History Main / YouAreTheTranslatedForeignWord

* The usage of [[TrueCompanions Nakama]] to mean one's in-group has its origins in ''OnePiece'' translation and fandom. In normal Japanese, it contains no other connotations beyond friendship of any kind.

* ''Series/{{Grimm}}'' runs on this with quite a few of the names for the wesen species. Most names are composed of GratuitousGerman words that do describe rather aptly what the wesen is about, for example Bauerschwein (Farmer Pig), Fuchsbau (Fox's Lair), Hundjaeger (Doghunter) or Abartige Aasfresser (repulsive carrioneater -Hyenas of course) to name but a few.

* The usage of [[TrueCompanions Nakama]] to mean one's in-group has its origins in ''OnePiece'' translation and fandom.

* Spoofed in the ''Magazine/{{MAD}}'' parody "Mark Trade":

** The Swedish and the German versions of ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'' and ''WesternAnimation/HandyManny'' do this... with English.

See also the [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Department of]] [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment Redundancy Department]] and TranslateTheLoanwordsToo.

* ''Literature/BodegaDreams'', about a man living in the Puerto Rican area of Harlem, averts this to make the book seem realistic. However, most words in Spanish are either well known(hola, como esta) or have very obvious definitions based on context clues.

* In Creator/JRRTolkien's Middle-earth (''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', etc), due to the presence of various languages, has this sometimes, as not everyone present knows all the various names or terms. Sometimes people get referred to with the translation of their names as an add-on, like ''Legolas Greenleaf'' or ''Círdan Shipwright'' (though the former is only ever in fanfics).
** And then there's ''Literature/TheSilmarillion''. Turin's black sword, Gurthang, Iron of Death, is literally named for the Sindarin words meaning "iron" (''ang'') and "death" (''gurth'').

* Every Tau character in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'' has given name(s) in this pattern, although only the most prominent are translated, such as their heroic leaders O'Shovah and O'Shaserra, who are vastly better known as Commander Farsight and Commander Shadowsun respectively. It is explained that in most cases, these names are given to each Fire Warrior cadet as he or she passes through training, based on their deeds, and that they can change if the owner does something especially prominent (for instance, Farsight began his career with the moniker Shoh or "inner light").

[[folder:Anime]]

* The English (actually Spanglish) version of Music/EnriqueIglesias' "Baillando" uses this with "I can't wait no more (ya no puedo mas)".

* The ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'' dub does this sometimes. "That is my ''nindou''! My ninja way!"

* In Creator/JRRTolkien's Middle-earth (''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'', etc), due to the presence of various languages, has this sometimes, as not everyone present knows all the various names or terms. Sometimes people get referred to with the translation of their names as an add-on, like ''Legolas Greenleaf'' or ''Círdan Shipwright''.

* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' had the [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment redundancy]] sub-type. Toa Matau liked to call his fellows "Toa-heroes". The word "Toa" ''means'' hero. Then again, he also says things like Bad-worse and Seek-find. It's a Le-Matoran dialect called "Chutespeak". The movies were guilty of this, too -- upon arriving at their destination, Takua spouts "Kini Nui, the Great Temple." Which is exactly the same thing, first in native Matoran, then English. Seeing as TranslationConvention was applied to begin with, this means he really must have the name twice. Never mind that [[CaptainObvious he and his partner knew very well]] what that place was anyway.

* Shows up in the StephenSondheim musical ''Pacific Overtures'', in "Chrysanthemum Tea":

* ''Toys/{{Bionicle}}'' had the [[DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment redundancy]] sub-type. Toa Matau liked to call his fellows "Toa-heroes". The word "Toa" ''means'' hero. The movies were guilty of this, too -- upon arriving at their destination, Takua spouts "Kini Nui, the Great Temple." Which is exactly the same thing, first in native Matoran, then English. Seeing as TranslationConvention was applied to begin with, this means he really must have the name twice. Never mind that [[CaptainObvious he and his partner knew very well]] what that place was anyway.

* The young star of ''TheLifeAndTimesOfJuniperLee'' is the Te Zuan Xe, "the chosen one" who must maintain the balance between the real world and the world of magic.

* ''Fanfic/EigaSentaiScanranger'' has a crossover special with ''Series/ChoujinSentaiJetman'' which acknowledges the different languages. It engages in a lot of this, though, having a character say a foreign word and then immediately saying what it means in English. Even though the story acknowledges the differing languages, but then has a SufficientlyAdvancedAlien use her powers so everyone can understand each other.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'' has a borderline example where Light refers to Ryuk as a "god of death" when he first introductions himself as a {{shinigami}}.

-->'''Paarthurnax:''' "Ro fus, the balancing of force."

** In the third game, Tali finally explains the meaning of the common quarian invocation "Keelah Se'lai" when Shepard inquires, admitting that it's more of an abstract idea with no real translation, but roughly means "[[FightingForAHomeland By the homeworld I hope to see someday]]".

* Done by Dr. Sciuridae in ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' as he [[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2004-02-25 explains how uryuom eggs can be used to create chimeras]].

** ''Franchise/StarTrek'' in general does this a lot, especially in the later series. Ordinarily justifiable, with all the different races and societies mingling together... until you remember the Universal Translator, which apparently considers certain cultural concepts to be proper names or something. [[Series/StarTrekEnterprise Enterprise]] has the translator technology in its most primitive form, though the show still has moments of this trope.

* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'': "But there is one they fear; in their tongue, he is ''Dovahkiin'': Dragonborn!"
** Paarthurnax does this '''a lot''', throwing dragon words into a conversation you can otherwise understand. Sometimes there is the impression that it's a difficult concept or one with no direct translation... but often he just says something in Dovah and then translates it.

** Done yet again by Durnehviir in the ''Dawnguard DLC''. Once you defeat him in the Soul Cairn, along with gaining the ability to summon him, he also bestows the title of Qahnaarin on you, meaning "The Vanquisher". As the ''first'' individual to ever manage to best him in combat, his bestowal of this title is a telling sign of [[WorthyOpponent his]] [[DefeatMeansFriendship respect]] for the Dragonborn.
** The Greybeards similarly do this during the ceremony where they declare their formal recognition of the new Dragonborn.

** The Swedish versions of ''WesternAnimation/DoraTheExplorer'' and ''WesternAnimation/HandyManny'' do this... with English.

* VideoGame/GabrielKnight is a ''Schattenjäger'', German for "[[TheHunter shadow hunter]]".

* In the ''Comicbook/{{Batman}}'' {{Elseworld}} ''Reign of Terror'', based on ''Literature/TheScarletPimpernel'', one rescued aristocrat calls Batman "Monsieur Chauve-Souris" and he replies "Yes, a bat is a kind of 'bald mouse', is he not?" This gets even weirder when you consider that everywhere else in the story, we're meant to understand that characters are speaking French and TranslationConvention is showing it as English (unlike the Pimpernel, this version of Bruce Wayne is French). So Bruce just said "Oui, une chauve-souris est une sorte de 'chauve souris', n'est-ce pas?"

** Parodied mercilessly in [[http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/tv-funhouse-maraka/84996/ this]] ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' cartoon, in which the speaker eventually starts translating every word into ten different languages.

* ''UsagiYojimbo,'' does this all the time. ''Usagi'' is written in English however, and the purpose is mainly Stan Sakai attempting to teach his audience the relevant Japanese words. The translation of the word is usually provided in a footnote, at least the first time.