A bilingual pun is a pun created by a word or phrase in one language sounding similar to a different word or phrase in another language. Bilingual puns are often created by mixing languages, and represent a form of macaronic language. A general technique in bilingual punning is homophonic translation, which consists of translating a passage from the source language into a homophonic passage in the target language. This requires the audience to understand both the surface, nonsensical translation as well as the source text – the former then sounds like the latter spoken in a foreign accent.
Examples
English/German
"What did the computer order from the vending machine?" "Saftware." Saft is the German word for juice. By replacing the O in "software" to an A, it becomes "Saftware", literally meaning "juiceware".
English/Chinese
An updated version of the famous Who's On First? comedy routine by Abbott and Costello called "Hu's on First" is based on confusing Chinese and other names with English words.
English/French
Luis van Rooten's English-French , translates the beginning of "Humpty Dumpty": The original English text reads: while the translation, which imitates the sound of someone reading the English text with a French accent, is nonsense, but could be translated into English nonsense as:
English/Arabic
- "Can you تلميذة name of your classmate?" by The Arabic word in the middle sounds like "tell me the", and means "student" in Arabic. - "Fog fog فوق النخل" by The Arabic word "فوق" means above in English and sounds like "fog". So the sentence literally means: Fog above the palm trees.
- Elton John. Elton John - I run each teen me? Did you drink ayran? - A wet each team. Yes, I drank it - I run each make is tea your sun each. If you want to drink ayran, drink - Hire them in each team. No, I just drank - Catch bar duck each teen? How many glasses did you drink? - On bar duck each team. I drank 10 glasses. -Why High One Why Whoa, you're crazy
Japanese/Portuguese
In the film Gaijin, a Brazilian Odyssey directed by Tizuka Yamasaki, newly immigrated Japanese agricultural laborers struggle to adapt to Brazilian culture. At mealtime, the Brazilian cook serves up a stew of feijoada to Japanese more used to rice:
Indonesian bilingual puns abound, due to the syllabic-nature of the language: Examples:
Lari Tidak Mobil Tidak, reads Rano Karno, the name of an Indonesian veteran actor
Menjadi Muda Peduli Rock, reads biang kerok, or the troublemaker
Ketakutan Baru si Saya adalah Pohon, reads nyupir demi istri, or driving for the sake of the wife
Pergi Muda Dungu Merah, reads goyang dombred, a type of dangdut dance
Nge-Dunk Bisakah Aku nge-Rock, reads selendang Ken Arok, or Ken Arok's scarf
2121 2 Mobil Warna , reads tuan-tuan tukar kolor , or "the masters are exchanging shorts "
Berkata Penuh Lompat Sakit , reads "Saiful Jamil", the name of an Indonesian dangdut musician
Tidak Tahu, Tunai Aku Tahu, Dalam Menggambar, reads Dono, Kasino, Indro, trio famous Indonesian comedian.
Other than Indonesian/English bilingual puns, Chinese and Japanese puns are also popular, by playing on stereotypes of Chinese and Japanese sounds/syllables. The Indonesian words equivalent are often replaced with Javanese language, or other languages of Indonesia. Other foreign languages that get the same treatment includes: Dutch, Arabic, Korean, German, Tamil, Spanish, and Portuguese.
