OK, a buddy of mine forwarded me a request from another buddy of mine that asked the accuracy of translation of Rocky’s speech in Rocky IV. Specifically: "How accurate is the translation? Does the translator take any liberties?"
Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KCJNBQBdOY
Well, I decided to help him out and translate the translation. Hilarity ensued:
Rocky: I came here tonight. I didn’t know what to expect.
Translator: When I walked out tonight onto this rink
Rocky: I seen a lot of people hatin me and I didn’t know what to feel about that so I guess I didn’t like you much none either.
Translator: I thought that I didn’t love them either.
Rocky: During this fight I’ve seen a lot of changing.
Translator: During this fight, I understood that a lot has changed.
Rocky: the way you felt about me and I felt about you.
Translator: And I felt that you also have changed.
Rocky: in here there were two guys shoving each other but I guess that’s better than 20 million.
Translator: I think this is better than even 20 million dollars.
Rocky: what I am trying to say is if I can change
Translator: I think that every person should change (muffled a bit – not sure)
Rocky: and you can change
Translator: and you can change
Rocky: everybody can change!
Translator: everyone can change!
<cheering>
Rocky: Excuse me!
Translator: I want to say one more thing!
Rocky: I just wanna say one thing to my kid who should be home sleeping. Merry Christmas Kid!
Translator: Merry Christmas Buddy!
Rocky: I love you!
Translator: I love you! (the way usually only a man says to a woman… I think a more accurate translation might even be "I am in love with you" given the gravity of the word love in the Russian language. Never, ever would have I heard anything even close to this uttered between a father and son… maybe it’s just me?)
Now, if I may, let’s do full translation without interruptions. What Rocky said:
I came here tonight. I didn’t know what to expect. seen a lot of people hatin me and I didn’t know what to feel about that so I guess I didn’t like you much none either. During this fight I’ve seen a lot of changing. Tway you felt about me and I felt about you. In here there were two guys shoving each other but I guess that’s better than 20 million. What I am trying to say is if I can change and you can change, everybody can change! <cheering> Excuse me! I just wanna say one thing to my kid who should be home sleeping. Merry Christmas Kid! I love you!
How it was translated:
When I walked out tonight onto this rink, I thought that I didn’t love them either. During this fight, I understood that a lot has changed. And I felt that you also have changed. I think this is better than even 20 million dollars. I think that every person should change and you can change, everyone can change! <cheering> I want to say one more thing! Merry Christmas Buddy! I am in love with you!
Now I understand why the cold war took as long as it did…
Nikita's Spot 