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Is translating people’s names out of date in 2022?
Thread poster: Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Jan Truper
Jan Truper  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 11:21
Member (2016)
English to German
Regarding that one guy Oct 9, 2022

I have been translating his name as "Putler" in all conversations since February.

Adieu
 
XIAO YAO ZHANG
XIAO YAO ZHANG  Identity Verified
China
Local time: 17:21
English to Chinese
+ ...
Chinese translators' works in translating western people's name Oct 9, 2022

Say you have this guy who is called John and who lives in German. Chinese translators would translate his name into "约翰(yuē hàn)" since the pronunciation sounds more like German somehow. But if he weren't a German, in a parallel universe, he were a British, how would we translate the name of John? Into "肖恩(xiāo ēn)". Or "乔恩(qiáo ēn)". What a about an American John? That would be "琼(qióng)". But you should always remember to use some good words. For instance, "穷(qióng)" is... See more
Say you have this guy who is called John and who lives in German. Chinese translators would translate his name into "约翰(yuē hàn)" since the pronunciation sounds more like German somehow. But if he weren't a German, in a parallel universe, he were a British, how would we translate the name of John? Into "肖恩(xiāo ēn)". Or "乔恩(qiáo ēn)". What a about an American John? That would be "琼(qióng)". But you should always remember to use some good words. For instance, "穷(qióng)" is unacceptable though the pronunciation has no difference. Speaking of 穷(poor, especially in lack of money), we translate the name Poor into "普尔（pu3er3）".

Don't be fool by some Chinese who has menace to U.S. citizens. Most users of Bilibili like to translate "Trump" to "川建国（chuān jiàn guó）". It's not good to laugh about a president of a nation. This way of translation indicates that Trump is a spy sent by socialist camp.

A better, less hostile way of translation would be "川普(chuān pu3)" if you wanna tell jokes. Because 川普 means "Standard Chinese with a little bit Sichuanese accent". This joke is acceptable because Sichuanese is a very cute accent. And the formal translation published by Chinese government should be "特朗普(tè lang3 pu3)" and nothing else, the Chinese meaning of which is "very dependable" as a sign of cordiality. ▲ Collapse


Michael Newton
 
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Is translating people’s names out of date in 2022?







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