User blog:Vorknkx/Funny and weird translations

Today I was reminded of something very funny that I had seen a few years ago - translated names of old Bulgarian folklore songs.

This is really weird because these song titles sound very emotional and/or epic in their original form, but become utterly ridiculous and funny when translated into English.

Here are some examples:


 * Mother once had got
 * An old man was dividing shares
 * The mountain sank below the horizon (alternative: The mountain turned upside-down)
 * You are beautiful, my forest
 * Petruna, you many-colored ducky!
 * A song for Petko the Lider (perhaps they meant "Leader"?)
 * Hey, Stana, a town is under construction!
 * Nikola has exclaimed
 * Gergana has lied down for a minute
 * Delio the Bandit has gone out
 * Janissaries are walking around, mum
 * You, Zlata maiden!
 * I've been invited to a heavy wedding
 * Eat dinner, sister!
 * Come on, come on, Stoyna maiden!
 * Abraham was talking to Zornitsa
 * Come on, listen to me, sheep!
 * Come on, stand up, Stana, stand up, soul!
 * If I die, or if I perish
 * I am white, so white, brave hero!
 * Bilyana was bleaching a cloth
 * Fifty heroes are drinking wine
 * Does your head hurt, my son?
 * A pigeon is pigeoning in the forest (just don't ask...)
 * Maiden, I stayed because of you
 * Ring, ring, oh Ganka!
 * House owner, pour some wine!
 * My lamb is bleating
 * Is she driving you, Russian, your mother (???)
 * A mosquito was leading a fly
 * A falcon drinks the sea
 * Lenche ejected an apple
 * A maiden was planting grapevines

Again, these sound perfectly normal and meaningful in Bulgarian... but turn into mindless stuff in English.

But, on the other hand, many English song names also sound absurd in Bulgarian :P