Not Lost in Translation
Stanley Kubrick provides a great example of localization and why it’s better than mere translation.
Have you seen The Shining? The main character, Jack Torrance, hopes to cure writer’s block by relocating with his family to a hotel that ends up having a “shine,” so to speak. Things don’t go well. It’s a horror movie, after all.
If you’re like me, you’ve watched The Shining in its original language — American English — and one of the most notable moments was the typewriter scene, where we finally see Jack’s manuscript. It consists of a single sentence repeated over and over:
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
The proverb is spooky by the time it’s revealed and serves to heighten the tension.
Imagine if that sentence was strictly translated. Would it have the same meaning and impact?
Kubrick surely didn’t think so. Christopher Hooton has a great piece about Kubrick’s attention to detail, including a few examples of sentences to be used in other languages:
Italian: Il mattino ha l’oro in bocca (The morning has gold in its mouth)
German: Was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen (Never put off until tomorrow what can be done today)
Spanish: No por mucho madrugar amanece más temprano (No matter how early you get up, you can’t make the sun rise any sooner)
French: Un Tiens vaut mieux que deux Tu l’auras (What you have is worth much more than what you will have)
Many of us work on products that appear in other languages. Most of the time, straight-up translation is fine. However, we should continually ask ourselves if this is enough.
Which key moments in the experience, maybe ones with heightened emotion, could benefit from more than mere translation?
Take the time to ask this question and localize the experience. Beyond straightforward forms of localization, consider context, meaning, and cultural nuances. Bring in collaborators who understand the audience. And by all means gather feedback and iterate.
