verb to describe the action of being hung over. "Oh man, I was really grueling this morning."  

Me - yes! when I first saw those posters, I thought that the same actors made another (similar-looking) movie... like how Wes Anderson movies always use the same actors. What I don't understand is why do they translate the title to another english title instead of a french equivalent? It was the same with No Strings Attached, in France it was called Sex Friends. I wanted to actually blog about this... but then I got hungry and forgot about it.

Me - Oh... and while "gueule" on it's on means mouth, "gueule de bois" means wooden head. Gueule can sometimes be used to describe the whole face... as in, so's your gueule

 

Sharon S - A direct translation doesn't always convey the same meaning. Amelie was was titled "les fabuleux destin d'amelie poulain" in France, but in French that roles off the tongue and sounds whimsical while "the fabulous destiny of amelie poulain" just isn't as great. 

My favorite translation was "I, Robot" to "Yo, Robot" in Mexico. I really hope that in Germany it was "Ich, Robot" which is what I imagine I'd say if a robot snuck up on me.

Nicholas Y - The best one is the Brazilian title, "Se Beber, Não Case", which apparently translates roughly to "If You Drink, Don't Get Married". That's my kind of movie.

Me - But they translate from english to english! Translating "the hangover" to "a very bad trip" in France is like translating "les fabuleux destin d'amelie poulain" to "la belle vie" or "sacre bleu!" in English. I always wondered who decided these translations!

Me - a french person told me that most french people don't know the english word "hangover"... and if the movie was entitled "la gueule de bois", then they would think its about a bunch of podunk french guys from a small village getting wasted, whereas "a very bad trip" indicates that it is about obnoxious americans getting drunk with hilarious consequences

Sharon S - Haha, perfect! And an american would think "les fabuleux destin d'amelie poulain" would be a boring foreign film while "sacre bleu!" sounds....whimsical?  

Katie P - Haha, Sex Friends.