Untranslatables

[rhu]

My friend tahnan, a linguist, gets understandably upset when people talk about "untranslatable" words. And yet, I find myself wondering (prompted by gnomi's link yesterday):

How does one translate the TV show title "Srugim"? I mean, would you watch a show called "Knitteds?" (Well, yes, many of you would, but you'd expect Elizabeth Zimmermann to be hosting.)

Comments

[sethg]

Ha-hesder, an Israeli film about a Kahane-like sect infiltrating the IDF, was issued in the US with the English title Time of Favor.

[gnomi.livejournal.com]

The problem, as I see it, is that "Srugim" is shorthand. It's like referring to the Bruins playing the Habs, where the listener needs to know that "Habs" is a short version of "les Habitants," a team the US hockey announcers refer to as "the Montreal Canadiens."

[danchall.myvidoop.com (from livejournal.com)]

There are different kinds of problems in translation, and the best choice depends upon the context. Double meanings and metaphors are tough. Does the title refer only to the kippot or to the people who wear them, or are does the title also allude to the fact that the the characters are "knitted?"

[autotruezone.livejournal.com]

So what's his beef with the concept of untranslatable words?

Titles can be particularly tricky to translate, as they often have some sense of wordplay or ambiguity. When I lived in Israel, one of the TV channels showed a British sit-com called "Laura and Disorder". The translators punted on trying to convey the original meaning, and called the show "לורה מסתדרת לא רע", which is an entirely different play-on-words that also uses the name Laura. For those not fluent enough in Hebrew, the Hebrew title transliterates as "Laura mistaderet lo ra", or "Laura manages OK".

[fauxklore]

I think you'd have to call it "Modern Orthodox." The distinction is crocheted kippot vs. black hats, which has a lot of deeper cultural connotations.