Every Which Way But A Language I Don't Speak

December 29, 2008 9:36 PM

Russian-speakers: I have a question about a YouTube video, dubbed into Russian. The video stars Clint Eastwood, Clyde, Momma and a bag of Oreo cookies.

Here it is (YouTube 1:25. Safe For Work.)

So . . .

1. Is this actually in Russian?

2. If you're familiar with the scene, is this a good translation of the dialogue?

3. Lastly, how does one say “Oreo Cookies” and “Bang!” in Russian?

Many thanks in advance and Happy New Year to you and yours!

posted by jason's_planet to writing & language (4 comments total)

1. Yes.
2. From the English I hear under it, yes. This sounds like it's from one of the many American movies dubbed into Russian and shown on Russian TV.
3. I would say "печенья Орео" ("pechenyа Oreo"). But here they just say "печенья," which means "cookies." As for "Bang!," the scene doesn't translate it, but I'd say "бам" or "бабах."
posted by nasreddin at 10:25 PM on December 29, 2008

On preview, I'll just second nasreddin on the first two points.

3. My guess is the same, though Oreos don't seem to be marketed in Russian. Not sure about "bang!" - maybe "бац!" though that isn't strictly gunpowder-related.
posted by parudox at 10:36 PM on December 29, 2008

OK, great!

Thanks, guys!
posted by jason's_planet at 9:38 AM on December 30, 2008

Figuring that the best place for finding a Russian "Bang!" would be in a comic book, searching google for "russian comics", led me to comics.ru, on which I found this page, in which a character fires a gun to the sound of "ba-bach," which is what nasreddin wrote ("бабах").
posted by msbrauer at 4:46 PM on December 30, 2008