[1457] in Humor
HUMOR: Gained in Translation
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Andrew A. Bennett)
Fri May 24 08:45:40 1996
To: humor@MIT.EDU
Date: Fri, 24 May 1996 08:36:01 EDT
From: "Andrew A. Bennett" <abennett@MIT.EDU>
Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 22:59:11 -0800
From: connie@interserve.com (Connie Kleinjans)
Wondrous. Native speakers couldn't write this. (I know. I've tried.)
From: "Karen Kienitz (415)725-5817" <KIENITZ_K@HOSP.STANFORD.EDU>
From: "Fisk Colin (415)723-5571" <FISK_C@SHS.STANFORD.EDU>
From: Mark Hayden <hayden@connectix.com>
***************************************
Contrary to the conventional wisdom that would have us believe meaning is
lost in translation, the following illustrates a situation in which several
passes through the filters of intra-lingual syntax and entendre have served
to distill the true essence of that which was communicated; demonstrating a
richness of subtlety and nuance that would not otherwise have been
possible.
***************************************
While Madonna was in Hungary filming her latest magnum opus, Evita, she was
interviewed by the Budapest newspaper Blikk. Questions in Hungarian were
translated into English and asked of Madonna, whose replies were then
translated back into Hungarian for consumption by her Budapestian fans.
Shortly after publication, USA Today requested that the entire interview be
translated back into English. This is the result.
Blikk:
Madonna, Budapest says hello with arms that are spread-eagled. Did you
have a visit here that was agreeable? Are you in good odor? You are the
biggest fan of our young people who hear your musical productions and like
to move their bodies in response.
Madonna:
Thank you for saying these complements [holds up hands]. Please stop with
taking sensationalist photographs until I have removed my garments for all
to see [laughs]. This is a joke I have made.
Blikk:
Madonna, let's cut toward the hunt: Are you a bold hussy-woman that feasts
on men who are toys?
Madonna:
Yes, yes, this is certainly something that brings to the surface my
longings. In America it is not considered to be mentally ill when a woman
advances on her prey in a discotheque setting with hardy cocktails present.
And there is more normal attitude toward leather play-toys that also makes
my day.
Blikk:
Is this how you met Carlos, your love-servant who is reputed? Did you know
he was heaven-sent right off the stick? Or were you dating many other
people in your bed at the same time?
Madonna:
No he was the only one I was dating in my bed then, so it is scientific
fact that the baby was made in my womb using him. But as regards these
questions, enough! I am a woman and not a test-mouse! Carlos is an
everyday person who is in the orbit of a star who is being muscle-trained
by him, not as a sex machine.
Blikk:
May we talk with you about your other `baby,' your movie, then? Please do
not be denying that the similarities between you and the real Evita are
grounded in basis. Power, money, tasty food, Grammys - all these elements
are afoot.
Madonna:
What is up in the air with you? Evita never was winning a Grammy!
Blikk:
Perhaps not. But as to your film, in trying to bring your reputation along
a rocky road, can you make people forget the bad explosions of Who's That
Girl? and Shanghai Surprise?
Madonna:
I am a tip-top starlet. That is my job that I am paid to do.
Blikk:
O.K., here's a question from left space: What was your book Slut about?
Madonna:
It was called Sex, my book.
Blikk:
Not in Hungary. Here it was called Slut. How did it come to publish? Were
you lovemaking with a man-about-town printer? Do you prefer making
suggestive literature to fast-selling CDs?
Madonna:
These are different facets to my career highway. I am preferring to become
respected all over the map as a 100% artist.
Blikk:
There is much interest in you from this geographic region, so I must ask
this final questions: How many Hungarian men have you dated in bed? Are
they No. 1? How are they comparing to Argentine men, who are famous for
being tip-top as well?
Madonna:
Well, to avoid aggravating global tension, I would say it's a tie [laughs].
No, no, I am serious now. See here, I am working like a canine all the way
around the clock! I have been too busy even to try the goulash that makes
your country one for the record books.
Blikk:
Thank you for your candid chitchat.
Madonna:
No problem, friend who is a girl.
