Saturday, January 24, 2015

Was Something Lost in the Title Translation? English Translations of French Names of English Movies Part 1



Living in Canada, many DVDs of English language movies have French names on them. For each installment in this series I will take 20 DVDs or blu-rays with French versions of English names and translate the French name back into English. I predict some will skrew very close and some not at all.

To do this I will use three sources: Google (G), Babylon (B), and SDL Free Translation (S). Hopefully this will minimize any major errors in translation

Die Hard
French: Piège de Crystal
French back into English: Crystal Trap (G) Trap of Crystal (B, S)

Die Hard 2: Die Harder
French: 58 Minutes Pour Vivre
French back into English: 58 Minutes to Live (G, B, S)

Die Hard With a Vengeance
French: Marche ou Crève: Vengeance Définitive
French back into English: On or Creve: Vengeance Final (G); Market or die: Revenge Final (B, S)

Live Free or Die Hard
French: Vis Libre ou Crève
French back into English: Free Creve screws or (G); Screw free or Punctured (B, S)

The Adjustment Bureau
French: Bureau de Contrôle
French back into English: Control Office (G, B, S)

American Graffiti
French: Graffiti américain
French back into English: American Graffiti (G, B, S)

Angel Heart
French: Aux Portes de l’Enfer
French back into English: The Gates of Hell (G), At the gates of Hell (B, S)

Armored
French: Blindé
French back into English: armored (G); armored, bulletproof; armor clad, shellproof; plated; ironclad, armor-bearer, tank (B); Shielded (S)

The Aviator
French: L’Aviateur
French back into English: The Aviator (G); The Airman (B, S)

Bad Teacher
French: Sale Prof
French back into English: Prof Sale (G); Dirty Prof (B, S)

Batman Begins
French: Batman: Le Commencement  
French back into English: Batman: The Beginning (G, B, S)

Absentia
French: Absent
French back into English: Absent (G, S); absent, off, missing; truant, vacant (B)

About Cherry
French: La Vie Cachée de Cherry
French back into English: Hidden Life of Cherry (G), The Hidden Life of Cherry (B, S)

The Age of Stupid
French: L’Âge de la Stupidité
French back into English: The Age of Stupid (G, B, S)

Alexandra’s Project
French: Le Projet d’Alexandra
French back into English: Alexandra Project (G), The project of Alexandra (B, S)

Alien Nation
French: Futur Immédiat
French back into English: Immediate Future (G, B, S)

Enemy Mine
French: Enemy
French back into English: Enemy (G, B, S)

Alone With Her
French: Seul Avec Elle
French back into English: Only With It (G, B, S)

The Anniversary Party
French: Soirée d’Anniversaire
French back into English: Birthday Party (G, B, S)

War of the Dead
French: La Guerre des Morts-Vivants
French back into English: The War of the Undead (G); The War of hearkens (B, S)

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