Bizarre D&D Translations

[Undead Pete]

Okay,

It looks like I got a pretty decent response to my thread about Translated Core Rule Books.

It sort of morphed into a thread about bizarre literal translations of names of character classes and monsters.

.....which I found very amusing

So, all you international gamers out there, let's hear some more!

 

[Illuminae]

The brazilian translation of the books is so bad it hurts...

From the top of my head:

Greatsword = Espadão = Big Sword
Bull rush = Encontrão = Big Bump
Critical Hit = Sucesso decisivo = Decisive Success
(Ok, this one is just plain stupid, as we have the word Crítico meaning Critical, exactly. So, something like Golpe Crítico, ou Acerto Crítico, would be just fine)

The translation was clearly made by non-specialists on the field.

They cost you money, lots of it, and Devir didn´t want to do it the right way.

The metamagic feats, specially, reveal it, their "translated" names don´t follow any pattern.

Just let me check one of the books (I didn´t throw away my money on them) , and I´ll be back with more ridiculous pieces.

 

[nsruf]

Sorry, can't help you there. I never bothered to pick up the German translation. Even though by now, you can *almost* play the game, as they recently released the DMG - over a year after the PHB

 

[Knight Otu]

Sorry, can't help you there. I never bothered to pick up the German translation. Even though by now, you can *almost* play the game, as they recently released the DMG - over a year after the PHB

But don't be too hard with Amigo, from what I know, Hasbro has made problems.

For the topic:
The term Outsider has been translated as Externar, where Aussenwelter (Out-Worlder) would have worked as well, imho.
One of the earlier editions had a particularly goofy translation: Torch into Taschenlampe (So, Scully and Mulder carry around torches when investigating a crime scene? )

Also, I am curious, so a question for the english speakers: In Greyhawk, there is a city called Innspa. Do you know what the -spa stands for? It is a word that has apparently been used, at least according to the latest german translation.

 

[Frostmarrow]

(So, Scully and Mulder carry around torches when investigating a crime scene? )

Oh yes, they are.


Torch

 

[Knight Otu]

Oh yes, they are.


Torch

Grr. You know exactly what kind of torch I mean!

 

[Undead Pete]

Also, I am curious, so a question for the english speakers: In Greyhawk, there is a city called Innspa. Do you know what the -spa stands for? It is a word that has apparently been used, at least according to the latest german translation.

Um.....

It might not have any literal meaning.....or it could be a city of decadence, filled with Turkish baths and that ilk.

Adventurers from all over Greyhawk can stop off to get smothered in mud, leeching all the poisons from their flesh.

 

[Vaxalon]

Grr. You know exactly what kind of torch I mean!

The fact is, that everywhere except the USA, the word "Torch" refers to a light you can carry in your hand, no matter what powers it.

 

[MeepoTheMighty]

The fact is, that everywhere except the USA, the word "Torch" refers to a light you can carry in your hand, no matter what powers it.

And everywhere except the USA is wrong, dammit!

 

[tarchon]

For the topic:
The term Outsider has been translated as Externar, where Aussenwelter (Out-Worlder) would have worked as well, imho.
One of the earlier editions had a particularly goofy translation: Torch into Taschenlampe (So, Scully and Mulder carry around torches when investigating a crime scene? )

Also, I am curious, so a question for the english speakers: In Greyhawk, there is a city called Innspa. Do you know what the -spa stands for? It is a word that has apparently been used, at least according to the latest german translation.

The torch thing is because "torch" means Taschenlampe (flashlight for Americans) in British English. Thus you end up with flashlights in a medieval fantasy roleplaying game. Whoops.

I used to coordinate software translations and we'd get that kind of stupidity all the time. It's easy to find someone who understands two languages. Finding smart people who can understand two languages and have nothing better to do than translate stuff is something altogether different. Good translators have to (A) know both languages very well, on the level where they would be competent writers in either language, and (B) be knowledgeable about the subject on which the work was written. There aren't many of them.

Spa, BTW, is used in English to denote a health resort, particularly with mineral springs, from Spa in Belgium. It's sometimes been generalized to include health clubs and whirlpool baths as well.