Pun introduced in translation?
September 4, 2010 10:43 AM Subscribe
Is there a pun in Hamlet's first line in the movie Hamlet liikemaailmassa?
The scene takes place in a kitchen where someone is slicing ham; Hamlet comes up, takes over, and cuts a large piece off for himself. As he does so he says something which is rendered in the English subtitles thus: "Ham … let me!". The actual dialogue is given in Finnish, though. Is there a pun in the Finnish as well? What is it?
The scene takes place in a kitchen where someone is slicing ham; Hamlet comes up, takes over, and cuts a large piece off for himself. As he does so he says something which is rendered in the English subtitles thus: "Ham … let me!". The actual dialogue is given in Finnish, though. Is there a pun in the Finnish as well? What is it?
Response by poster: I also can't find the Finnish online, unfortunately.
I certainly hope the answer is "yes" too, and so what I'm really interested in is an explanation of what the pun is. "Ham … let me!" is so compact.
posted by kenko at 11:31 AM on September 4, 2010
I certainly hope the answer is "yes" too, and so what I'm really interested in is an explanation of what the pun is. "Ham … let me!" is so compact.
posted by kenko at 11:31 AM on September 4, 2010
There's a few clips on YouTube but apparently not from that scene. Are you watching it from a DVD? Can you get an audio clip to me so I could transcribe it?
posted by keijo at 10:45 PM on September 4, 2010
posted by keijo at 10:45 PM on September 4, 2010
Response by poster: Keijo, I'll see what I can do—I saw it in a theater, but I'm sure I can track down a dvd.
posted by kenko at 11:25 PM on September 4, 2010
posted by kenko at 11:25 PM on September 4, 2010
Best answer: I managed to get hold of the film! I've been thinking about this all day and just had to find out. Kaurismäki is a genius:
The words spoken by Hamlet in Finnish are "Kinkkua, anna minä." This means literally just "Ham, let me" and is not funny in any way in Finnish without the context. However, it is a brilliant pun introduced by Kaurismäki and not the translator, since most of the viewers will be familiar with the English translation.
posted by keijo at 8:08 AM on September 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
The words spoken by Hamlet in Finnish are "Kinkkua, anna minä." This means literally just "Ham, let me" and is not funny in any way in Finnish without the context. However, it is a brilliant pun introduced by Kaurismäki and not the translator, since most of the viewers will be familiar with the English translation.
posted by keijo at 8:08 AM on September 5, 2010 [2 favorites]
Fascinating! Thanks for tracking it down, and thanks to kenko for asking the question. I wonder if other writers have deliberately introduced things because they would make a good effect in translation?
posted by languagehat at 8:45 AM on September 5, 2010
posted by languagehat at 8:45 AM on September 5, 2010
Response by poster: I wondered if widespread English-speaking in Finland would be the explanation!
Thanks keijo!
posted by kenko at 9:59 AM on September 5, 2010
Thanks keijo!
posted by kenko at 9:59 AM on September 5, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by languagehat at 11:20 AM on September 4, 2010