Translation in GOT

March_ts

Calling all GOT fans! I've created this thread because I've seen there are quite a lot of enthusiasts of both the series and the books ASOIAF. I was also wondering how the "Hold the door" part was translated to other languages, because the translation in Spanish (Spain) it was quite controversial... (not judging, it was really difficult ?)
( ⚠ DO NOT WATCH IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS FROM SEASON 6 ⚠)

Was it also controversial in your language? Does it work as an explanation for Hodor's name and speech impediment? ?

Dmitry

March_ts Was it also controversial in your language? Does it work as an explanation for Hodor's name and speech impediment? ?

Yeah that was quite a head-scratcher for the translators around the globe! Russian wasn't perfect, but I think translators did the best they could they even managed to preserve the first part of his name "Hod". But it did sound very awkward and out of place ?

Here's an article with examples from other countries.

Teresa

I don't envy the poor translators who had to tackle this! Honestly, it's probably impossible to translate it to other languages, in an ideal world you need to know this from the very start and translate Hodor's name accordingly, but obviously they couldn't.

Dmitry The Italian translation, too, is kind of far-fetched, but as in the Russian version they at least tried to leave part of Hodor's name. They changed "Hold the door" to "Find a way" = "Trova il modo".

March_ts

Dmitry Russian wasn't perfect, but I think translators did the best they could they even managed to preserve the first part of his name "Hod". But it did sound very awkward and out of place ?

In Spanish they tried to make it rhyme, and people were really harsh with it on social media. But I really think it wasn't that bad! There's no better alternative...

Teresa I don't envy the poor translators who had to tackle this!

Oh, me neither. It's one of the most difficult lines I've ever seen ?

eleonorang I wonder if Martin could have given some sort of heads-up to translators, but possibly he wouldn't trust them with the revelation? ?

I don't think so, Martin is quite secretive about all his ideas ?

eleonorang No matter how many times I watch this scene, it's always heartbreaking ?

I feel you, one of the worst moments of the whole series ?

eleonorang

No matter how many times I watch this scene, it's always heartbreaking ?
@Teresa's right, Italian translators had their own hard nut to crack and the chosen translation was greeted badly enough from the Italian audience, including both those who are used to watching the show in English with Italian subtitles and the viewers of the dubbed version. Of course, it's people who really don't know what they're talking about ? As a translator myself, I sympathized with the subtitlers/dubbers and don't know if I could have done any better.
I know of novel authors who are in close collaboration with their translators. I wonder if Martin could have given some sort of heads-up to translators, but possibly he wouldn't trust them with the revelation? ?

Dmitry

eleonorang I wonder if Martin could have given some sort of heads-up to translators, but possibly he wouldn't trust them with the revelation? ?

That's probably something that wouldn't be possible to achieve at the GOT scale (with all the secrecy surrounding the production of the TV-series and the books). Oh well, at least I hope it taught the world a valuable lesson: languages and cultures are different. What works in one language may not work the same way in another.

Dmitry

Sorry guys! Just realized I didn't insert the link where they have included all the translation. Here you go: http://movieuniverse.ru/kak-pereveli-hold-the-door-na-drugie-yazyiki-21-variantov-perevoda-na-raznyih-yazyikah/

eleonorang

Talk about secretive authors... ? -> https://forum.theopenmic.co/d/126-new-the-translators-thriller-movie