##Do you have any interesting or curiously named / translated drama titles?
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I saw something where people were posting the name for Spongebob Squarepants in different languages. It was interesting to see how some languages opted to transliterate and others to translate.
My experience with Chinese and Korean dramas is that they’ll usually come up with English names for international markets. Sometimes they’re kind of translated from the original language, but sometimes they’re just a different name completely. Though I guess occasionally some communities adopt the romanized version of a name, like Misaeng and Hwayugi.
Anyway, I started wondering how the titles for series get translated for other languages. If I’m to believe the “I want to help on this show” messages I get, they’re often literal translations, at least on Viki. But then, don’t they sometimes sound awkward?
I find it charming how Chinese titles often incorporate the character’s names into their titles, which is also often lost on the English titles.
Only Side By Side With You
南方有乔木 / nánfāng yǒu qiáomù* Note the main character’s name shows up: Nan Qiao (南乔)
Literally “There are trees in the south” or “The south has trees.”
I forget where it’s from (I think it’s in the novel the drama is based on), but I also have a note that says:
南有乔木，时有樾树 / nán yǒu qiáomù, shí yǒu yuè shù
* Note the other main character’s name is Shi Yue (时樾)
Literally “The south has trees; the time/season has shade (from trees).”
Maybe it can be read “because there is a tree, so then there is shade.” Or to extend it to the characters, “because there is Nan Qiao, so there is Shi Yue.”
You know, I used to wonder how they picked the English title for the drama, but it sort of makes sense now 