Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Star Wars Episode 4 To Be Dubbed In Navajo

Posted by timothy on from the that-is-one-complicated-language dept.

New submitter Unixnoteunuchs writes "Coming to a theater in Window Rock in the Navajo Nation on July 4, 2013, Star Wars Episode 4 dubbed in the Navajo language. This is the first time a major motion picture has ever been dubbed in a native American language. This effort will help the Navajo nation preserve its cultural heritage in its language, a complex and beautiful Athabaskan tongue heavily reliant on adjectives and compound words. Listen to this article and how 'computer' and 'droid' would translate."

3 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. Preserve Cultural Heritage by Sean_Inconsequential · · Score: 4, Insightful

    How does dubbing a movie that has nothing to do with Navajo culture help preserve Navajo culture? Not trying to troll, I am asking honestly. It seems a bit insulting, the insinuation being that the whole of their culture is distilled down to their native language.

    1. Re:Preserve Cultural Heritage by Nidi62 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Will Navajo even have words for space ships, robots and laser beams...?

      They were able to adapt it for use describing different types of tanks, airplanes, ships, bunkers, machine guns, calling in artillery and air strikes, etc. I think they can do ok.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    2. Re:Preserve Cultural Heritage by Mystakaphoros · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Did english have words for space ships, robots and laser beams 100 years ago?

      And English even stole the word "robot" from Czech!