Music is not exempt from classic lost in translation problems.

Language translation is a creative process that goes far beyond replacing words. It’s not a mechanical task. Every source word has more than one corresponding translation. Every language has its grammar, colloquialisms, syntax, and cultural subtleties. And whomever is translating must have depth of understanding to ensure this is contemplated. 

Now, to these layers of meaning, add rhythm and singability. Translating music lyrics is no walk in the park. Even more when songs cross cultural borders. How do we transmit the imagery of other countries to ours? How do we avoid introducing more eurocentric expressions to non eurocentric interpreters?  

Language translation is a creative process that goes far beyond replacing words. It’s not a mechanical task. Every source word has more than one corresponding translation. Every language has its grammar, colloquialisms, syntax, and cultural subtleties. And whomever is translating must have depth of understanding to ensure this is contemplated. 

Now, to these layers of meaning, add rhythm and singability. Translating music lyrics is no walk in the park. Even more so when songs cross cultural borders. How do we transmit the imagery of other countries to ours? How do we avoid introducing more eurocentric expressions to non eurocentric interpreters?  

Unavoidably, transcultural products emerge.

First comes first: typical translation problems

The first step toward error-free translations is understanding the typical mistakes made. Some of them being: 

1. Lack of language intent 
2. Punctuation errors 
3. Uncontemplated sentence structure variances  
4. Grammar 
5. Numerical values (one billion in the US is not the same as one billion un Argentina) 
6. Ignoring style and tone 
7. The translation of gender specific words to any gender or lack of it.  
8. Slang (or choosing wrong equivalents of it) 
9. Sarcasm (which most times should be paraphrased and not literally translated) 
10. Compound words (Windshield,” for instance, is “parabrisas” in Spanish, which means wind-stopper or windshield. Yet, certain compound words in English, such as butterfly, make no sense in Spanish.) 
11. Idioms (and not finding the accurate equivalent) 

As you can see, most are loyalty-to-meaning related. If we replace literally, it loses sense. But as soon as we search for equivalents, interpretation comes in. Criteria is extremely important here. Are we opting for a language the target audience can relate to? Or should we try to somehow keep the foreign effect and skip the idiom altogether? When it comes to lyrics, is the important thing rhythm or meaning? 

Transcultural Phenomenons

Music plays a vital role in the construction of meaning in cultural products, their translation and dissemination. Cuban essayist Fernando Ortiz Fernandez wrote that “transculturation is a set of ongoing transmutations. It is full of creativity and never ceases. It is irreversible. It is always a process in which we give something in exchange for what we receive: the two parts of the equation end up being modified. From this process springs out a new reality, which is not a patchwork of features, but a new phenomenon, original and independent”  

Because of its versatile capacity for translation, it is also vulnerable to human projections. So, extra-musical interpretations. A word can completely change the meaning of a phrase. Take the power out of a statement. Or tilt the debate to one side or another. Where lexical equivalence is not possible, experts usually suggest that ‘conceptual equivalence’ is sought.  

But conceptual equivalence or ‘comparability of meaning’ has its problems. First, the concept itself may not exist in the target language and culture. Second, it may completely destroy a song. 

Sometimes we are lucky, and the very artists can do the translating. Take the Tropicália movement started in the 1960s by artists such as Caetano Velosoand Gilberto Gil. They revolutionized Brazilian music, opening it to different styles and cultural influences while introducing Brazilian music to Western audiences. They wrote English, Spanish and Portuguese songs and brought in all types of audiences which in turn learned from those songs untranslated.  

But polylingual artists are not the rule. They are the exception

Music Translation Complexities

When a song created in one language is sung in another, its text will be either a translation, an adaptation or a ‘replacement text’. Language experts make strategic choices when translating songs.  

Some say songs have three properties: music, lyrics and prospective performance. And that music has melody, harmony and musical sense. This being said, a translator can:  

1. Not translate the lyrics. Some artists choose not to and that is perfectly respectable.  

2. Translate the lyrics without taking the music into consideration. So people can understand what is being said, even if it can’t be sung in the target language.  

3. Write new lyrics to make it singable.  

4. Adapt the music to the translation. 

5. Adapt the translation to the music. Even if it means losing some meaning. 

In practice, it’s not just one or the other. It could be a combination of these options.

New Lyrics, Same Tune 

There are also cases when new lyrics are written for old tunes. Some people consider this a sort of translation. We bring the culture from one country or language or instruments and mix it with a new one to create new meanings.  

Reggae en espanol, also known as plena or bultrón, was birthed in Panamanian barrios such as Río Abajo and Parque Lefevre. It combines Jamaican reggae ‘s distinct music with new Spanish lyrics by Panamanian vocalists. 

This can definitely be considered a transcultural product where lyrics are written to fit the song, but given a new meaning. There is suddenly more eurocentric imagery. And much less violent expressions, since they don’t represent the fight Jamaican Reggae used to fight.  There is a clear thematic departure but it can’t be simply considered an imitation or iteration. It’s something new.  

What do you search for when it comes to music and lyrics? Anything our experts at Stillman can help with? 

If you would like to learn more about this topic go to “DO YOU SPEAK FOOTBALL OR SOCCER?”