Telltale Games

TashSunrider · 07/08/2009, 01:33 pm

(concerning the flag of Flotsam island)

That must be the most sorry attempt to translate an english sentence into german i have ever seen.

It's so bad that it's not even funny bad anymore. Any free online sentence translator could do it better than this word by word translation.

Not only the total disregard of all grammar, or the miss-spelling of one out of four german 3-4 letter words but also the fact that the saying even translated correctly doesn't make any sense to start with.

Just out of curiosity, why did you have to go for "German" on that flag if you don't even have the resources to type the sentence into babelfish.

Shale · 07/08/2009, 01:34 pm

If it's that bad I'm willing to be it was deliberate.

Astro Gnocci · 07/08/2009, 01:43 pm

are you german ?
Sometimes badly translated can turn out to be pretty fun... But it often depends on whether the reader/listener is really fluent in the language or not. So maybe this is pretty funny to some english speaking guy who know a few german words but not to anyone who really know the language. I wouldn't know, "kartoffel and "arsch" are the only german words i know. But i bet an english guy would have a hard time understanding why french kids think the verb "to bite" is so funny.

TashSunrider · 07/08/2009, 01:53 pm

That's what i meant with "it's so bad it's not even funny bad"

There is nothing funny about it that i could possibly conceive.

I'm fluent in English and German and I have seen a lot of decent making fun of the german language with knowingly bad translations or made-up german sounding words.
I thought the Sam & MAx episode with the German Vampire was pretty funny.

This flag however is not meant to be a joke. It's just blatantly ignorant lack of knowledge and a half-assed attempt to translate.

Any English speakers out there who can say they thought it's funny?
I will be gladly proven wrong if it really is ammusing to some people.

Toothbrush Creepwood · 07/08/2009, 01:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TashSunrider

(concerning the flag of Flotsam island)

That must be the most sorry attempt to translate an english sentence into german i have ever seen.

It's so bad that it's not even funny bad anymore. Any free online sentence translator could do it better than this word by word translation.

Not only the total disregard of all grammar, or the miss-spelling of one out of four german 3-4 letter words but also the fact that the saying even translated correctly doesn't make any sense to start with.

Just out of curiosity, why did you have to go for "German" on that flag if you don't even have the resources to type the sentence into babelfish.

remember my thread about the "german whiners"?

See...this guy just registered just for this posting. Awesome. This...Sir...is by far...the pinnacle of whining!

EDIT: Sorry, my bad. Was no whining, after your 2nd posting, i can understand your point.

Cortez · 07/08/2009, 02:05 pm

Well, it's nice to see a reference to German in a Monkey Island game anyway. Still waiting for a character featuring a German accent though.

As for the translation on the flag, the missing "t" in "Luft" made me also look twice to actually figure it out, and of course "saugen" can't be used in the same double meaning as in English, but that's another story. Maybe I'm missing the point here, but I'm not sure if this is funny to someone who only knows a few words of German, if they even identify it as such. Reminds me of that early Simpsons episode "Burns verkaufen der Kraftwerk" (Which is also translated incorrectly, but intentional... and funny. Maybe it was an homage to this?)

Anyway, I really loved the game, can't wait for the next one and as for future German references I'd be more than happy to assist.

capnpadfoot · 07/08/2009, 02:08 pm

I'm not a German speaker (well, I do understand a good bit but my grammar is almost nonexistant) OR a native English speaker, so I totally see your point, TashSunrider. It seems like if they're going to include German, they should take their time and make sure it's correct, assuming that they weren't going for a joke that we're not seeing.
Hey, maybe it'll even get explained in a later chapter, I'm kinda guessing there's going to be more to the Courthouse, and they strongly hinted at us seeing more of the Voodoo Lady's chest of unmentionables, or whatever, so maybe Guybrush will be back to Flotsam Island.
I'm kinda hoping that there's something behind their poor use of German, just so I won't be disappointed in them

LordKinbote · 07/08/2009, 02:08 pm

They're pirates. They're not literate in ANY language!

capnpadfoot · 07/08/2009, 02:11 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordKinbote

They're pirates. They're not literate in ANY language!

Well, I dunno. Their English is pretty good

Astro Gnocci · 07/08/2009, 02:13 pm

whetavar. they just say "ARRRR" !

hansschmucker · 07/08/2009, 02:16 pm

It didn't bother me the first time I played the game, but since we're talking about it anyway: Could somebody who understood the joke explain it to me?

There's a recycling symbol, then there's
DIE = THE
LUF(T) = AIR
FLOTSAM ( Treibgut or Plunder in German)
SAUGEN = SUCK

=> THE AIR FLOTSAM SUCK

Maybe "Keep Flotsam (Island)'s Air Clean"?

Astro Gnocci · 07/08/2009, 02:18 pm

couldn't luf(t) mean wind ?

Flotsam's winds suck ?

NannerSplit · 07/08/2009, 02:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TashSunrider

(concerning the flag of Flotsam island)

BAWWWWW!

Fixed.

Ara · 07/08/2009, 02:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astro Gnocci

couldn't luf(t) mean wind ?

Flotsam's winds suck ?

Luft means wind... but the sentence makes no sense in German

"saugen" isn't a swearword in German and it hasn't a "double entendre"

Harakiri23 · 07/08/2009, 02:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hansschmucker

It didn't bother me the first time I played the game, but since we're talking about it anyway: Could somebody who understood the joke explain it to me?

There's a recycling symbol, then there's
DIE = THE
LUF(T) = AIR
FLOTSAM ( Treibgut or Plunder in German)
SAUGEN = SUCK

=> THE AIR FLOTSAM SUCK

Maybe "Keep Flotsam (Island)'s Air Clean"?

maybe more like the air in flotsam sucks, as in its bad because nobody can escape because of the wind

capnpadfoot · 07/08/2009, 02:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astro Gnocci

couldn't luf(t) mean wind ?

Flotsam's winds suck ?

That makes sense to me AND it's a little funny, assuming that maybe German doesn't use the verb that way? lol

hansschmucker · 07/08/2009, 02:26 pm

Nope, we don't... But if it means that, what's the recycling symbol doing there?

Cortez · 07/08/2009, 02:40 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hansschmucker

Nope, we don't... But if it means that, what's the recycling symbol doing there?

Hmmmmm, I've heard several people from other countries commenting how annoying it is that you must separate your trash into different bins for recycling in Germany and how typical it is of this country. Any possible connection here?

Edit: Just noticed it's on the upper right of the "Keelhauler Gazette" newsletter as well which I've just received by e-mail.

Tea · 07/08/2009, 02:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by hansschmucker

It didn't bother me the first time I played the game, but since we're talking about it anyway: Could somebody who understood the joke explain it to me?

There's a recycling symbol, then there's
DIE = THE
LUF(T) = AIR
FLOTSAM ( Treibgut or Plunder in German)
SAUGEN = SUCK

=> THE AIR FLOTSAM SUCK

Maybe "Keep Flotsam (Island)'s Air Clean"?

The wind on Flotsam sucks.

Bruno83 · 07/08/2009, 03:17 pm

I didn't get the point of the german flag either. (yes I'm german)
didn't even figure out what it should mean, but I haven't given it much thought.
It's just obvios to you, that "suck" has got those two meanings, when you speak english (even if you're a non native english speaking person), but as soon as you change to german, this thought doesn't apear.
I don't care about this too much tho. It's been a really great season start. Loved it!

07/08/2009, 01:33 pm	#1
TashSunrider Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 8	DIE LUF DER FLOTSAM SAUGEN - you gotta be kidding (concerning the flag of Flotsam island) That must be the most sorry attempt to translate an english sentence into german i have ever seen. It's so bad that it's not even funny bad anymore. Any free online sentence translator could do it better than this word by word translation. Not only the total disregard of all grammar, or the miss-spelling of one out of four german 3-4 letter words but also the fact that the saying even translated correctly doesn't make any sense to start with. Just out of curiosity, why did you have to go for "German" on that flag if you don't even have the resources to type the sentence into babelfish.

07/08/2009, 01:43 pm	#3
Astro Gnocci Buck Naked - Texas Ranger Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 683	are you german ? Sometimes badly translated can turn out to be pretty fun... But it often depends on whether the reader/listener is really fluent in the language or not. So maybe this is pretty funny to some english speaking guy who know a few german words but not to anyone who really know the language. I wouldn't know, "kartoffel and "arsch" are the only german words i know. But i bet an english guy would have a hard time understanding why french kids think the verb "to bite" is so funny. __________________ Drink Cheap, Evil-Smellin Beer Everyday of Your Life.

07/08/2009, 02:05 pm	#6
Cortez Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 7	Well, it's nice to see a reference to German in a Monkey Island game anyway. Still waiting for a character featuring a German accent though. As for the translation on the flag, the missing "t" in "Luft" made me also look twice to actually figure it out, and of course "saugen" can't be used in the same double meaning as in English, but that's another story. Maybe I'm missing the point here, but I'm not sure if this is funny to someone who only knows a few words of German, if they even identify it as such. Reminds me of that early Simpsons episode "Burns verkaufen der Kraftwerk" (Which is also translated incorrectly, but intentional... and funny. Maybe it was an homage to this?) Anyway, I really loved the game, can't wait for the next one and as for future German references I'd be more than happy to assist. Last edited by Cortez; 07/08/2009 at 02:11 pm.

07/08/2009, 02:13 pm	#10
Astro Gnocci Buck Naked - Texas Ranger Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 683	whetavar. they just say "ARRRR" ! __________________ Drink Cheap, Evil-Smellin Beer Everyday of Your Life.

07/08/2009, 02:18 pm	#12
Astro Gnocci Buck Naked - Texas Ranger Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 683	couldn't luf(t) mean wind ? Flotsam's winds suck ? __________________ Drink Cheap, Evil-Smellin Beer Everyday of Your Life.

07/08/2009, 01:34 pm	#2
Shale Mitey pirate™! Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 178	If it's that bad I'm willing to be it was deliberate.

07/08/2009, 01:53 pm	#4
TashSunrider Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 8	That's what i meant with "it's so bad it's not even funny bad" There is nothing funny about it that i could possibly conceive. I'm fluent in English and German and I have seen a lot of decent making fun of the german language with knowingly bad translations or made-up german sounding words. I thought the Sam & MAx episode with the German Vampire was pretty funny. This flag however is not meant to be a joke. It's just blatantly ignorant lack of knowledge and a half-assed attempt to translate. Any English speakers out there who can say they thought it's funny? I will be gladly proven wrong if it really is ammusing to some people.

07/08/2009, 02:08 pm	#7
capnpadfoot Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: I sail with the wind and go where adventure takes me Posts: 47	I'm not a German speaker (well, I do understand a good bit but my grammar is almost nonexistant) OR a native English speaker, so I totally see your point, TashSunrider. It seems like if they're going to include German, they should take their time and make sure it's correct, assuming that they weren't going for a joke that we're not seeing. Hey, maybe it'll even get explained in a later chapter, I'm kinda guessing there's going to be more to the Courthouse, and they strongly hinted at us seeing more of the Voodoo Lady's chest of unmentionables, or whatever, so maybe Guybrush will be back to Flotsam Island. I'm kinda hoping that there's something behind their poor use of German, just so I won't be disappointed in them

07/08/2009, 02:08 pm	#8
LordKinbote Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 86	They're pirates. They're not literate in ANY language!

07/08/2009, 02:16 pm	#11
hansschmucker Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 945	It didn't bother me the first time I played the game, but since we're talking about it anyway: Could somebody who understood the joke explain it to me? There's a recycling symbol, then there's DIE = THE LUF(T) = AIR FLOTSAM ( Treibgut or Plunder in German) SAUGEN = SUCK => THE AIR FLOTSAM SUCK Maybe "Keep Flotsam (Island)'s Air Clean"?

07/08/2009, 02:26 pm	#17
hansschmucker Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 945	Nope, we don't... But if it means that, what's the recycling symbol doing there?

07/08/2009, 03:17 pm	#20
Bruno83 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 239	I didn't get the point of the german flag either. (yes I'm german) didn't even figure out what it should mean, but I haven't given it much thought. It's just obvios to you, that "suck" has got those two meanings, when you speak english (even if you're a non native english speaking person), but as soon as you change to german, this thought doesn't apear. I don't care about this too much tho. It's been a really great season start. Loved it!

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