Monday, April 14, 2008

French Soundtrack vs. French Subtitles

I bought Pulp Fiction and Casablanca. They have each with French soundtrack and French subtitles. So I figured that would be a great way to learn how to associate the text with what I'm hearing--especially since I already know so much of the dialog in each of these movies. I'd learn some slang at the same time (especially from Pulp Fiction).

But once again, the best laid plans...

It turns out the French dubbing and the French subtitles don't match! Ugh! Dammit! Oh well. I think I can do it for a French movie if I can decide which French movie I'd like to spend some time with. I guess I have to look for the French subtitles being for the malentendu or hard of hearing. Then they'll probably match up. Well, I can still watch them in French and try to learn. I can go over scenes over and over if I want. And since I own them, I can keep them as long as I want.


Also, on Tuesday night, Said might bring a book on CD that I could use for the same purpose. For me right now, the hard part is figuring out what people say to me. Even when they talk slow, I can't catch certain sounds. That sort of makes it hard to have even a simple conversation. Once I know how to associate what comes into my ear with sounds, I'll be in better shape.

Update:
I'm working on Ezekiel 25:17. I've watched it over and over and over and over.

Here it is as I know and love it:

The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides
by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.
Blessed is he who in the name of charity and good will,
shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness
for he is truly his brother's keeper and finder of lost children.
And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger
those who attempt to poison and destroy my brother.
And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.

Here it is as in the French subtitles (without the accent marks):

En chemin le juste est assailli de toutes parts
par les iniquities de l'egoiste et la tyrannie des mechants
Beni l'homme de bonne volonte qui par charite
guide le faible a travers la vallee des ombres
car il est en verite le gardien de son frere et the Providence des enfants perdus
Et me vengeance s'abatrra sur toi et ma fureur
sur eux qui tentent d'empoisonner et de detruire mes freres
Et tu connaitras que j'ai nom l'Eternel quand j'exercerai sur toi ma vengeance!

Here is what I hear when I watch it--note that I don't get all of it at all:

Le marche de la virtu est (me do stac les qui sonne les entre pris)
egoiste sa que sofa cherchiche (l'erve ou de mala)
Bene soit il l'homme de bonne volonte qui en nom de la charite
se faire le berger de faible qu'il guide a la vallee de l'mort et de larmes
Car il est gardien de son frere et le providence de son frere egare
Je abattre alors la bras de en terrible colore
et de vengeance fureuse effrayant
sur le (ord) a bi qui po sa se la lui ?? de deui
Et tu connaitras por quoi mon nom est la Eternel,
quand se toi s'abbatra la vengeance de tu (piso)

It is interesting because just before Jules starts into Ezekiel 25:17, he asks Brett "Do you read the Bible, Brett?" The French dubbing is "Connais-tu bien le Bible?" which I think means "Do you know the Bible well?" But Samuel L. Jackson's lips mesh very well with it. It just goes to show how much of an art it is to make translations that also match the movement of the lips. I'm also unable to the catch how he says "17" in 25:17. It must be some biblical way of saying numbers. I just can't catch it.

1 comment:

Felix said...

I noticed the same thing with movies in Spanish! E.g., in the dialogue, someone would pick up the phone and say "Bueno," but the subtitle would read "Hola!"

On the other hand, when I turn on the closed captions for, say, a TV program, the subtitles are exactly the same. But one needs a TV with CC capability, and I'm not sure if French broadcasts provide the CC signal like many TV stations in the U.S. do.