Is Optimus Prime still an invincible iron cow? Transformers translation

There have been great differences in the various translations of Transformers in the three places on both sides of the strait. Let us analyze the evolution of this.

So far, the " Transformers 4" movie has created the latest domestic box office record, the popularity is far more than the United States, once again prove the long-term influence of this name on the domestic generation, from the earliest animation to the current movie , has been passed down.

During the film's release, the issue of the difference in translation between Transformers and the three sides of the strait was once again the focus. The cause of the incident was that some Taiwanese netizens spoke on the Internet about the translation of the name of "Transformers 4" in the mainland. After being quoted by the media, they immediately triggered a counterattack from the majority of netizens in the mainland. In turn, they ridiculed the translated names of Taiwan, and both sides opened fire. And to expand the results, from the Transformers itself to more translations of film and television works, and in the end, and most of the debate on the Internet, no one can really convince the other side, only increased saliva and hatred.

In fact, this topic is somewhat old-fashioned. Since the initial introduction of the two sides of the Taiwan Straits, the translation of the nouns in the Transformers series has experienced different evolutions in the China, Hong Kong and Taiwan regions. There are historical backgrounds and cultural factors. It is not simple. Good or bad can be evaluated, let us take a look at some detailed information research, so as to have a more comprehensive understanding of this public case.

Optimus Prime, Ke Baiwen or invincible iron bull?

First let us first have a visual impression of the differences in the translation of the main terms of the Transformers series in the mainland and Hong Kong and Taiwan by the next picture. Then let us discuss the evolution process and differences in history and culture. factor.

The first three sides of the Taiwan Strait began to contact the Transformers series, which were sold through the American TV animated version first broadcast in 1984 and the toys of Hasbro Corporation. At the specific time, the mainland officially released the Transformers animated version on July 30, 1988. After the first broadcast on Shanghai TV, it was promoted to TV stations all over the country (an earlier informal record was published in June 1987, Guangzhou TV station piloted The first few episodes were broadcasted by Hong Kong Wireless Television (TVB) and Asian Television (ATV) before and after 1986 (the Cantonese version was broadcast after Guangzhou TV); Taiwan was launched in China from 1989 onwards. TV companies and Taiwanese TV companies have broadcasted (the translation versions of the two companies are also different).

In the absence of the Internet, it was impossible to find the original version, and there was a lack of communication between them. The most profound impressions of Transformers in the three places on the Transformers in childhood were from the animated version broadcast by local TV stations. The audience is basically accepting all translated nouns spread by Shanghai TV. Although the Transformers toys may be marked with the Hong Kong version or the Taiwan version at the time, it is certainly in the hearts of the TV station that the Chinese dubbing of the TV station is very cordial, except for the audience in the Cantonese-speaking areas such as Guangdong, where they have access to the translations in Hong Kong. In addition to its influence, it can be said that for a long period of time, everyone will definitely not seriously think about it, Transformers will also have a name other than the car man Deceptic.

With the wide exchanges between China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, especially after the development of the Internet, everyone began to understand more about the difference in translation. Many people first heard the translation of Hong Kong’s “Ke Baiwen” and “Bo School” through pirated CDs. I knew everything when I watched the 1986 big movie that was not broadcast on the mainland TV station. During this period, the initial debate was also triggered, mainly focusing on the differences in translation names between the mainland and Hong Kong. Except for a small number of fans in the Cantonese-speaking region, most of the audience were still accustomed to the translation of Shanghai TV. Afterwards, although some new versions of the Transformers' animations were broadcast, there have been some changes in translation, but they have not affected the mainstream.

Around 2007, with the advent of the Transformers live-action movie version, Transformers re-emerged as a pop culture from a nostalgic noun in China, and translation problems have surfaced again. Many old players have been in the news since the news came out. He expressed the hope that the domestic tradition will respect the tradition, and that the original translation of the Shanghai TV station should not be arbitrarily innovated. The final result is that the official version of the movie version retains the mainland Chinese translations of the main characters such as Optimus Prime and Megatron, but only the camp The car man and the Decepticons have been replaced by the Hong Kong version of the Boss and the mad faction. Although they have dissatisfied some of the old players, they have experienced the hot and continuous influence of the movie version. More and more new generations of viewers have already Gradually getting used to this combination.

Compared with the consistency of mainland China and Hong Kong, there are many versions of the translation of Transformers in Taiwan in the early days. The names of TV stations, magazines and toy dealers are different. There is a lack of recognition like "Optimus Prime" or "Ke Baiwen". It is known that after 2004, Taiwan’s Transformers toy agent was acquired by Hong Kong Hasbro. Since then, the Hong Kong version of the translation has gradually occupied the market. When the film version was released, the translation names of Taiwan and Hong Kong have been mostly consistent, and they have been used consistently. Bopai and Kebowen (the characters that Hasbro has finalized in Taiwan), the original early translations are only occasionally missed by a small number of viewers. At this stage, in addition to the names of the new characters that appeared in some movie editions, the translations in Hong Kong and Taiwan have generally tended to be the same.

Transformers should be transformers?

Specific to the translation culture itself, in the Chinese cultural circle, there are usually two kinds of translations of proper nouns, especially the names of people, transliteration or free translation, but the version familiar to the mainland audience, whether it is "autobot" or "engine" Tianzhu, or "Transformers" itself, obviously can not be so simple to summarize, after all, the words Transformers, Autobots, Optimus Prime have intentional and extended changes, it is impossible to simply follow the text.

In fact, what many people don't know is that although the 95 episodes of the Transformers animations that were released in China were translated by Shanghai TV Station and Shanghai Audiovisual Library, the translation of the most important characters, such as Optimus Prime and Megatron, At the same time that Hasbro sent an animated sample, it was already named by the other party in advance, which can be said to be a veritable official translation. It is precisely because of the special emphasis on Transformers in the mainland market, the children who originally fixed these names The Hong Kong branch of Zhibao did not simply apply the translated version of the Hong Kong version. Instead, it chose a group of domestic audiences that sounded catchy and sound-sounding in the name of the national conditions. .

Take Autobots and Decepticons, the original English version of Autobots and Decepticons. For example, if you speak the original meaning of the word, the former can be translated into automatic robots , while the latter is a deceiver. Autobots and Decepticons are obviously neither transliteration nor The free translation, but the result of the modification of the car and the aircraft according to the most important marks of the two factions, from the results, it is obvious that the characteristics and differences of the two are also different. For the children of the age group at the time. It is simple and easy to understand, and the Hong Kong version of the Boss and the madness are also derived from the background of the story, and the description of the position of the camp is also intuitively portrayed, so the two non-continents were retained only when the domestic movie version was released. When the style is translated, there are still many people who are willing to accept it.

On the issue of the translation of the main characters, Optimus Prime's original Optimus Prime is the best, and Prime is the official name of each generation of automaker leaders to become the leader. Therefore, the translation of “Optimus Prime” is also the result of re-creation. From a cultural point of view, it is also a pillar-style leader, and it is retained in the later translation of Rodimus Prime. The inheritance of the relationship and the "day" generation are the hidden meanings of the leader, so that in the current translation version, everyone is habitually used to translate the "X Day X" for the leader of the automobile races of the past, such as "Transformers 3 "Sentinel Prime" played in the game. Similarly, the original Megatron of Megatron does not need to be turned into a tube. Instead, it takes the name clearly associated with Optimus Prime, and the reborn Galvatron has evolved into a shocking day. Shi.

The translation of the Hong Kong version of the leader's character is not difficult to visually see as a result of transliteration. This is actually the practice of the early translation community in Hong Kong, taking the Chinese name after transliteration. However, there is still a problem. If "McGedden" and Megatron are similar in pronunciation, "Keberin" seems to be inextricably linked with Optimus. At one time, some people thought that this was from Optimus Prime. The name is pronounced (Convoy), but in fact this is the Cantonese pronunciation of the abbreviation Op·Prime. The translation of the early version of the Taiwanese version is more complicated. If the names of Optimus Prime’s Taiwanese version of the Chinese version of the Chinese version can be traced back from transliteration or free translation, then the most invincible iron bulls ridiculed by mainland netizens. I can't think of a connection, and a more credible saying is that the iron cow was the common name of the transformer in Taiwan at that time. The literal translation of Transformers is the transformer. From this perspective, it is still somewhat related.

And involving more roles, the difference in translation names in different regions is also more obvious in the Transformers' huge role lineup. There are transliteration, intentional translation, characteristic translation, and even mistranslation... Starscream The "spider" of the translated version of the mainland version was once confusing for many fans, and even derived a lot of interpretations. After learning that the translation of the early Shanghai Taiwan was personally designated by Hasbro, someone found it in an official interview. Some clues have been made to prove that the official setting of this character has indeed changed the initial concept of the spider, and the Hong Kong version of the star is obviously a direct translation, and the Taiwan version of Uranus is not on both sides... but For the audience in the three places, they are most accustomed to still affect their deepest one, not necessarily the most correct one.

Conclusion

So from the conclusion, there are right or wrong translation problems, and there may be advantages and disadvantages, but there is no authoritative answer. For the domestic audience, Optimus Prime, Iron Sheet, Ambulance, Jazz, Hornet, etc. are the exclusive memories. For different cultural differences, you can look at it calmly and objectively. There is no need to care about the malicious mockery of Others . Hostile to all opinions different from oneself, if you are a true generation of Transformers, you should understand this basic truth.