by Marta Muñoz Gil

The translatability of humour has been widely questioned for a long time. A number of studies have been carried out so as to determine to which point and degree can a text with humorous features be adequately translated, and if, once translated, the result can be acceptable as a ‘good’ or appropriate translation. Mateo (1999) argues that the success of a humorous act depends on the existence of shared knowledge between sender and recipient, a factor that determines the translation strategies to be implemented. The perception of the quality of a translation will also have a direct correspondence with the attitude of the reader/viewer. When discussing the translation of humorous situations, it is necessary to bear in mind the general translation problems that translators often face such as the existence in the source text (ST) of puns, wordplay, or cultural references. The perception of humour varies depending on every culture, person and situation. It is widely acknowledged that a joke may make some people laugh while it goes unnoticed for others. Considering that this takes place in communication settings within the same culture, it is not diffi cult to imagine that these factors will be differently perceived when dealing with dissimilar cultural backgrounds.

Translating and Dubbing The Simpsons in Spanish

One of the main problems: Patronymics

The general strategy chosen to deal with proper names might be seen as an indicator of the overall approach to any given translation, and it is especially important in fi lms and series where the names of some characters are loaded with meaning, as is the case in comedies such as The Simpsons. It should be noted that in the translation of proper names, the Spanish and Latin American versions differ considerably. The fi rst aspect that must be pointed out is the different title used for the commercialisation of the series itself in Spain and in Latin America. In Spain, the series is translated as Los Simpson, in accordance with the usual way of forming family names in Spanish, that is, by placing the plural determinate article in front of the family name which does not add an ‘s’ to its ending. In the Latin American version, however, it is translated as Los Simpsons, mimicking the English way of referring to a family by their surname in plural. As for the proper names of the characters, they have not been translated for the Spanish audience, keeping in line with the general strategy applied in most fi lms, TV series and books, in which only the names of kings (Isabel II [Elizabeth II]), popes ( Juan Pablo II [John Paul II]), and some historical characters (Carlos Marx [Karl Marx]) are translated. However, nicknames in the series have been translated, as well as the titles accompanying the proper names. Thus, ‘Reverend Lovejoy’ becomes Reverendo Lovejoy and ‘Krusty The Clown’ becomes Krusty el Payaso. In Latin America, patronymics with an equivalent in Spanish have been translated, and ‘Homer Simpson’ becomes Homero Simpson. The names of the cartoon characters ‘Itchy & Scratchy’ are quite different on each side of the Atlantic. In Spain, the mouse and the cat are known as Rasca y Pica, a literal translation of the original names, although curiously enough, the order has been altered: Rasca (Scratchy) comes fi rst and Pica (Itchy) second. In Latin America, they are known as Tomy y Daly, in reference, on the one hand, to the cat-and-mouse cartoon Tom & Jerry, and on the other, to the Spanish expression toma y daca which, according to the Diccionario de la lengua española (2001: 2190), means a simultaneous exchange of things or services or favour which expects immediate reciprocity. The strategies applied to the translation of the teachers’ names are also interesting. Whereas the surname of Miss Krabappel is the same in Spain and Latin America, the surname of Miss Hoover differs quite notably. In Spain, the name remains unchanged and in Latin America she is known as Miss Strickter, a pun that plays with the phonetic similarity with the Spanish adjective estricto [strict]. Another difference in approach can be seen in the way the title ‘Miss’ has been dealt with. In the Latin American version, the children call both teachers maestra, whereas in the Spanish one they call them sita. This is a point that must be foregrounded because this is not the most usual term for children in Spain to call their teachers; the most common being maestra, señorita or even seño, without the need to add the surname. Sita is the short clipped form of señorita [miss], and it is a rather old-fashioned and traditional term. So, there is a strange contrast in the use of Sita Hoover or Sita Krabappel, since we are confronted with the use of a very traditional word (sita) with a very foreign construction, namely, the use of the surname when addressing a teacher at school.The names of Krusty’s colleagues, Sideshow Bob and Sideshow Mel, also deserve some commentary. In the Spanish version, they are called Actor Secundario Bob and Actor Secundario Mel [supporting actor], whereas in Latin America they are called Bob Patiño and Mel Patiño. This can be considered a case of a straight forward translation, since the term patiño is a Mexican word meaning ‘sideshow’. However, the problem here is that the term is not widely known in the rest of Latin American countries and it could, therefore, lead to confusion and perplexity among some audiences.