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Ressource : "The old Same place" by Firesign Theater
Thread poster: marlene Le Duc (X)
marlene Le Duc (X)
marlene Le Duc (X)
France
Local time: 00:46
English to French
Aug 11, 2021

Hello everyone

I hope you're well.

As part of a translation of a short story of the fantasy genre, inspired by Poe and Maupassant, I will need some help.

The author sets the scene in the introduction to the first chapter, stating that the main subject is an abandoned and haunted old Victorian house, on a deserted hill, similar to that of the title ‘Same Old Place’ by ‘The Firesign Theatre’.

I did a lot of research on the internet, fou
... See more
Hello everyone

I hope you're well.

As part of a translation of a short story of the fantasy genre, inspired by Poe and Maupassant, I will need some help.

The author sets the scene in the introduction to the first chapter, stating that the main subject is an abandoned and haunted old Victorian house, on a deserted hill, similar to that of the title ‘Same Old Place’ by ‘The Firesign Theatre’.

I did a lot of research on the internet, found a lot of information about this band, but nothing about this title: no recording, no lyrics.

Do you have an idea? A link to this play.

I'm afraid that French readers won't be able to understand the reference.

However, it's impossible for me to write an explanatory note at the footer without having read the reference text.

The written text would be welcome or a summary (I confess to having a lot of trouble understanding what they say between their old Californian accent, their speed; that’s why I’m a translator but not an interpreter).

Thank you very much

Marlène
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Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
It's some kind of in joke Aug 11, 2021

It's this:

NICK DANGER: Hey, pop!

POP: All right, hold your horses.

NICK: Where am I?

POP: (pause) You can't get there from here.

NICK: But I'm looking for the Same Old Place.

POP: Ohhh! You must mean the old Same place! It's right out back, sonny. Here's the key.

-- The Firesign Theatre, How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere at All?




...no idea what's so
... See more
It's this:

NICK DANGER: Hey, pop!

POP: All right, hold your horses.

NICK: Where am I?

POP: (pause) You can't get there from here.

NICK: But I'm looking for the Same Old Place.

POP: Ohhh! You must mean the old Same place! It's right out back, sonny. Here's the key.

-- The Firesign Theatre, How Can You Be in Two Places at Once When You're Not Anywhere at All?




...no idea what's so funny or what fire, signs, or nick whoever have to do with anything. Actually, I frankly don't get it at all.



[Edited at 2021-08-11 11:25 GMT]

[Edited at 2021-08-11 11:26 GMT]
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marlene Le Duc (X)
 
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
Or maybe this Aug 11, 2021

https://www.madmusic.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=3932

I've never been so deeply baffled by things seemingly in plain English


 
marlene Le Duc (X)
marlene Le Duc (X)
France
Local time: 00:46
English to French
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Adieu Aug 11, 2021

I shall admit that I don't get the joke either.
So, I don't see how I can explain it to the readers.


 
Adieu
Adieu  Identity Verified
Ukrainian to English
+ ...
I suspect Aug 11, 2021

This might be the legendary Anglo-Saxon humor.

As in: we're not genetically equipped to comprehend what they're on about

marlene Le Duc wrote:

I shall admit that I don't get the joke either.
So, I don't see how I can explain it to the readers.


marlene Le Duc (X)
 
marlene Le Duc (X)
marlene Le Duc (X)
France
Local time: 00:46
English to French
TOPIC STARTER
DNA isn't the same Aug 11, 2021

[quote]Adieu wrote:

This might be the legendary Anglo-Saxon humor.

As in: we're not genetically equipped to comprehend what they're on about


This was the worst while I was living in London, most people were laughing while all the non-natives were staring at each others with a plegde for help in the eyes.


 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 23:46
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
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@Marlene Aug 11, 2021

As far as I know they were an American surreal comedy troupe, also known as The Firesigns, who appeared regularly on radio in the 60’s and 70’s.

marlene Le Duc (X)
 
marlene Le Duc (X)
marlene Le Duc (X)
France
Local time: 00:46
English to French
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Teresa Aug 11, 2021

Teresa Borges wrote:

As far as I know they were an American surreal comedy troupe, also known as The Firesigns, who appeared regularly on radio in the 60’s and 70’s.


I already found this on internet, but the question remains the same : What is funny in this ?


 
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
Member (2004)
English to Italian
a reference is a reference... Aug 11, 2021

I don't understand where the problem is...

 
marlene Le Duc (X)
marlene Le Duc (X)
France
Local time: 00:46
English to French
TOPIC STARTER
@ Giovanni Aug 11, 2021

The problem is that I do not understand the point of this reference, or the joke underneath. So I cannot translate properly

Adieu
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 23:46
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
@Marlene Aug 11, 2021

Surreal humour is... surreal!

Tina Vonhof (X)
 
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida
Maria Teresa Borges de Almeida  Identity Verified
Portugal
Local time: 23:46
Member (2007)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
@Marlene Aug 11, 2021

I'm not sure it will help, but here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGzve57kBlA


Jessica Noyes
 
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL
Giovanni Guarnieri MITI, MIL  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 23:46
Member (2004)
English to Italian
Without... Aug 11, 2021

seeing the chapter in question, it's impossible to give you any advice.

 
eowa
eowa
Uganda
Local time: 01:46
English to Luganda
+ ...
Just trying Aug 11, 2021

The saying "old same place" in this context seems to mean that there's nothing exciting about what NICK is looking for because nothing has changed about it; he's tiring himself out for no good reason. It could be the reason why POP is just throwing the key to him afterward, showing a lack of interest in what NICK is looking for. The meaning seems not to be different from the explanation of the phr... See more
The saying "old same place" in this context seems to mean that there's nothing exciting about what NICK is looking for because nothing has changed about it; he's tiring himself out for no good reason. It could be the reason why POP is just throwing the key to him afterward, showing a lack of interest in what NICK is looking for. The meaning seems not to be different from the explanation of the phrase, "old same" given in this link. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/same-old-same-old

I think that what makes it funny in English is that POP is playing with the same words that NICK said before, i.e, looking for " the same old place" but the meanings are quite different. If you don't have an equivalent for "same old place" in the target language, perhaps you can convey the meaning and say something like: "Nothing exciting about it," "But don't be excited; nothing has changed about the place," or something similar. But NICK's first words "I'm looking for the same old place" can be translated literally.

Hope it helps.

[Edited at 2021-08-11 15:39 GMT]

[Edited at 2021-08-11 15:48 GMT]

[Edited at 2021-08-11 16:07 GMT]
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Tony Keily
 
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Kay-Viktor Stegemann
Germany
Local time: 00:46
English to German
In memoriam
Maybe I'm on the wrong track, but Aug 11, 2021

Adieu wrote:
NICK: But I'm looking for the Same Old Place.
POP: Ohhh! You must mean the old Same place! It's right out back, sonny. Here's the key.


Maybe the "old Same place" means a place where the Sames lived (a family named "Same"). At least then it would remotely be like a joke.


Agneta Pallinder
Christopher Schröder
Hugh Thomson
 
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Ressource : "The old Same place" by Firesign Theater







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