Of course, if we all spoke a common language things might work more smoothly, but there would be far less scope for amusement. In an article in Gentleman's Quarterly in 1987, Kenneth Turan described some of the misunderstandings that have occurred during the dubbing or subtitling of American movies in Europe. In one movie where a policeman tells a motorist to pull over, the Italian translator has him asking for a sweater {i.e., a pullover}. In another where a character asks if he can bring a date to the funeral, the Spanish subtitle has him asking if he can bring a fig to the funeral.
The author discusses the potential benefits of a common language, suggesting that it could facilitate communication, but also notes the reduced opportunities for humor that would result. In exploring this theme, he cites an article by Kenneth Turan in Gentleman's Quarterly, which highlights amusing translation errors found in the dubbing and subtitling of American films for European audiences.
For instance, a scene featuring a policeman instructing a driver to pull over is poorly translated into Italian as a request for a sweater. In another instance, a character inquiring about bringing a date to a funeral is incorrectly translated in Spanish as bringing a fig instead. These examples demonstrate how language barriers can lead to comical misunderstandings, making the case for preserving linguistic diversity for the sake of amusement.
