random translation issues

[wombat1138]

Well, perhaps not all that random-- specifically, I've become fascinated by looking up different translations of the Costa Concordia transcript line, "Vada a bordo, cazzo!"

Language Log points out that one aspect lost in English translation is that De Falco is using the formal "you" pronoun/verbs throughout the conversation.

The reputably-sourced translations of "cazzo" in this context mostly seem idiomatic rather than literal-- emotional/rhetorical emphasis, rather than a personally-directed insult. There are some exceptions, though.

English versions from various news media are mostly sentence-final words/phrases: "Get back on board, dammit!"; "...for God's sake!"; "...for fuck's sake!".

Japanese: 船に戻れ、畜生 (chikusho) or "船に戻れ、ばか野郎" (baka yarou)

German: "Gehen Sie verdammt noch mal an Bord!"; "Gehen Sie an Bord, verflucht nochmal!"

Dutch: "Ga aan boord verdomme!" or "Ga aan boord, klootzak!"

French: "Bon sang, retournez à bord !" (Paris); "Allez à bord, bordel de merde!" (Quebec).

Brazilian Portuguese: "Volte a bordo, porra!!" (from online headlines; no link) or “Volte a bordo, caralho!”

European Spanish: "¡Suba a bordo, coño!"

Russian: "Идите на борт, черт побери!"

Ukrainian: "Быстро вернулся на борт, бл...ть!"

Hebrew: "חזור לסיפון זין!"

(I can barely limp through Cyrillic script one letter at a time and can't read Hebrew at all, so I have no real idea what those say.)

If anyone wants to contribute more, I'd love to see them.