TRANSLATE THIS PLEASE!
Published October 19, 2008
One of the remarkable things about Spanish voiceovers and Spanish translations is that there are usually two or three (and sometimes more) ways to say something. Then throw in the local flavor and culture and a translation can end up as a hodge-podge of colloquialisms, attempted metaphors and similes that make no sense!
For example, last week I had a translation for a car dealership that was in a construction project. They had a sale they called “An Orange Barrel Blowout!”
Uhh…
It’s a concept and a play on words in English. But it doesn’t translate. Think about it. If you aren’t from the U.S. and you hear an add proclaiming “An Orange Barrel Blowout!”, what do you think? Are they exploding orange barrels? Why? Will my life be in danger if I go there?
Trying to translate that term into Spanish, even though the people you are trying to reach are acclimating to our way of life and language, is relatively impossible.
And some of the other names we come up with for sales…Geeesh! How about:
The One For The Road Sale
The Tick Tock Tick Tock Sale
The Tradin’ Pants Sale
The I Told You So Sale
The No Bull**** Sale. That one had a bleep in the middle of it, and the client wanted me to say it in Spanish. The only way to say it in Spanish is to call it “The Sale Where We Don’t Sell You The **** Of A Bull!”
As they say, it loses something in the translation!