It’s easy to forget that every country and culture interprets words and sounds differently, including the names and catchphrases we are familiar with on TV.
For this reason, direct translation is often impossible, but to an outsider, the results can be bizarre and hilarious.
Here are some classic examples of what happens when non-Anglophone countries have made the choice to translate the names we took for granted:
Harry Potter
The Dursleys
The Dutch translators of the UK’s favourite franchise clearly saw it necessary to translate a large number of the characters’ names into more ‘Dutch-friendly’ versions.
It was hard to choose between them, but you have to admit that Duffeling is an amusing substitute for the despised Dursley family.
Albus Dumbledore
Dumbledore’s name has mutated in various different languages (again with the Dutch), but we were particularly bemused by ‘Silent Albus’ (WTF Italy) and the Latvian simplification of the surname.
It’s hard to take him seriously now.
Hufflepuff
Though this is not exactly a character name (unless you count Helga Hufflepuff, which of course I do), we couldn’t let you miss out on the hilarious foreign versions of this Hogwarts house.
P.S. To be fair, the English version sounds pretty funny too. Stop bullying Hufflepuff everyone, it’s a good house too..!
The Simpsons
Sideshow Bob:
While far being from the only character whose name has been translated in other languages, Sideshow Bob has a selection of the most interesting choices in translation on the list.
My new personal favourite has to be Tingel-Tangel Bob. He sounds much friendlier.
As for the French ‘Tahiti Bob’, if you have an explanation for this particular translation, let us know in the comments! It’s baffled us so far..
BONUS:
Have you ever considered how the classic Bart-ism ‘Eat my shorts’ would be translated into foreign languages?
Star Wars
The French are masters of unnecessarily translating things. While ‘D2-R2’ is frustratingly backwards, at least it comes from a place of logic (in French, it sounds like a stutter to pronounce ‘R- deux- de- deux’).
But Jabba the Hut is not a woodsman. And frankly, the rest of the changes could have been avoided as well.
In their defence, they realised their mistake and these translations only exist in the first film that came out (‘A New Hope’).
What surprising or strange translations have you come across in TV shows or movies? Leave us a comment and we could put together a list of even more examples!
Do you find languages as fascinating as we do? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Original images courtesy of Wikia & Wikipedia