travesuras

Question

I just finished reading "Travesuras de la Niña Mala" by Mario Vargas Llosa which is called "The Bad Girl" in English.

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I was wondering, what do you think about "travesuras" being omitted? I think "adventures" or "misadventures" would have sounded good.

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What are your thoughts?

Answer 1

I have an issue with translators changing the title of books and movies. I think authors think very carefully about the title they give to their work, so why change it?

"Travesura" is "Mischief", however, not "misadventure".

I know, but "Mischief of the Bad Girl" doesn't sound good to me, that's why I thought of "misadventures." :) - amy_moreno, Jan 18, 2011

Gekkosan - how would you have translated the title? It's great hearing other people's ideas. :) - amy_moreno, Jan 18, 2011

Bad Girl Misbehaving, Shenanigans of a Bad Girl, Naughtiness of the Bad Girl, Bad Girl Does Dallas (oops, sorry, that was something else!) ;-] - Gekkosan, Jan 18, 2011

"Shenanigans" is very good. - samdie, Jan 18, 2011

hehehe, thanks Gekkosan. :) - amy_moreno, Jan 19, 2011

Answer 2

I think that the travesuras is necessary. It tones down the "mala" so that we think rascal or scamp, not Evil as in the spawn of Satan.

I agree. - amy_moreno, Jan 18, 2011

Answer 3

I agree with gfreed and gekkosan, it is "mischeif" or mischevious behavior. Otherwise one might be thinking of something more evil.

Answer 4

I think they should kept the word "travesuras" in the English translation. I've read some books in Spanish that are only in Spanish and when people ask me what the title means, I always fully translate. "adventures" or "misadventures" would totally have sounded good.

I can't explain it but books always sound better when fully translated from their native language.

Thanks for the question!

So it could be "Travesuras of the Bad Girl" ? I like the word "travesuras", it seems a shame to lose it in translation! :) - amy_moreno, Jan 18, 2011

Answer 5

I agree about the tone. How would you have translated it, gfreed?

. I was thinking "Misadventures of the Bad Girl."

I think that it is "pranks of a mischevious child." - 0074b507, Jan 18, 2011

But I'm not familiar with the book, so I have no idea if that is appropriate. - 0074b507, Jan 18, 2011

Interesting idea.... thanks for sharing :) - amy_moreno, Jan 18, 2011