Translating Puns in Cartoons?? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

cd637299 · 08-06-2025, 11:39 AM

This will be hard to explain, but I’ll give it a shot.

Many classic cartoon series depend on puns for their humor—Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Beany and Cecil, to name two.

Even just cartoon TITLES are often clever plays on words—one that comes mostly to mind is “Hopalong Casualty” with the Roadrunner and Coyote. Also the Flintstones had stone age characters like Adobe Dick, actor Gary Granite, et al.

Almost all classic cartoons have been distributed in other countries. I just wonder how the writers in other languages could keep a translation of a pun-by-design in English still funny in other tongues.

I recently sent some brief videos, like 10 seconds each, to someone who can translate to Spanish, even though I know a little but couldn’t hear it well.

One was in Bugs Bunny in “Hillbilly Hare.” The one hillbilly asks if Bugs is a Martin or a Coy, to which Bugs says “My friends say I’m VERY coy! Hee-hee-hee!”—-Well my associate told me he heard Bugs say in Spanish, “I’ll let you choose! Hee-hee-hee!” NOT funny.

Another was the end of a Rocky and Bullwinkle chapter with two punny titles, but when translated, NOT funny.

Two questions:

(1) has anyone here had an experience about a pun translation in cartoons, or other sitcoms?

(2) does anyone have a DVD of cartoons like the ones I mentioned, and been able to check out the subtitles during a pun on “possible” humor?

I would think this to be an interesting thread….or not!

cd

stevea · 08-06-2025, 04:53 PM

I'd think whoever translated this did it wrong. Bugs' line -- "My friends say I'm very coy" can't translate to essentially mean, I'll let you choose. I don't think there's any other dialog in there other than the hillbilly's question, which I think is something like, Be ye a Martin rabbit or a Coy rabbit?

It's really an interesting topic. The old adage, it loses something in the translation, comes to mind.

And it would probably involve a wide array of subjects other than animation. Comedians' gags. Serious stuff, like negotiating treaties. Translating ancient texts, possibly involving more than two languages. On and on.

cd637299 · 08-06-2025, 05:11 PM

True dat. That tower of Babel…..!!

Before I link, this is a review of one of the most hilarious Quick Draw/El Kabong cartoons. The review includes two different guys reading a different newspaper account.

You will see a very funny bit involving the homonym “fleas/flees.” Long ago it was online in Portuguese. I knew a guy in Portugal, and he translated the second line thusly:

[man reads paper about “El Kabong Robs Bank and Fleas” (the word is even misspelled in the headline)]. You can read her how the guy reading reacted—with a great line. In Portuguese he said “How was he able to do that?!” HMMPH!

Link here—almost ferr-got!

https://yowpyowp.blogspot.com/2011/1...abong.html?m=1

cd

stevea · 08-06-2025, 05:52 PM

First Yowp line; a question:

Was there ever a bad El Kabong cartoon?

Answer: No.

cd637299 · 08-06-2025, 08:47 PM

Not pristine by any stretch—but the cartoon in question is here, avoiding copyright notice, somehow—

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8ingip

cd

cd637299 · 08-06-2025, 10:27 PM

Another one:

On Yowp’s review of Yogi in “The Buzzin’ Bear,” there’s a weird gag where a ranger crashed into a tree and became “part of the tree”; the top of the tree squeezes down on him.

The ranger said “Just call me Shorty.”

On a Brazilian Portuguese version, he says “I feel a weight on my head.”

Yowp commented, “Talk about lost in the translation.”

cd

08-06-2025, 11:39 AM	#1
cd637299 cd637299 Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 14, 2022 Location: South Florida Posts: 844	Translating Puns in Cartoons?? This will be hard to explain, but I’ll give it a shot. Many classic cartoon series depend on puns for their humor—Rocky and Bullwinkle, and Beany and Cecil, to name two. Even just cartoon TITLES are often clever plays on words—one that comes mostly to mind is “Hopalong Casualty” with the Roadrunner and Coyote. Also the Flintstones had stone age characters like Adobe Dick, actor Gary Granite, et al. Almost all classic cartoons have been distributed in other countries. I just wonder how the writers in other languages could keep a translation of a pun-by-design in English still funny in other tongues. I recently sent some brief videos, like 10 seconds each, to someone who can translate to Spanish, even though I know a little but couldn’t hear it well. One was in Bugs Bunny in “Hillbilly Hare.” The one hillbilly asks if Bugs is a Martin or a Coy, to which Bugs says “My friends say I’m VERY coy! Hee-hee-hee!”—-Well my associate told me he heard Bugs say in Spanish, “I’ll let you choose! Hee-hee-hee!” NOT funny. Another was the end of a Rocky and Bullwinkle chapter with two punny titles, but when translated, NOT funny. Two questions: (1) has anyone here had an experience about a pun translation in cartoons, or other sitcoms? (2) does anyone have a DVD of cartoons like the ones I mentioned, and been able to check out the subtitles during a pun on “possible” humor? I would think this to be an interesting thread….or not! cd

08-06-2025, 04:53 PM	#2
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,164	I'd think whoever translated this did it wrong. Bugs' line -- "My friends say I'm very coy" can't translate to essentially mean, I'll let you choose. I don't think there's any other dialog in there other than the hillbilly's question, which I think is something like, Be ye a Martin rabbit or a Coy rabbit? It's really an interesting topic. The old adage, it loses something in the translation, comes to mind. And it would probably involve a wide array of subjects other than animation. Comedians' gags. Serious stuff, like negotiating treaties. Translating ancient texts, possibly involving more than two languages. On and on.

08-06-2025, 05:11 PM	#3
cd637299 cd637299 Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 14, 2022 Location: South Florida Posts: 844	True dat. That tower of Babel…..!! Before I link, this is a review of one of the most hilarious Quick Draw/El Kabong cartoons. The review includes two different guys reading a different newspaper account. You will see a very funny bit involving the homonym “fleas/flees.” Long ago it was online in Portuguese. I knew a guy in Portugal, and he translated the second line thusly: [man reads paper about “El Kabong Robs Bank and Fleas” (the word is even misspelled in the headline)]. You can read her how the guy reading reacted—with a great line. In Portuguese he said “How was he able to do that?!” HMMPH! Link here—almost ferr-got! https://yowpyowp.blogspot.com/2011/1...abong.html?m=1 cd

08-06-2025, 05:52 PM	#4
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,164	First Yowp line; a question: Was there ever a bad El Kabong cartoon? Answer: No.

08-06-2025, 08:47 PM	#5
cd637299 cd637299 Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 14, 2022 Location: South Florida Posts: 844	Not pristine by any stretch—but the cartoon in question is here, avoiding copyright notice, somehow— https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8ingip cd

08-06-2025, 10:27 PM	#6
cd637299 cd637299 Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 14, 2022 Location: South Florida Posts: 844	Another one: On Yowp’s review of Yogi in “The Buzzin’ Bear,” there’s a weird gag where a ranger crashed into a tree and became “part of the tree”; the top of the tree squeezes down on him. The ranger said “Just call me Shorty.” On a Brazilian Portuguese version, he says “I feel a weight on my head.” Yowp commented, “Talk about lost in the translation.” cd