Friday, August 21, 2009

Linguistics - Shakira style.

I'm thinking about starting a Masters in Linguisitcs next year, so things which are related to barriers in communication and language problems, I find interesting. Case in point, Shakira:


Whenever, wherever

Most of you are probably familiar with,

"Lucky that my lips not only mumble
They spill kisses like a fountain
Lucky that my breasts are small and humble
So you don't confuse them with mountains"

For those of you who don't know, Shakira is Colombian, and English is therefore not her first language.

In her new song She Wolf, we get such lyrical gems as,

"A domesticated girl that's all you ask of me,
Darling it is no joke, this is lycanthropy."

and

"I’ve been devoting myself to you Monday to Monday, and Friday to Friday.
Not getting enough retribution or decent incentives to keep me at it.
I’m starting to feel just a little abused like a coffee machine in an office.
So I’m gonna go somewhere cozy to get me a lover, and tell you all about it."

It makes me wonder if, perhaps, she's actually writing these lyrics herself (she is one of the song's co-writers) and there's something lost in translation, or if someone's just playing a bit of a cruel joke on her.

In any case, the REAL reason behind this post is that I want you all to witness the mind-boggling wrong-ness of this film clip:


They won't let me embed it

The jumpsuit! The flesh-toned leotard! The glittery tunnel which looks like some sort of over-sized artery or intestine (or other bodily canal?)! Wait, what is she doing with those shoulders? MAKE HER STOP!!

I'm not sure which version I prefer; the original, or this one.

For a she wolf, Shakira's certainly not very hairy.

4 comments:

Evol Kween said...

1) why is Shakira dancing around in a sparkling Uterus?

2) Has she always vocoded the fuck out of her voice?

3) had no idea you'd started blogging regularly again!

cloudcontrol said...

I think the answer to all three questions there, is 'Si'.

Unknown said...

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on which was you look at it), the lyrics are not really lost in translation at all...

Whenever, Wherever is called "Suerte" (Luck or Lucky) in Spanish, and contains very similar lyrics:

Suerte que es tener
Labios sinceros
Para besarte
Con mas ganas
Suerte que mis
Pechos sean pequenos
Y no los confundas
Con montanas

"How lucky it is to have sincere lips
So I can kiss you with more desire
Lucky that my breasts are small
And you don't confuse them with mountains"

Unknown said...

That's a great song and this song is old but is still well accepted for the audience but of course I prefer the video She Wolf some scenes could be used for the generic viagra publicity.