Comments on: FlubTitles.com

FlubTitles.com

me3dia — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 13:15:05 -0800

Kill this side and then the others. Like its cousin the estimable Engrish.com, FlubTitles.com catalogs the horrible abuses of language that show up in English subtitles for Asian movies. Created by Asian film review site CityOnFire and movie seller HKFlix, it's all a plot to sell more DVDs, but there're some real gems hidden in the captions..."All fanciness are posted outside."

By: me3dia

me3dia — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 13:16:34 -0800

Via the awesome Open Brackets.

By: starvingartist

starvingartist — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 13:33:37 -0800

Councilor Hui, don't worry, I've mobilized the crack unit.

By: nthdegx

nthdegx — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 13:47:18 -0800

I saw an awful abuse of language on subtitles on the BBC London news this evening. Explaining some inaudible dialogue from a tube-worker in a tube-workers do nothing expose: "act like your not doing anything" And there wasn't even the saving grace of mind-bending athleticism.

By: kevspace

kevspace — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 13:50:22 -0800

Also recommended is watching movies on cable with the TV's closed captions on. Memorable moments: "You know those dreams you're always having? Think I could part of them?" from UHF, and "I have to leave, because I am a fire" from Conspiracy Theory.

By: Vidiot

Vidiot — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 15:11:07 -0800

This book has lots of great subtitles collected. I'll post some when I get home from work. On a somewhat related note, here's an interesting blog post regarding Chinese curses and how they often can't be translated.

By: JohnBigBoots

JohnBigBoots — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 15:56:03 -0800

From "This is Kung Fu", Look, long stick on, go. Wanna be the Monkey?
Classic.

By: Rebis

Rebis — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 18:19:43 -0800

My all time favorite, though I can't verify it because I saw the film years ago, and don't have it on video or DVD, is from Samo Hung's Pedicab Driver: "I cannot sleep in the room next to the bridal chamber, for I would be frightened by the loving couple's bizarre cries."

By: son_of_minya

son_of_minya — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 19:45:04 -0800

Great subject, but I don't think these guys (owners of the site) are serious. Such a short list, such lame quotes, and the obvious salesmanship angle. Actually e-mailed these people over a month ago, suggesting that they post the entire subtitle file for each movie in text format. The guy seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. Some quotes from my own collection: Crazy, beat one's our man? Don't do the stupid thing. Why you changed into so scary? Shouldn't have kill him. Now, how to get the coke? And the classic bad translation, appearing in dozens of movies... You are nut.

By: snez

snez — Mon, 20 Jan 2003 20:09:16 -0800

"Suggest coming in if it gets tired of the traffic jam. Even if fatigue increases further, it isn't responsible." While not movie based, my favorite example of badly translated english has to be 'How to walk of Japan'.

By: PsychoKick

PsychoKick — Tue, 21 Jan 2003 05:53:18 -0800

"You always use violence. I should have ordered glutinous rice chicken."

By: kerplunk

kerplunk — Tue, 21 Jan 2003 06:11:38 -0800

The BBC's subtitling of live programmes often descends into complete gibberish with words you never knew existed. I'm amazed at how well the cope given the situation though. Also, a few months back on the National Lottery programme the subtitler must have hit the wrong key when Eamonn Holmes was introduced as 'Eamonn Homosexual', which was then very rapidly cleared from the screen.