Private Eye

Translating Punny Names

New 31 Mar 2024 Asked by jarethbulge 147 Comments

Hey Maro! I don't have beef with the punny card names, they give me a chuckle and I like when the tone of magic varies a little. I am curious if you can comment on how they get translated, though- Holy Cow seems like a distinctly English phrase, and even concepts like a Red Herring or a Private Eye probably don't have one-for-one equivalencies in other languages. I know it's not your department, but do you know how they tackle this problem?


The translations usually look for humor that makes more sense in that language. They’re usually not direct translations.

Hypothetical Acting Gig

New 21 Feb 2014 Asked by lansdellicious 19 Comments

Joss Whedon approaches you. He has a starting role for you in his new series! You will play Barry, a private eye who is also a bus driver. Your character is also known for his love of bananas and eats at least one an episode. Do you accept?


My goal is to meet Joss not become a TV star. Since he has approached me and we get to talk, mission accomplished.


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