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ArimasuKa's avatar

I translated this song into French for fun. Is the French accurate?

Asked by ArimasuKa (24points) September 12th, 2010

A weird hobby of mine is translating the lyrics of punk rock songs into French. I’m by no means fluent, but it’s something I think is interesting.

I translated the song “Holiday In Cambodia” by Dead Kennedys, and I want to know if I’ve the French is accurate.

Here’s what I have…

T’es à l’université depuis un an ou deux, et tu sais que t’as vu le tout.
T’as des besoins, t’es venu de loin. Ici, tu peux être debout.

Écoute le jazz ethnique. C’est cool, c’est chic.
Tu fais que les filles pâment.
Tu sermonnes à moi que les nègres ont froid,
Et les taudis ont une âme.

Il est temps de goûter ta plus grande peur.
Maintenant, tu peux te sentir leur douleur.
Bon voyage. À tout à l’heure!
Bon voyage. À tout à l’heure!

Des vacances en Cambodge!
C’est merde, mais c’est la vie!
Des vacances en Cambodge!
Tu voudrais que tu sois ici.

T’es une sangsue, t’es un lèche-cul.
Tu veux que tout le monde soit comme toi.
Tu geins, tu pleurniches, tu attends devenir riche.
Mais le boss devient riche par toi.

Tu vas travailler plus dur avec un fusil dans ta gueule pour un bol de riz par jour.
Faire peiner pour les soldats jusqu’à t’es mort de faim, et ta crâne est ajoutée à la tour.

Tu peux aller où le monde est uni.
Les gens disent “Nous sommes“ ... Pas “je suis“.
Tu as besoin, mon ami…
Tu as besoin, mon ami…

Des vacances en Cambodge!
Les gens s’habillent en noir!
Des vacances en Cambodge!
C’est presque trop à croire!

Vacances en cambodge!
Emballez une lance-flamme!
Des vacances en cambodge!
Les taudis ont une âme.

Pol Pot!

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5 Answers

shpadoinkle_sue's avatar

I plugged it into babelfish. This is what came out. It doesn’t really make sense to me. When I took French in college I found that there was a difference between writing and speaking.

—Be to you at the university since one year or two, and you know that saw you the whole. You ace of the needs, came to you by far. Here, you can be upright. Listen to the ethnic jazz. They is cool, it is smart. You make that the girls pament. You sermonize with me that the negros are cold, And the slums have a heart. It is time to taste your more great fear. Now, you can feel their pain. Good voyage. With presently! Good voyage. With presently! Holidays in Kampuchea! It is shit, but it is the life! Holidays in Kampuchea! You would like that you would be here. Be to you a leech, are to you an arse-licker. You want that everyone is like you. You geins, you pleurniches, you wait to become rich. But the boss becomes rich by you. You will work harder with a rifle in your mouth for a rice bowl per day. To make pain for the soldiers to you died of hunger, and your cranium is added to the tower. You can go where the world is plain. People say “We are “… Pas “I am “. You need, my friend… You need, my friend… Holidays in Kampuchea! People get dressed in black! Holidays in Kampuchea! It is almost too much to believe! Holidays in Kampuchea! Pack a lance-flame! Holidays in Kampuchea! The slums have a heart. Pol Pot!—

chocolatechip's avatar

@shpadoinkle_sue

Of course it doesn’t make sense if you paste the entire thing into babelfish…

ninahenry's avatar

@shpadoinkle_sue Translating from French to English in Babelfish is not an accurate means of finding out if the French is accurate. I’d leave this question to people who actually are French.

ArimasuKa's avatar

“Oui” as in “Oui, c’est bon le français?”

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