It’s hard geekin’ out in Spain
So, I have these friends, right? And they’re rather nice people: play card games, read sci-fi, watch anime, read manga… Geeks, if you must tag them.
The least-geeky geeks, ever…
Star Wars?
Check
Hitch-hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy?
“Douglas Adams? Who’s that?”
Army of Darkness?
“You mean Spider-man wasn’t Sam Raimi’s first movie?”
I’m aware that, cultural differences aside, you can’t ask everybody, everywhere, within a particular social group to look up to the same references. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by “the interwebs”, and the global geek movement still hasn’t reached the old continent, but I feel out of place. I’m like a gay, black man: I’m not only a minority, I’m not even part of the en vogue half of said minority. I’m uncool amongst the uncool.
Why haven’t the spanish geeks caught up to global geek culture?
Easy: it’s not in spanish.
It was bad enough when I heard the Pulp Fiction quotes in spanish. It got worse when I realized that it wasn’t just movies, it’s everything: books, comics, games. EVERYTHING is in spanish! Again, maybe I’m spoiled, but where I come from, you recognize how bad your mother tongue is. So bad, in fact, that you’re better off learning english as a second language, and get in touch with the real world. And hey, if you’re a geek, the internet is your world.
And the internet is in english.
Mr. D wrote:
Even eanglish porn?
Dude, live with it
Posted 12 Apr 2005 at 4:45 pm ¶
alvarete wrote:
I live with it, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t suck to be a friki in Spain. Hell, they even adopted a 60s word to tag themselves with. Shoot me now, please.
Posted 12 Apr 2005 at 4:50 pm ¶
nashira wrote:
I’ll shoot in english, I owe you.
Bang!
Posted 12 Apr 2005 at 9:56 pm ¶
nashira wrote:
one of the good things about the internet (and the many trolls that come in the box) is that you find out who you are and what you do; and you also find out where you are
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 12:24 am ¶
Schiz Cum Snake wrote:
Some people say that normally one is supposed to find out those things in high school; but you and me know damn well you never end knowing a person, including yourself, even if you live with him/her/it/them for a long time. We never end knowing enough people either.
Much to know I still have.
Anyhow… No subtitles in the movies? Is everything dubbed there? That sucks. They must want to keep and preserve their own native language so bad.
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 5:50 am ¶
nashira wrote:
(Schiz, I wrote that because the “troll” said I was a prostitute living in Argentina. Wish I knew that sooner…)
About the spanish translations, indeed, they wanted to preserve the language but that was in Francos’s dictatorship time. It was even forbidden to speak in catalá or euskera or valenciano or the many other languages and dialects. Now it’s different, and it’s only about people being unabled of reading the subtitles and watching the images at the same time -you know, the old “chew gum and walk” conflict-. It’s an incapability that affects equally fachas and the lefties that hate and hated Franco. They’re just not used to.
It’s gonna change, though. Slowly.
And America will ri$e and conqu€r.
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 9:36 am ¶
nashira wrote:
dammit, one “d” too many…
unless we consider eurocentrism or plain stupidity as the the tacit subject: “it’s only about people being unable (by stupidity) of reading the subtitles”
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 11:11 am ¶
Administrator wrote:
Should I start doing grammar corrections to other person’s comments? Have I already? Does this make me a control freak?
No need to answer.
Anwyay, yes: they’re so used to getting everything in spanish, that they can’t stand something that’s not TRANSLATED. As in, dubbed. They even think it’s cool when you can spot the voice actor. I mean, Morgan Freeman in Million Dollar Baby SPEAKS LIKE A WHITE MAN! It’s gone too far, I tell you…
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 2:51 pm ¶
nashira wrote:
put the lotion in the basket, you frik, the D was there!!!!
I once spotted the voice actress in a brazilian soap opera translation: it was Marge Simpson’s voice.
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 7:53 pm ¶
dorothy hale wrote:
I just realize this is REALLY your blog, congrats!!
I left some comments a couple of posts before this.
B.I.
p.d. but sometimes they make a good effort in translating things, for example the new MTV’s cartoon Striperella (based on Pamela Anderson) is doubled by an Argentinian Vedette who has all the right attributes. That’s what i call improvement.
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 9:16 pm ¶
dorothy hale wrote:
I’m not sure is called Striperella (is based on that program), but is about a super hero that is a Stripper in real life….so much for Clark Kent.
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 9:19 pm ¶
dorothy hale wrote:
You can sail away or catch a freight train..or a rocket ship into outher space…..I LOVE that song!!! (i just saw your playlist)
Sorry for the extra comment, but i’m really excited about going to the Mötleyfezzt in the summer (your summer)…Is like the Ozzfest but obviously the theme is Mötley Crue, with all this crazy bands playing their songs..and of course the original Mötley Band!!!
Posted 13 Apr 2005 at 9:40 pm ¶
alvarete wrote:
Striperella is sad. Poor Stan Lee must really need the money, or Pam Anderson is giving special favours in exchange for appearing in the cartoons. Otherwise, it’s unforgivable.
I love Mötley Crüe for their reckless abuse of the Heavy Metal ümlaüt. As for the Crüe-fest, who would pay to watch that crap?
Oh.
I’m currently lining up for Jack Johnson and Porcupine Tree. Expected concert turnout: 30 people. Total.
Posted 14 Apr 2005 at 1:00 pm ¶
dorothy hale wrote:
I love Jack Johnson, althoug I must admit is a recent dicovery…
I was looking forward to see him in the summer too (central park), but I had to give up that to satisfy my travel partner who will rather see Mötley Crüe…After all he is paying for the trip ;)
Not that i’m complaining, believe it or not, i’m sooooo excited with the Crüe fest!! (although some say it has to do with the 30 years crisis)
Posted 14 Apr 2005 at 4:32 pm ¶
alvarete wrote:
Wow, I just read that Donavon Frankenreiter is opening for Jack Johnson on the european leg of the tour. It’s going to be like a reject surfer talent show, except I won’t be stoned, so it won’t be funny…
Posted 14 Apr 2005 at 5:09 pm ¶
chronic procrastinator wrote:
ROFL at Cheese Cum, writing like Yoda would he was, could anything be geekier than that?
Oh.
Alvarete:
I find ironic that you ended up in Spain (Don’t jump at my throat pal) What are you playing with, Don Quijote trading cards? Regarding your concern for being uncool, I bet the government of Spain is trying to keep spaniards from losing their identity just to avoid what is happening to ecuadorian people.
You got Deadwing yet? Wow I didn’t know you liked progressive, you seemed pretty fond of Pantera.
Posted 14 Apr 2005 at 6:49 pm ¶
Schiz Cum Snake wrote:
ROFL at Cheese Cum, writing like Yoda would he was, could anything be geekier than that?
Waiting For Star Wars is.
Posted 14 Apr 2005 at 8:20 pm ¶
alvarete wrote:
Chronic:
Yeah, I’m pretty fond of Pantera. Porcupine Tree is my present fascination though, I have all their CDs (even OOPs), even Deadwing. I think it’s a natural progression from In Absentia, even though it’s hard to beat it.
About geeking out at premieres, I can’t wait for Hitch-hiker’s Guide to premiere, just so I can bring a towel to the waiting line… Oh, numbered seats + pre-sale of premieres makes alvarete a happy camper…
We happy camper, we play Go! Go!
Posted 15 Apr 2005 at 9:01 am ¶
chronic procrastinator wrote:
I’m game with you, In Absentia will be extremely hard to beat, the friggin’album blows my mind out of the face of earth with each listening, I just can’t describe how perfect is Trains or Blackest Eyes. I already pre ordered Deadwing at Amazon but unlike you I’ve to wait till april 26 to get that hottie. I think you might like to take a listen to Brian Jonestown Massacre too.
Posted 15 Apr 2005 at 4:14 pm ¶
alvarete wrote:
Ah, european release dates. While we’re usually screwed by them, it actually pays off once in a while…
But yes, Deadwing is pretty good, too. I’ll check out BJM, I’ll let you know what I think of it…
Posted 16 Apr 2005 at 11:43 am ¶
Mozalbete Cowell-Vera wrote:
ROFL at Cheese Cum, writing like Yoda would he was, could anything be geekier than that?
Waiting For Star Wars is.
well NA-AH.. Lord Vader’s OWN weblog is.
darthside.blogspot.com
All your base are belong to us BEYOTCH!
Posted 25 Apr 2005 at 10:41 pm ¶
Tony wrote:
Watching Star Wars episode II in Spanish, I mean Spain’s Spanish has certanly been one of the worst experiences I’ve had in a Theater.
Posted 13 May 2005 at 9:08 pm ¶