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As one linguist said, while the practice of translation is always a work of adaptation, it is much more so when it comes to translating movie titles. For instance, how should the Russian villain in a typical Hollywood production be presented in Moscow cinemas? And what do we do about cultural references?

In addition, there is the fact that the title of a movie is supposed to summarize and condense a two-hour story. Therefore, the translator must rifle through nuances, overtones, examples of polysemy, as well as a number of other approaches.

#2

Big Liar (China)

Final score:

179points

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chi-wei shen 3 years ago

Truer words have never been spoken.

90points

#3

Meth Dad (Slovakia)

Final score:

172points

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A.M. Pierre 3 years ago

It sounds like the sitcom version of the show. “Next week on ‘Meth Dad’: Can Walter handle drug dealers, watching his kids for a day, AND his nosy neighbor? Find out on ‘Meth Dad’!”

97points

What makes it even more difficult is that the reader has no context to understand the translated title of the film; a title should be evocative and should work with no other references than its own semantic values and connotations. The translator can't use contextual elements to supplement or clarify the meaning.

The translation of movie titles involves not only retaining/giving it meaning, but there are also rhythmic constraints (in this case, this comes closer to literary translation and more specifically, poetic) and commercial ones (bringing us closer to marketing translation). It's a minefield.

#4

It's Raining Falafel (Israel)

Final score:

168points

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chi-wei shen 3 years ago

Why? Falafel does not contain meat.

28points

Lucia B... 3 years ago

Probably because falafel is much more popular than meatballs in Israel?

26points

Oskar vanZandt 3 years ago

I think "Cloudy with the chance of Matzo Balls" has a nicer ring to it.

23points

Dave P 3 years ago

lol. However Falafel is more common there given the 70% of Jews there with at least one grandparent who was a refugee from an arab country, and the 22% of Israel's population being Arab, this was a bit easier to work with. Plus it is the most common eaten street food there.

5points

Paul Budhram 3 years ago

yes

3points

Horse lover 3 years ago

Yey Passover

2points

Diane Abplanalp 3 years ago

They are round or semi-round. Maybe?

1point

RoseTheMad 3 years ago

It's raining falafel! Hallelujah it's raining falafel! Honestly I'd be happy if it rained falafel. falafel is delicious.

7points

Vicky Z 3 years ago

It would be interesting if it was a traditional plate for every country😂😂😂 so the Greek one could be: its raining mousaka!!!

3points

elia 84631 3 years ago

Not the Keftedes and it's the actual greek translation of the movie title

0points

Adelka Jaroszek 3 years ago

In Polish: Meatballs and other weather occurrences

2points

Origami Chik3n 3 years ago

It's raining falafel, hallelujah, it's raining falafel, amen!

1point

Luis Hernandez Dauajare 3 years ago

In Latin America was Lluvia de Hamburguesas, or Burger Rain.

1point

person (i think) 3 years ago (edited)

Burger rain, burger rain, I only wanted to see you bathing in the burger rain

0points

Alaijsha Wagner 3 years ago

I.... Nope

1point

Candace Fitzpatrick 3 years ago

Naturally

1point

TheDankBoi 69 3 years ago

In Spanish, it's called "Lluvia de Hamburguesas" which translates to "Hamburger Rain"

0points

IAmKaLm 3 years ago

Well atleast they did a good job at shortening that name

0points

Cybele Spanjaard 3 years ago

Both translations sounds pretty accurate..except falafel is not meat!! So "pretend balls from sky falling'.

0points

Leeh Colorada 3 years ago

In Brazil "it's raining hambúrguer"

0points

Sam T Godfrey 3 years ago

That one's actually funny all around! Problem is, cheeseburgers are far from falafel! They are definitely not Kosher! Oh, and today is Shabbat during Pesach (Passover!) Chag Pesach Sameach! (I hope I got that right...)

0points

Santhe van der Meulen 3 years ago

In dutch: It's raining meatballs

0points

mande.be 3 years ago (edited)

In Serbia: PADAĆE ĆUFTE = Meatballs will fall (ĆUFTE = Meatballs)

0points

Mae Mosse 3 years ago

That definitely sounds like a different type of movie. More White House Down

0points

Clarissa De Simoni 3 years ago

In Italy it’s a mix of both: “Piovono polpette” (which translates to “It’s raining meatballs”)

0points

Rebecca Surette 3 years ago

For some reason, never mind that falafel has no meat, this title makes me laugh.

0points

Michael A. Brown 3 years ago

They kinda ruined that one

0points

Maria Ines Molina 3 years ago

I think this is a good adaptation

0points

Mónica Elisabeth Sacco 3 years ago

And how in h#ll did they justify images of falling meatballs?

0points

Lynne Fide 3 years ago

Greek: Its raining meatballs

0points

Jenný Samúelsdóttir Herlufsen 3 years ago

Iceland: meatballs in chapters (kjötbollur á köflum)

0points

Cleo Carter 3 years ago

Brazil: It’s Raining Hamburguer!

0points

Little Panda Bear 3 years ago

It sounds like an idea for a meme song.

0points

dev mehta 3 years ago

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" , the vegan version

0points

RiaDeCatterpillar 3 years ago

I would be disappointed if i watched that and there was no falafel.

0points

Dario T. 3 years ago

In italian it's "Piovono polpette", translated "It's raining meatballs"

0points

Mária Dusová 3 years ago

In Czech it´s: Cloudy with a chance of wheelbarrows (It´s raining wheelbarrows is Czech saying with the same meaning as "It´s raining cats and dogs)

0points

Beatriz Fontes 3 years ago

In Brazil it's "it's raining hamburger"

0points

Lucy Skinner 3 years ago

Falafel is so gooood!!!

0points

Nadine 3 years ago

Spain: "lluvia de albóndigas" ("Meatball rain", literally "rain of meatballs").

0points

Ryan Michael 3 years ago

I feel like this is the only title on this list that somewhat corresponds with the actual movie title

0points

Marcellus the Third 3 years ago

Question is, is the whole movie consistently replacing those?

0points

Theory Buchannon 3 years ago

it did..good job israel

-1point

#5

Die Hard: Mega Hard (Denmark)

Final score:

164points

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Daria Zozula 3 years ago

Polish: Glass Trap

50points

#6

Austin Powers: The Spy Who Behaved Very Nicely Around Me (Malaysia)

Final score:

148points

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chi-wei shen 3 years ago

The original title sounded too x-rated for Malaysia.

70points

#7

Santa Is A Pervert (Czech Republic)

Final score:

135points

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I I 3 years ago

Czech title is on the money

80points

#8

Mom, I Missed My Plane (France)

Final score:

131points

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Emma_Aitana yay 3 years ago

I mean, it's not wrong.

54points

#9

If You Leave Me, I'll Erase You (Italy)

Final score:

130points

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Vic 3 years ago

Italian version: Try it, I dare you..

57points

#10

My Partner With The Cold Snout (Germany)

Final score:

127points

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Karel Parth 3 years ago

It's same in Czech

24points

#11

The Urban Neurotic (Germany)

Final score:

126points

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Aaron Kara 3 years ago

Sums it up nicely

55points

#12

Super Power Dare Die Team (China)

Final score:

126points

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Vic 3 years ago

Sounds like a catch phrase a power ranger would use..

63points

#13

The Unbelievable Trip In A Wacky Aeroplane (Germany)

Final score:

114points

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chi-wei shen 3 years ago

Which explains the entire plot.

64points

#14

Rita Heyworth, Key To Escape (Finland)

Final score:

111points

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Wyn Williams 3 years ago

Works both ways, a Finnish film called girl you will be a star was translated to English as beauty and the beast :) the translator also changed a lot of what was said as apparently he didn't like the movie

33points

#15

Knight Of The Night (Spain)

Final score:

110points

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willi santiago 3 years ago

The Spanish title is better

93points

#16

My Boyfriend Is A Psycho (Russia)

Final score:

107points

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Raven Sheridan 3 years ago

To be fair, they're both kinda crazy.

34points

#17

This Hitman Is Not As Cold As He Thought (China)

Final score:

98points

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denzoren 3 years ago

As much as I lol'ed at this, I prefer the original.

36points

#18

Six Naked Pigs (China)

Final score:

95points

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chi-wei shen 3 years ago

This sounds a bit condescending.

35points

#19

Son Of Devil (China)

Final score:

91points

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Raven Sheridan 3 years ago

So...Arnie gave birth to the antichrist?

46points

#20

The Hole Of Malkovich (Japan)

Final score:

89points

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Raven Sheridan 3 years ago

Was this the porn parody title?

71points

#21

If You Drink, Don't Marry! (Brazil)

Final score:

77points

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kathoco 3 years ago

France: Very bad trip (so the title is changed but it's still in English, not French)

22points

#22

His Powerful Device Makes Him Famous (China)

Final score:

77points

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Candace Fitzpatrick 3 years ago

"Powerful device" 😂

49points

#23

Dimwit Surges Forth (Thailand)

Final score:

77points

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JENAVIVE RIVERA 3 years ago

hhhhhaaahahaahah

1point

#24

A Supertough Kangaroo (Spain)

Final score:

75points

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Emma_Aitana yay 3 years ago

ok?

14points

#25

The Teeth From The Sea (France)

Final score:

74points

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Jihan Kim 3 years ago

poetic

26points

#26

Captain Supermarket (Japan)

Final score:

71points

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I I 3 years ago

yep , Black Friday shoppers

30points

#27

Pigs And Diamonds (Mexico, Spain)

Final score:

68points

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JuJu 3 years ago

Germany too.

5points

#28

The Gun Died Laughing (Israel)

Final score:

64points

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Premislaus de Colo 3 years ago

Polish: Shooting with laughter

27points

#29

American Virgin Man (China)

Final score:

60points

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I I 3 years ago

ask the pie if hes a virgin

33points

#30

Full Of The Nuts (Germany)

Final score:

56points

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Nela Rothenbach 3 years ago

Well, more like "full on the nuts"

39points

#31

One Night Big Belly (China)

Final score:

27points

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Monday 3 years ago

Well it kind of makes sense.

13points

#32

Excitement 1995 (China)

Final score:

27points

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respulero 3 years ago

not bad after reading all other chinese titles

4points

#33

Mysterious Murder In Snowy Cream (China)

Final score:

25points

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Raven Sheridan 3 years ago

Sounds like the name of a painting in an art gallery.

19points

#34

Sexy Dance (France)

Final score:

24points

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Lucia B... 3 years ago

Slovaks 'translated' this film to 'Let's Dance'. Up to this point I am still trying to understand why. My best guess is that there was a show with famous ppl dancing called 'Let's dance' and it was quite popular so they went with the same one..?? Possibly...

5points

#35

A Twin Seldom Comes Alone (Germany)

Final score:

24points

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Helena Houzarová 3 years ago

The actual German original title is "Das Doppelte Löttchen" - that's the name of the Erich Kästner's book. I suppose the translator either didn't know the source, or actually knew it and considered it very different.

22points