Pedroski Posted August 16, 2014 at 07:17 AM Report Posted August 16, 2014 at 07:17 AM There is no way to translate this in a humorous way, right? How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh? Ten tickles. Quote
MPhillips Posted August 16, 2014 at 07:49 AM Report Posted August 16, 2014 at 07:49 AM 章鱼会睡过头吗？ 不会的、牠们总是立得早！ Quote
Pedroski Posted August 16, 2014 at 08:40 AM Author Report Posted August 16, 2014 at 08:40 AM That doesn't do it for me, sorry! Quote
MPhillips Posted August 16, 2014 at 08:43 AM Report Posted August 16, 2014 at 08:43 AM I'll sleep on it! Quote
Popular Post Lu Posted August 16, 2014 at 10:36 AM Popular Post Report Posted August 16, 2014 at 10:36 AM 请观众大笑，外国贵宾刚才讲笑话。 7 Quote
yueni Posted August 17, 2014 at 05:27 AM Report Posted August 17, 2014 at 05:27 AM 请观众大笑，外国贵宾刚才讲笑话。 Long-standing interpreter standby when there is no good equivalent in the target language. Even above those infernal 成语, the things I hate interpreting (and translating) most are jokes. Especially jokes that are based on wordplay. Quote
TheBigZaboon Posted August 18, 2014 at 01:37 AM Report Posted August 18, 2014 at 01:37 AM I would like to try to help, but in addition to my poor level of Chinese, I don't understand the English version. I would have thought the answer was eight tickles. 1 Quote
imron Posted August 18, 2014 at 02:47 AM Report Posted August 18, 2014 at 02:47 AM 抓章鱼要抓几次才让它笑？ 八抓（八爪） 1 Quote
Lu Posted August 18, 2014 at 09:27 AM Report Posted August 18, 2014 at 09:27 AM I enjoy translating wordplay, because I can think and think until I find a nice solution and then I'm quite happy for having solved the riddle. But I can't imagine having to do that on the spot. 外国贵宾 should have the sense not to make such jokes. That said I once interpreted for a Chinese lecturer who started to recite Tang poetry, and I did use the 'the lecturer has just read a Tang poem' out. Quote
imron Posted August 18, 2014 at 09:37 AM Report Posted August 18, 2014 at 09:37 AM I enjoy translating wordplay, because I can think and think until I find a nice solution and then I'm quite happy for having solved the riddle. An excellent example of this are the Asterix comics. Many of the jokes, puns and names were translated in to an appropriate joke in the target language, which is an incredible feat. Quote
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