Poll: Do You Sometimes Translate Things To Your Native Language (To Yourself)?

[Twintix]

I love reading webcomics. My favorite at the moment is Exterminatus Now. In fact, you should also read it. Right now.

But that's not what I wanted to discuss today. Recently, I've found myself trying to translate parts of EN from English to Swedish. No point to it, really: It's only to myself, and it's only for fun. It's not just webcomics, either: I also sometimes translate songs from English to Swedish to myself. I started with some song from MLP about two years ago, and I've also partly written an alternate translation of "Let It Go", because I found that the official translation sucks balls. (The official MLP:FiM translations also suck quite hard, by the way. I don't watch the show, but I saw some clips. I couldn't stop cringing)

I love languages, so it comes somewhat naturally to me. I also do it to see if I can do a better translation. It probably sounds like I'm full of myself, and I know that translating things is really hard. But as long as I do it to myself, it shouldn't be too self-centered of me, right?

So, does anyone else do the same thing? Do you, sometimes, translate things from one language to your native one? Or even just from one language to another?

(Actually, do we have anyone here who actually works as a translator?)

 

[Twinrehz]

I sometimes run cross-translation 3-4 times back and forth between english and norwegian just to see what kind of stupid results I get. I also deliberately mistranslate just for the hell of it, because similar words in the two languages have TOTALLY different meaning. (No amusing words come to mind atm, tho).

I also don't really like norwegian dubs, for reason I can't accurately pin-point (unless the reason is the norwegian voice-actor of Donkey in the movie Shrek). It kinda works, they sometimes manage to preserve the joke (and if they don't, my cross-translation will find the english-only pun in no time, and I'll be laughing my ass off while any bystanders will be none the wiser), but still I prefer the original language.

I even do that on japanese productions, although I barely speak a word of it, so english subs are needed. You'd think it defeats the whole point, but I don't feel that way about it.

 

[VanQ]

I've worked with anime fansub and manga translation groups from time to time but never anything serious. I usually just translate Japanese doujin that I like into English so other people can read it. Also for the thanks and e-peen I get. You wouldn't believe how much anime/manga fans grovel.

[sub]Actually, you probably would.[/sub]

 

[CrystalShadow]

I... Do it sometimes between the two languages I speak fluently. (Arguably I speak both natively).

Mainly I do literal translations though. To highlight how absurd the grammar of one language sounds when repeated in another.
Or for words where the literal translation is particularly amusing.

Well, some words just are amusing. Like hefschroefvliegtuig - which isn't strictly speaking part of a language I know, but of one that is close enough to it speakers of both can communicate quite well.

It means helicopter, but the literal translation is lifting-screw-flying-machine . Really a very literal description, in and of itself, isn't it? XD

 

[The Eupho Guy_v1legacy]

I do the opposite, on occasion. I learnt Spanish and German at highschool, and I'll occasionally play games/watch movies in those languages to see how much I still understand.

 

[Queen Michael]

I'm Swedish, and I'm currently working on translating a book of short humorous essays into Swedish purely for my own enjoyment.

 

[Rabbitboy]

No I never translate for fun.

I rarely translate things from English unless someone asks me. But the little bits of German and French I can understand I usually do translate in my head.

Mainly I do literal translations though. To highlight how absurd the grammar of one language sounds when repeated in another.

Spieking of witch.

 

[Muspelheim]

I do, sometimes. I do it because I like languages, and I like the challenge of maintaining the style and rythm of a text while filtering it through another language. I don't think I could do it in any professional sense, but it's a nice, very well needed exorcise.

 

[Vicarious Reality]

I use translate.google.com almost every day
Sometimes i translate song lyrics, it is oddly satisfying, i bet i could work as a translator

 

[FPLOON]

Three words: Spanish Soap Operas (It sometimes helps me remember that I did [try to] learn Spanish for 5 [straight] years...)

Other than that, I still have no ides how I do translate Ebonics to my native English American language and vise verse...

 

[CrystalViolet]

I speak 5 languages fluently and a few others at various levels so sometimes I think it's really funny to sing a pop or rap song in a language in which it would sound terrible. "Big Booty Bitches" is pretty silly in English, sillier in Hebrew.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

This happens when I'm watching subbed anime or listening to J-Rock/J-Pop. I've tried teaching myself Japanese on and off since about the early 2000's but I'm nowhere near ready for any kind of fluency exam but there will be times when I'm listening to a verse or listening to some dialog and it just kind of clicks in my head; "Hey, I know what they just said! I'm freaking awesome!!"

 

[CrystalShadow]

No I never translate for fun.

I rarely translate things from English unless someone asks me. But the little bits of German and French I can understand I usually do translate in my head.

Mainly I do literal translations though. To highlight how absurd the grammar of one language sounds when repeated in another.

Spieking of witch.

Hahaha. >_< oh dear. He's really struggling there. XD

 

[El Cazador]

Not for fun, but to hone my translating skills.

 

[visiblenoise]

Not really. Sometimes I imagine how a joke or saying in Cantonese would be like in English, but it tends not to work so well.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Oh yeah, I just adore translating English titles of songs, movies, shows and also song lyrics and band names to Dutch.

For instance, Queen's song Bicycle just sounds absolutely absurd and hilarious in Dutch.

Spieking of witch.

That's Louis van Gaal levels of hilarious. Ohhh Dutch northeners, you all sound so funny to me.

 

[catalyst8]

I frequently translate US English into English. I know it's puerile but 'pants', 'suspenders', & 'ass' (or trousers, braces, & arse in English) are hilarious without translation. 'Asshole' is another good one: 'Asshole', a pit where donkeys are kept..? So yes, much translation from US English into English.

On a somewhat more serious note I do occasionally translate Anglo-Saxon, Latin, & Ancient Greek literature, & hope to start tackling Sumerian/Akkadian cuneiform for Gilgamesh in the near future.

 

[Guffe]

Yeah, we had a drinking game with friends were we translated (word by word) lyrics and the others had to guess what song it was Was quite funny, and challenging at times.

I also translate stuff when I see words I don't understand (like on this site) when native speakers use words I've never heard about I use google translate and another site (just for singular words) and assume it's the one I find most fitting into the rest of the context.

Another is when we play a card game called "Gloom". That has some difficult English words in it, so there we always have to have dictionaries along when playing.

 

[eatenbyagrue]

I don't, because Tagalog is a stupid language and English is a lot more expedient. Traditionalists talk about how "poetic" and "beautiful" the language is, but when your word for "fluttering" ("kumukutikutitap") is a tongue twister in and of itself, it should probably be a clue as to why people don't tend to pick it is a second language if they have the option not to.

It is however really fun to watch people stumble over the word for "irritating", however (for those who want to try: nakakapagpabagabag).