Taxi 1998, a dialogue

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Permalink Reply by Erwan on March 17, 2011 at 6:09pm

Here is the transcription of this dialogue. Just a small remark, Luc Besson made the screenplay and produced  "Taxi" but it's a Gerard Pires' movie.

 

Emilien : euhhh non non, c'est plutôt mieux, même...,enfin... j' veux dire, vous savez,  y' a pas que des abrutis dans la police.

Daniel : Ah bah j'en suis sûr. Y'a aussi des alcoolos, des escrocs, des idiots,

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EducatorPermalink Reply by stu harris on March 18, 2011 at 4:40pm

Just for fun, here's how I might render that for a British audience:

 

Emilien: Er... no no, it's not that bad. Even... well, I mean, y'know, not all cops are jerks.

Daniel: Oh yeah for sure. Some are piss-artists, crooks, morons,...

For Americans, "piss-artists" wouldn't do. It'd have to be "drunks" or maybe "lushes." The latter is a bit out of date now.

 

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EducatorPermalink Reply by stu harris on March 18, 2011 at 10:31pm

Erwan: Do you think assholes would be too strong as a translation of abrutis? That's what someone like Emilien would say in English.

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Permalink Reply by Erwan on March 18, 2011 at 11:25pm

Yes, I think it's a bit too strong. Abrutis, in French, is less vulgar than assholes. So, I think jerk or, may be, stupid best match. In fact, as far as I can remember, this movie doesn't use a lot of slang words.

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Permalink Reply by LiXiQing on March 18, 2011 at 12:54am

The problem was solved.
Thank you.

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Permalink Reply by LiXiQing on March 20, 2011 at 11:48am

Interesting remark.
I've translated "abrutis" in russian as "дураки" (fools), though now I think it would be better to say "болваны" (not exactly fools but something near, cabbageheads, stupid as rough statues)

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EducatorPermalink Reply by stu harris on March 20, 2011 at 3:25pm

Fools won't do in this context because there has to be a contrast with idiots.

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