Translate your subtitle file fast and easy

To continue on how to get the best translation result we talked about the technical techniques in order to enhance the result in the previous post below

Get best possible translation result

Now the Language expressions part is much important as the technical part due to differences of expressions among languages around the world.

Cultural factors affect the expressions in a language. A funny joke in a language may not be funny in another, or a poem in a language may not make sense at all in translation (especially Arabic).

Example: -

An old Arab poet says: -

 “وكل مائرة الضبعين مسرحها. رمث الجزيرة والخذراف والعنم”

 The Google translation is: -

“And all the shelters of the Dabaen are their subterranean. The rim of the island, and the sheep and the sheep”

Which is totally meaning less and not making any sense in the translation and in order to get the meaning you will have to hear the whole story with a good knowledge of the Arab culture. And this is not our area of discussion here.

Then he continues saying: -

 “إني أبيت قليل النوم أرقني. قلب تصارع فيه الهم والهمم”

The Google translation is: -

“I fell asleep with a little sleep, it insisted on me. a heart in which worry and anxieties struggle”

This is acceptable translation that almost gives the meaning because of the expressions used in the original sentence helps in translation.

Now what we can do to enhance the translation is to try to make some changes in the original expression to fit the English language or any other language for translation.

After the changes: -

 "إني أعاني من الأرق. و قلبي مليْ بالهم و الشغف"

The Google translation is: -

“I suffer from insomnia. And my heart is full of worry and passion”

This translation might not be a perfect sentence in English but certainly a better understanding in English language due to our change in the original expression.

Fortunately, in the movies subtitle translation field is much easier but the same concept is here.

Well, expect the old western style movies with the unique accent.

We can enhance our subtitle translation for a better and hopefully a perfect result.

Let’s have one English expression example that we hear a lot on TV especially movies and shows.

“Cry me a river”

The google translate going to translate it literally as its which leads to misunderstanding. But what if it changes to: -

“you grumble a lot”

Then we can get the same meaning of the original expression and Google translate won’t miss that up for us.