Newsgroup: it.cultura.linguistica.inglese
Titolo: Dylan Dog in America...

Hello!
I was reading the American translation of an issue of Dylan Dog ("Morgana",
Dylan Dog #5, Dark Horse Comics, July 1999, US$ 4.95), and, comparing it
with its Italian version (originally appeared in Dylan Dog #25) I found some
puzzling features. Many of Groucho's puns have been rendered literally by
the translator (a Violeta Jurkovic, of Strip Art Features, a Slovenian
agency), and I was wondering on what the corresponding English version was.
(By the way, Groucho in the American translation ISN'T called Groucho but
Felix... and he has no moustache!)
Here are some of the puns (I/E version):
1- Se guardi l'orologio, non bolle mai! (A watched clock never boils)
Actually, I don't even know what does the Italian version of this means...
?_?
2- Una mela al giorno fa 365 mele all'anno! (An apple a day makes 365 apples
a year!)
What is the English equivalent of "Una mela al giorno toglie il medico di
torno"? Does this translation make any meaning for an English-speaking
reader?
3- Tanto va la gatta al largo che affoga (It's no wonder there isn't room to
swing a cat)
Is this translation a corruption of a real English saying or what?
4- Ci sono più cose in cielo e in terra che in qualsiasi altro posto (There
are definitely more things on the ground and in the sky these days)
Can an English-speaking reader understand the original reference to
Shakespeare's Hamlet in this translation? ("There are more things in heaven
and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.") I think not...
and you?
A couple of things more:
- Ah, questo non lo possiamo permettere! (Well, we can't have that, can we?)
Wasn't a simple "We can't allow that" better?
- Meglio, così posso dormire ancora un po' (Even better, I can sleep a
little while longer).
Is "Even better" an equivalent of "So much the better"? Would "Too bad"
change the meaning of the sentence, instead?
Thank you, and good-bye!
P.S.: Are Slovenian people able to translate from Italian into English?
Ohmygosh...
P.P.S.: Any corrections to my English are welcome. :-)
--
Cià
Valerio
**********
I LIKE COMICS!

 change the meaning of the sentence, instead?
"Even better" is similar to "so much the better." I believe this is equivalent
to "meno male" but I may be wrong (please correct me if I am) "Too bad" means
the opposite of "even better" and is similar to "che peccato!" (again, always
check my Italian translations, I'm far from being an expert in Italian).
Ciao,
Ron
USA

 I LIKE COMICS!
Ditto. :-)
Cheers,
Loki

Ditto. :-)
He he he! Do you like "The Mighty Thor"?   :-)
I sincerely thank you.


 What about "You have been UNFAITHFUL to her"?
I would have thought "you have betrayed her," unless it refers to a betrayal of
some romantic or sexual commitment. If that's the case, "unfaithful," like
"cheated on," is fine.
Ciao,
USA
Ron

 He he he! Do you like "The Mighty Thor"?   :-)
Now, what gave you that idea, eh? ;-) Although the comics were black and
white then, not all this lurid colour we have now. 
cheers,
Loki 

 means that the space is small.
Mi sembrano due cose completamente diverse!
Il detto: "Tanto va la gatto al lardo che ci lascia lo zampino" significa
che prova o riprova prima o poi se ne pagano le conseguenze. Come traduce
meglio di me G. Boggio:
"that was tempting providence, and now her wrongdoings have come home to
roost".
(Deja searching for "zampino")
Gia' non c'e' un proverbio corrispondente... figurati a tradurlo se questo
viene modificato "lardo=largo" (i.e. lard=off the coast")
BTW altra classica deformazione gergale "... che ci lascia lo zio Pino" ;)

 BTW altra classica deformazione gergale "... che ci lascia lo zio Pino" ;)
Si Paolo, qui gatta ci cova. Non voglio fare la gatta morta ma ho fatto un
compito abbastanze semplice e adesso ho una bella gatta da pelare. Non lo so se
Valerio abbia fatto questa traduzione sbagliata ma spero che solo quattro gatti
l'abbia vista. Penso che tu abbia messo la gatta nel sacco!
Ciao,
Ron
USA

 Si Paolo, qui gatta ci cova. (omissis)
hihihihihihihi