Translating is a very difficult job that requires expertise and routine. In order to produce congruent and competent results, one should especially pay attention to the level problem. Texts have levels, from pedestrian to elaborate, and these levels must be accurately rendered.
Beginners tend to cling to the words that sound familiar and will, with great glee, render them by using the seemingly “equivalent” word in the other language.
So “fuck” turns into “ficken”, “shit” becomes “Scheisse”, “bitch” is “Hündin” and “motherfucking” denotes incest.
This, of course, is pathetic. But I mention this last example because fairly recently one of our “Christian” political parties – I think it was the CVP – sued a rapper for using the word “motherfucker” in a song! On the grounds that he was glorifying incest ...
Well, what can one expect from a Christian party. Not much, as far as I am concerned. But that’s another topic.
German bad language is really bad; it’s the kind of language a pimp or a thug might use. An uneducated speaker with a small vocabulary and a low IQ. You could call it “Gossensprache”.
English – and especially American – bad language is not bad language; it’s called slang, and it is used by everybody (except for a few morons who wear dickie bows and perhaps the queen of England). From trucker to secretary of state – slang is the language of choice in America. One of the last strongholds of political incorrectness. (Needless to say that feminists and religious freaks have been trying for decades to educate men in this area too.)
So, please, translators – keep this in mind. And learn from the pros, e. g. the guys who are in charge of TV productions’ translation. “Married ... With Children”, the superb US sitcom, is one example of an excellently translated serial. “Cheers” or “Family Ties” or “Home Improvement” are other examples.
These guys know what they are doing. The German translation is sometimes even better than the original!
Occasionally, however, complete congruence can’t be achieved.
The following dialog is simply not translatable – because of an ambiguous English word that has no German equivalent:
Peggy: “Where is Jefferson taking you tonight?”
Marcy: “On the kitchen table!”
(“Married ... With Children”)