History Main / TactfulTranslation

* In ''Film/ABridgeTooFar'', the British forces fighting Nazi Germany are offered a chance to surrender. The commanding officer for the British says to tell the Nazis to go to hell, but the version relayed is much more restrained.

'''Major Harry Carlyle:''' [[NoYou We'd like to, but we can't accept your surrender]]! Was there anything else?

* A religious example: In a story in Literature/TheBible's ''Literature/BooksOfSamuel'', King Saul curses out his son Jonathan and calls him a SonOfAWhore. Most Bible translations, presumably not wanting to offend pious readers, {{Bowdlerize}} this remark into, "You son of a [[UnusualEuphemism perverse and rebellious woman]]!" A [[AvertedTrope notable exception]] was ''The Living Bible,'' which went with "[[ThisIsForEmphasisBitch You son of a bitch]]!", and did indeed receive an outcry of angry letters from MoralGuardians.

* Mike Stearns defies the trope in the first book, ordering his interpreter to "Translate precisely!" so that he can let the Mayor of Jena know the ''exact'' width and breadth of his displeasure.

* Another joke that inverts this trope:
** A gangster takes a translator to visit the shop of a man, whose brother has just died. He had taken money from the gangster and hid it away somewhere -- and the gangster assumed he had told his only living relative, his brother. But the brother only spoke Italian, you see, which is why a translator was needed.\\\
When the two got to the shop, the gangster asks the translator to translate everything exactly -- so he does. "Do you know where your brother hid our money?", the gangster asks, and the man answers "No." This goes on for a while, the translator pausing to make sure he has everything correct before he translates. Eventually, getting fed-up, the gangster pulls out his gun and snarls. "Listen, if you don't tell me where that money is, I'll shoot you in the head!" The translator tells the man this, who confesses; it's in the back-yard of his house, beneath the apple tree, and the gangster can have it back; he doesn't need it!\\\
The translator pauses, and says, "He says you don't have the balls to shoot him, boss."

* In ''Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral'', Charles and Carrie run into his deaf brother while out shopping. Charles and his brother proceed to converse in sign language, with Charles making derogatory comments about Carrie's fiance (he's in love with her) and his brother making complimentary ones about her breasts. All the while, Charles is telling her that they're offering congratulations.

** ''Recap/AsterixAndTheGoths'' has the case of Rhetoric, the Gaulish/Gothic interpreter. Seeing as he would be killed along with Getafix if Getafix refused to cooperate, it is a bit of a life-or-death matter for him to say Getafix would. To be sure, this is more a case of a ''false'' translation than just a ''tactful'' one. Played for laughs later on when Getafix (who, as it turns out, can speak Gothic himself) asks the just deposed chieftain Metric if he would like the chance to take back his position from his usurper Rhetoric:

* Much like the Patton example, C-3PO tries to smooth things while working for Jabba the Hutt in ''Film/ReturnOfTheJedi'', yet Jabba is impressed and becomes more agreeable when the bounty hunter threatens him with a thermal detonator.

* ''Literature/SpaceCadet'' by Creator/RobertAHeinlein. Tex wants to know how the Venusians expect to get their rocketship out of the mud it's crashed in. Oscar translates this, and their matriarch replies, "Tell thy impatient daughter [the Venusians assume humans have a female-dominated society like their own, so presume the cadets are female] to chase her fish and I shall chase mine." Tex replies, "No need for her to be rude about it." When the matriarch asks what he said, Oscar tells her "'She' thanks thee for the lesson."

-->'''Herald''' How do we know his brother's here?\\

'''Más:''' Porque,Trumpet Boy, nuestros poderes nos da una conexión magnética. Lo más cerca que estamos, lo más fuerte es nuestro enlace. Qué no sabes nada[[labelnote:Translation]] Because, Trumpet Boy, our powers give us a magnetic connection. The closer we are, the stronger our link. Don't you know anything.[[/labelnote]]\\

* In ''VideoGame/ChantsOfSennaar'', you have no choice but to translate one of the Warriors' communiques this way; when talking to the Devotees, they refer to them as "the impure", the Warrors' word for anyone they block from ascending the tower. Since the Devotees have no comparable word in their language, you can only translate it as "Devotee".

[[quoteright:300:[[Recap/AsterixAndTheGoths https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tactful_translation_5.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:He doesn't speak Blackletter.]]

[[quoteright:300:[[Recap/AsterixAndTheGoths https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tactful_translation.png]]]]

* An episode of ''Anime/FullMetalPanicFumoffu'' features a [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJN5_1xkeOU "negotiation"]] session between Sōsuke, an ex-mujaheddin ChildSoldier with NoSocialSkills, and a {{Delinquent}} representing a gang who's kidnapped one of his friends. Sōsuke is unable to understand the thug's street jargon and extremely heavy accent, prompting the StudentCouncilPresident to step in and calmly translate it into SpockSpeak. The show then goes on to invert the trope when Sōsuke's equally formal reply flies right over the thug's head -- so the StudentCouncilPresident ''translates it into a series of crude threats completely deadpan, using the exact same tone of voice he used when doing the formal translation''.

* Hilariously inverted in ''ComicBook/SecretSix''. Black Alice has infiltrated a cult while the others are standing by and communicating by radio. She gets found out, and Jeannette wants to go in to save her. Bane refuses, since acting too early would compromise their mission.
-->'''Jeannette:''' Please tell the large gentleman that I am about to ignore his orders, most respectfully.\\
'''Catman:''' Bane? Jeannette says you should go &^%$ yourself. We're going in.

* ''ComicBook/TheSimpsons:'' A Scottish film the family watches on a plane has the actors' flowery insults translated into more polite and sophisticated phrases.
-->'''Man:''' Ach, ye wee soft jessies have spilt me wee larger! [Pardon me, sir, but you have spilt my adult beverage.]\\
'''Man 2:''' The lord take ye for a dimmock, ye airy tweezer! [We strongly condemn your harsh appraisement.]
* In ''Comicbook/NewSuperman'', I-Ching accompanies Kenan as a translator when he is invited to America by Lex Luthor, and carefully translates all Kenan's tactless comments as compliments. Inverted when he translates what Luthor's saying into Mandarin, and [[TrollingTranslator claims that Lex is continually saying Kenan doesn't train enough]]. And it turns out [[CompletelyUnnecessaryTranslator Luthor speaks Mandarin anyway]].

* ''ComicBook/AllNewWolverine'', after Laura has just rescued a squirrel (having got his scent off a nut), to make up for causing his family's tree to be knocked down, ComicBook/SquirrelGirl translates for the squirrel's daughter -- giving a long speech about pain, loss, forgiveness, and the importance of family, before commenting at the end: "Wow. Eloquent squirrel." Then, as Laura walks away, we get the follow-up exchange translated -- and Squirrel Girl admits to the girl squirrel that she just told Laura "what she needed to hear".
-->'''Girl Squirrel:''' Wait? You didn't pass on anything I said? So... she's not giving my nut back?

* One story arc of ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'' has Garfield auditioning for a cat food commercial. Unfortunately, on the first take he discovers that the food is vile and pitches the bowl over his shoulder, whereupon it hits the director in the face.
-->'''Director:''' [muffled angry noises through the cat food]\\
'''Garfield:''' Rough translation, I don't get the part.
* This was the original purpose of Honey Huan in ''ComicStrip/{{Doonesbury}}''. When Duke Harris was the American ambassador to China, she was assigned as his translator and "softened" most of his speeches into something more diplomatic. She sometimes did this while translating Chinese officials to him as well. Best example is during the first Duke's speech to a Chinese audience. Part of the translation is:
-->'''Honey Huan:''' Now is saying a joke. This is the climax... here is the punchline... laugh.

* Referenced in ''Film/{{Gladiator}}'' when [[TheRemnant the Germanic tribes]] answer the offer of Maximus's messenger by sending his headless body back to the Romans tied to his horse, while the leader of the tribe appears on a hill, shouting at the Romans and [[DecapitationPresentation tossing the head of the messenger to the ground.]]
-->'''Maximus:''' [[GallowsHumor They say no.]]
* ''Film/TheMeg''. Upon first meeting Suyin, Morris attempts to greet her in Mandarin, but just spouts out a meaningless WordSalad that has everyone staring in confusion and disbelief. When Suyin says she didn't understand a word of that, Morris asks what ''she'' just said. As Morris is financing the whole operation no-one wants to offend him, so Suyin's daughter replies: "She said she likes your hat." Morris looks dubious but isn't going to argue with such a cute child, so lets it slide.
* In the 2003 film version of ''Film/PeterPan'', Hook captures Tigerlily and asks her, (with Smee translating) if she's seen Peter Pan. Tigerlily responds with visible anger and disgust, complete with spitting at Hook. Smee translates this as "She says 'sorry, but no.'"
* Played for laughs in ''Film/PiratesOfTheCaribbeanTheCurseOfTheBlackPearl'' when Barbossa "translates" his comments for Elizabeth. It can be argued that Elizabeth's look of confusion is merely the result of Barbossa speaking so eloquently seconds after asking her to use smaller words that the "humble pirates" can understand, and his translation is not for her, but his own crew, who also seem confused.
-->'''Barbossa:''' I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request. ''[beat]'' Means "no".
* Used by Charlie Chaplin in ''Film/TheGreatDictator'' [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4UhJpviVYg here.]]
* In the Creator/GuyRitchie film ''Film/Revolver2005'', there's a scene where Lord John endlessly abuses Macha's men in Cantonese, while the translator expresses this in very to the point and non-offensive words.
* In ''Film/{{Speed}}'', Alan Ruck's character, relaying Keanu's responses via walkie talkie to bomb control, relays a frustrated "'''[[PrecisionFStrike Oh, fuck me!]]'''" as "Oh darn."
* In ''Film/IpMan'', after the titular character's RoaringRampageOfRevenge against ten Japanese black belts, the general, suitably impressed by his skill, gives him his prize of rice and asks him to come again. Ip Man responds by telling the translator that he didn't come for the rice, implying he just came to kick their asses. The translator simply tells the general that Ip Man said he will come again. This is immediately followed up by another example: The general asks for Ip Man's name, and the latter replies that he is 'just a Chinese person', to which the translator tells the general that 'his name is Ip Man'.

* Slightly inverted in ''Film/FortApache'', in that Cochise calls the Indian agent Meachum "un hombre malvado, que no dice la verdad," which Sergeant Beaufort renders as "a yellow-bellied polecat of dubious antecedents and conjectural progeny." (The literal translation is "an evil man, who does not speak the truth.")
* ''Film/LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels'' amusingly plays with this trope while combining it with FunWithSubtitles. When one gangster is informing another about infamous [[TheYardies Yardie]] kingpin Rory Breaker his lines (which are in a a deep slang and would be all but incomprehensible in North America) get subtitled. As the character narrates about [[TooDumbToLive some poor dumb bastard]] confronting Rory at a bar, changing the channel Rory was watching and saying "Now fuck off and watch it somewhere else" the subtitles show up with "Please remove yourself from this bar". Just a few seconds later, however, the trope is gleefully inverted, as the narrator tells about how Rory "Walks straight past the jam rolls who are ready for action" and the subtitles translate this as "He walks straight past the arseholes". A couple of seconds after ''that'' there is more bickering between Rory and the other guy that involves cursing at each other and it gets translated far more politely than how it was actually said. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRDOpknHLLo Enjoy it for yourself here.]]
* Early in the 1992 ''Film/LastOfTheMohicans'' film, there's a bit where Magua, (who is still pretending to be an English ally at the time, but is leading them into an ambush) and Major Heyward get into an argument.
-->'''Duncan:''' You there, Scout! We must rest soon, the women are tired.\\
'''Magua:''' No, two leagues, better water. We stop there.\\
'''Duncan:''' No, we'll stop in the glade just ahead. When the ladies are rested, we will proceed. Do you understand?\\
'''Magua:''' ''[speaking Huron]'' Magua understands that the white man is a dog to his women. When they are tired, he puts down his tomahawk to feed their laziness.\\
'''Duncan:''' ''[a distinct edge to his voice]'' Excuse me, what did you say?\\
'''Magua:''' Magua said... [[StealthInsult I understand English, very well]].
* In ''Film/MyBigFatGreekWedding'', Gus is unimpressed with Ian's attempt to wish him a happy Easter ("Cheestro Nasty!"), and mutters in Greek, "My people were writing philosophy when your people were still swinging in trees." At Ian's confused look, Toula says, "He likes you."
* ''Film/TheLastSamurai''. Simon Graham is an Anglo who has lived in Japan for some time, working as a translator. As he put it in the page quote, he was fired from a British trade mission because he made the mistake of being blunt in a language and culture which is all about [[JapanesePoliteness indirectness and implication]], ''especially'' when it comes to important things. He has since learned to "Very accurately translate other people's lies."

* Happens at the climax of ''Film/TheRussiansAreComingTheRussiansAreComing''. One of the sub's officers understands both English and Russian, and so is the de facto translator. When the police chief tells the submarine captain that he is under arrest, and the officer translates, the captain laughs, then starts swearing in Russian. The officer translates this as, "He is very angry...he thinks you're an idiot."
* Averted in ''Film/{{Patton}}''; when at the joint celebration with the Russians, Patton is offered a drink. His response? "I won't drink with that Russian son of a bitch." The translator tries to protest that he cannot say such a thing, but Patton tells him to say it, "word for word." After doing so, the Russian general responds back, "I also think YOU are a son of a bitch." ''That'' is something Patton will drink to, [[ActuallyPrettyFunny one son of a bitch to another]].

* In ''Film/{{Innerspace}}'', when Jack first tells the lab that Tuck is inside him, they start asking Tuck questions, which he can hear. But, of course, Jack has to repeat Tuck's responses. One lab guy assures Tuck that they will get him out and Tuck replies "You better, you two faced son of a..." and Jack repeats "He says thank you."

* In ''Film/Apollo13'':
-->'''CAPCOM:''' Aquarius, watch that middle gimbal. We don't want you tumbling off into space.\\
'''Jim Lovell:''' [[IsThisThingStillOn Freddo, inform Houston I'm well aware of the God-damned gimbals!]]\\
'''Fred Haise:''' ''[calmly]'' Roger that, Houston.

* Much of the humour from the TV Movie ''Film/SpiesLiesAndNakedThighs'' comes from a main character's job as a UN translator. A straight example features a man brandishing a knife across a negotiating table and being translated as inviting the person on the other side of the table to pursue his complaint through the proper channels.
* In ''Film/GranTorino'', Sue's grandmother launches into a furious tirade to Walt, which Sue tries to spin as a welcome to her home, despite her delivery and body language making it obvious what kind of things she's really saying.
-->'''Walt:''' What did she say?\\
'''Sue:''' Uh, she said "Welcome to our home."\\
'''Walt:''' ''[sarcastically]'' Yeah, right.
* {{Inverted}} in ''Film/{{Fearless|2006}}''. Before a match with a '''huge''' American wrestler, protagonist Huo Yuanjia (Creator/JetLi) is asked to sign a waiver stating that he understands the fight may result in his death. Huo then gives a speech politely stating why he disapproves of death matches and more or less saying LetsFightLikeGentlemen. The wrestler's Chinese translator tells the wrestler that Huo [[TrashTalk threatened to beat him up]]. This gets the wrestler [[MotivationalLie fired up and even more determined to win]].
* In ''Film/MrBaseball'', Tom Selleck plays an American baseball player who signs up with a Japanese team. He requires a translator, who regularly invents comically false translations to avoid the outrage that would be caused by the player's offensive and irreverent comments.
* ''Film/{{Snowden}}'', when Snowden shows up at a bankster venue, a Russian diplomat addresses him saying that he is either a fool or a spy. Snowden doesn't understand Russian and the translator politely tells him "Mr. Debrinin asks your business card, please."
* In ''Film/TheMagnificentSeven2016'', Red Harvest examined a plate of food with disgust and commented that, "white men's food is only fit for dogs" in Comanche. When asked about what he said, Chisolm replied that Red Harvest wasn't hungry.
* ''Film/ThePaintedVeil'': When Walter Fane (a British doctor in China), with his government-assigned translator Col. Yu, goes to a local warlord to request his cooperation in fighting a cholera epidemic. When the warlord responds with an angry tirade, Walter tacitly invokes this trope to let Col. Yu take over negotiations. The Colonel proceeds to "translate" an insult into a tactfully-worded ''threat'' that gets the result they need:
-->'''Colonel Yu:''' ''[deadpan]'' [[TranslationYes He said no]].\\
'''Walter Fane:''' He doesn't speak any English, does he? Tell him that's the most ridiculous suit that I've ever seen.\\
'''Colonel Yu:''' ''[in Chinese]'' This Doctor respects you greatly, and you are right. It is quite a mess, this epidemic. But my superior said if your men cannot control it, then our army will be happy to come out here and help you. After seeing this place, it's so overwhelming, I'm afraid once our soldiers are here they won't want to leave.
* Done to hilarious effect in Creator/MelBrooks' ''Film/SilentMovie''. When Marty Eggs offers a woman a lengthy proposition (which is not translated to a title card), she smacks him over the head with her purse. Marty stumbles around until Mel Funn steadies him; Mel's mouth visibly forms the phrase, "You dumb son of a bitch!" The title card, however, reads, "You bad boy."
* In ''Film/FourWeddingsAndAFuneral'', Charles and Carrie run into his deaf brother while out shopping. Charles and his brother proceed to converse in sign language, with Charles making derogatory comments about Carrie's fiance (he's in love with her) and his brother making complimentary ones about her breasts. All the while, Charles is telling her that they're offering congratulations.
* Inverted in ''Film/{{Krampus}}'', when Omi -- the Austrian grandmother -- says a long sentence in unsubtitled German. Jordan asks what she said, and Aunt Dorothy -- who has been established not to speak German -- replies "She says we're fucked." Omi shrugs, as if to say, "close enough".

* In ''Film/RushHour3'', Lee and Carter interrogate [[TheTriadsAndTheTongs a Triad member]] that only speaks French, requesting the help of a nearby nun as their interpreter. She serves the job well, but chooses to self-censor the man calling Carter the N-word and Lee "a word that means 'cat' and another word that rhymes with 'maggot'". This in turn leads to the duo awkwardly asking her to relay their insults back at him through [[TWordEuphemism T-Word Euphemisms]] ("Tell this piece of S-word that I'll personally F-word him up."), but this quickly breaks down and costs them their patience.
-->'''Lee''': Well, you can tell him he's a A.W.!\\
'''Carter''': ''(whispering)'' Lee, I think "hole" is spelled with an H.\\
'''Nun''': ''(helpfully)'' I have a dictionary upstairs.\\
'''Lee''': [[PrecisionFStrike Just call him an asshole]]!

* Attempted in ''Literature/Eclipse2007'', but ultimately subverted. Edward tries to give a more polite wording to what Jacob is thinking, but that just annoys Jacob, who growls at Edward to translate accurately.
* ''Literature/TheWarlordChronicles'' gives us a page quote when the BoisterousBruiser Saxon warrior king Aelle faces off with a coalition of Briton princes, generals, and warlords. When called upon to surrender and offered mercy, Aelle responds with [[CutHisHeartOutWithASpoon an incredibly long-winded and detailed set of threats, tortures and torments]] toward every notable figure on the British side. (Believe it or not, the version on the quote page is ''much'' shorter than the full thing). The translator's version is simply "He says no." The trope also gets lampshaded, as right after Derfel translates Aelle's speech, Meurig responds "[[TranslationYes Surely he said more than that]]?" The OldSoldier Sagramor, [[SeenItAll who has been doing this sort of thing for his almost his entire life]], just tells Meurig "[[YouDoNotWantToKnow You don't want to know what he really said]]."
* In ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', when Daenerys negotiates for the purchase of a slave army in Astapor, one of the merchants insults her repeatedly with [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain lewd and sexist comments]], but his young slave interpreter translates this much more politely. Of course, neither the slave nor the merchant [[CompletelyUnnecessaryTranslator realize at that point]] that [[ObfuscatingStupidity Dany actually does]] [[BilingualBackfire speak their language]]. She's impressed by the translator's wit and brings her into her service, and of course reveals her understanding later when she [[spoiler:has her dragon light the merchant on fire.]]
* In ''Literature/{{Windhaven}}'', someone is executed for doing this. She was carrying very rude verbal messages between two places at risk of war, and made them a bit more polite. When her employer found out he had her killed, and though he was removed from his position for insanity shortly thereafter, he was considered within his rights to do so. They take the job of delivering the exact message seriously.
* A large part of Bren Cameron's job in Creator/CJCherryh's Literature/{{Foreigner|1994}}-verse, as the ''only'' person authorized by treaty to translate between a human settlement and the government of the other intelligent species on the planet. Even when, as in later books, he's not the only person who can translate, his skill at tact and diplomacy is exceptionally valuable.
* Comes up in the Literature/XWingSeries. Wedge Antilles flies the fake ''Falcon'', ''Millenium Falsehood'' with Chewbacca as copilot, but since he doesn't understand the Wookiee, he brings along a translator droid. While Chewbacca physically can't speak Basic, he does understand it, and he takes offense to Squeaky not translating the more colorful elements of his speech.
* ''Literature/TheDevilsDictionary'' defines an interpreter as "one who enables two persons of different languages to understand each other by repeating to each what it would have been to the interpreter's advantage for the other to have said".

* ''Literature/SpaceCadet'' by Creator/RobertAHeinlein. Tex wants to know how the Venusians expect to get their rocketship out of the mud it's crashed in. Oscar translates this, and their matriarch replies, "Tell thy impatient daughter [the Venusians assume humans have a female-dominated society like their own, so presume the cadets are female] to chase her fish and I shall chase mine." Tex replies, "No need for her to be rude about it." When the matriarch asks what he said, Oscar tells her "'She' thanks thee for the lesson."

* The title character in ''Literature/MaraDaughterOfTheNile'' tries to do this when the first meeting between the king and the foreign princess he is betrothed to doesn't go so well. Unfortunately for Mara, she forgot that the king also speaks Babylonian.

* In Creator/WenSpencer's ''Literature/{{Tinker}}'', inverted -- an elf informs a man, in Low Elvish, that two children are under the protection of the Wolf Who Rules. The man asks what it means. A woman tells him that it means hands off the kids, or I'll break your face. Which is, indeed, what it ''means''.

* Mike Stearns defies the trope in the first book, ordering his interpreter to "Translate precisely!" so that he can let the Mayor of Jena know the ''exact'' width and breadth of his displeasure.
* ''Literature/ProfessorMmaasLecture'': The interpreter present at the talks between the termite Prime Minister and the ant delegate does wonders in translating the ant's suave TroubleEntendre into the Minister's blunt plain talk, and vice versa.

* Literature/ThursdayNext's brother, The Very Irreverend Joffy Next, finds himself doing this when one of the saints of his religion returns and proves to be an obnoxious, sexist boor whose only saving grace is that he speaks Old English so almost no-one can understand his comments.
* In the ''Literature/RiversOfLondon'' book ''Whispers Underground'', Peter has a conversation with a Taiwanese sorceress through a translator. At one point the translator simply tells him that she's gone into a speech about mainland China, she feels very strongly about it, and could he just try to look interested.
* In the East German children book "Die dampfenden Hälse der Pferde im Turm zu Babel" by Franz Fühmann, Emanuel, one of the children protagonists, fishes an X, a C and a Q out of a noodle soup ("blast, the hardest ones") and imagines Xerxes and Julius Cäsar meeting. The Q is a Quatschkopf [[note]](untranslatable mix of "fool" and "motormouth")[[/note]], i.e. their translator, who cleverly derails their inevitable declarations of war by telling them outright lies. (Q and his player, who after all is named after Immanuel Kant and is the book avatar of reason, is not too happy with this and goes lengths to vindicate it before his conscience.)
* Defied in the Mageworlds prequel ''Literature/TheGatheringFlame'', when Warhammer's Number-Two Gunner, Tillijin, introduces a passenger to the Ship's Engineer, Ferrada, a hulking saurian who understands human speech but doesn't speak it himself:
-->'''Tillijin:''' This is Ferradacor, son of Rillikkikk. Ferrada, for short.\\
'''Ferrada:''' ''[makes rumbling bass noises]''\\
'''Tillijin:''' He says he's pleased to meet you.\\
'''Ferrada:''' ''[speaks again, this time to Tillijin]''\\
'''Tillijin:''' It was a loose translation, she's new here.\\
'''Ferrada:''' ''[speaks once more]''\\
'''Tillijin:''' Oh, all right. He says, "Another damned [[FantasticSlurs thin-skin]]. I hope she does not get in the way."

* ''Series/{{Barbarians}}'': Upon Thusnelda telling her husband Arminius to tell the Roman Governor Varus that she would cut his balls off and feed them to the dogs, Arminius tells Varus that Thusnelda is honored to meet the Roman Governor.
* In ''Series/{{Yes Minister}}'' an unrealistic political proposal was being circulated round the civil servants at a British department of state for their opinions as to how they could make the politicians' flawed idea work. Rather than swear outright, Jim Hacker expressed dissent by writing '''Round Objects!''' (ie, ''Balls!'') next to one of the more outlandishly unrealistic propositions. When it got back to Sir Humphrey, he inquired, loftily, "Who is this Round and to what does he object?"

* In ''Series/{{Lost}}'' there's a scene in which Sayid is translating questions and responses between an American sergeant and a countryman of his. When his countryman's responses do nothing but tell Sayid to kill every American soldier in the room holding them captive, Sayid translates this as "He doesn't know."
* In the ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "Dagger of the Mind", after Spock relates the state and warning of a seemingly mentally ill patient to Kirk via communicator, the nearby Dr. Noelle says, "Well, that's foolish!" Her being further away, Spock doesn't hear all of the comment and asks Kirk to repeat it, prompting him to say, "Tell [=McCoy=] the technical expert he sent along with me insists that any concern is... unjustified."
* Melinda from ''Series/GhostWhisperer'' tends to carefully reinterpret what the dead are really saying.

* ''Series/BoardwalkEmpire'': {{Averted|Trope}} in the first season, when a Jewish criminal with a bad gunshot wound is dragged into [[OpenHeartDentistry a dentist's office]] for medical treatment just as the dentist was about to examine a young boy. Agent Van Alden tries to press the gangster for information about what happened, but the gangster responds by insulting Van Alden in Yiddish, with the insult causing a nearby woman (the young boy's mother) to gasp in horror and makes Van Alden's partner Agent Sebso look around in consternation. Van Alden demands that the woman translate, and when she protests that she can't say such filth, he insists that she translate "word for word". She reluctantly complies and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDLIpJv9-GI we get the following]]:
-->'''Middle aged Jewish woman:''' He says you should fuck your grandmother... with your faggot penis!\\
'''Agent Sebso:''' ''Little'' faggot penis.
* ''Series/TheWestWing'' averts this regarding the deaf pollster Joey Lucas, whose translators always say exactly what she signs. Her (well, her translator's) first line involved calling Josh an "unmitigated jackass". It also lead to a few funny moments.
-->'''Joey:''' ''[through Kenny]'' Joshua Lyman, you have the cutest little butt in professional politics.\\
'''Josh:''' Kenny, that really better have been her talking.
* Discussed in ''Answered by Fire''. An Australian police officer working with the UN insists that his East Timorese translator tell him exactly what the people he's talking to are saying. The translator protests that the Timorese often misunderstand what the Australian is saying, and he has to correct them before they start going off on another tangent and everything takes twice as long.
* {{Invoked|Trope}} by Captain Pellew in the ''[[Series/HoratioHornblower Hornblower]]'' episode "The Examination for Lieutenant" (also known as "The Fire Ships"). The ''Indefatigable'' is at anchor in a Spanish harbor when a Spanish captain arrives aboard to inform them that Spain intends to abandon their posture of neutrality and formally ally with France. Pellew's sense of personal dignity won't let him be rude, but he is too [[{{Angrish}} flustered]] to formulate a reply, leaving Hornblower (acting as a translator/interpreter, [[CommonTongue speaking French with the Spaniard]]) to contrive out an appropriate reply on the spot while Pellew grits his teeth.
-->'''Pellew:''' What? What is he saying?\\
'''Hornblower:''' According to the rules of neutrality -- we have six hours before the Spanish start firing on us, sir.\\
'''Pellew:''' ''[livid]'' You tell him, sir... Damned if I'll let him see he's made me angry! ''[fuming, but with a stiff smile toward the Spanish captain]'' You tell him, sir... You know the sort of things I want to say, don't you, Hornblower.\\
'''Hornblower:''' Yes, sir. Er... ''Le capitaine regrette beaucoup les circonstances qui vous séparent de lui et il... espère toujours avoir le plaisir de votre amitié personnelle, quelle que soit la relation de nos deux pays.'' [[note]]The captain very much regrets the circumstances which separate you from he, and he still hopes to maintain the pleasure of your personal friendship whatever the relations between our countries.[[/note]]\\
'''Spanish captain:''' ''[bows, impressed]''\\
'''Pellew:''' Get him over the side. ''[forced smile]'' With dignity.
* ''Series/BreakingBad'' uses the deadpan "that means no" version in the second season. After Tuco's death, his uncle Hector is brought to the DEA office and is asked if Jesse was there at the house during the time in question. If Hector says yes, it would blow a major hole in the stories that Jesse and Walt have prepared and get them into a lot of trouble. Fortunately, Gomez points out that Hector is a [[RetiredMonster old-school Mexican gangster]], and despite being rendered mute and wheelchair bound by a stroke, he's not the type to cooperate with police. When Hank asks if Hector is going to help them, Hector responds by looking Hank dead in the eyes, then takes a long, liquidy shit. (In other words, he ''literally'' shit on the idea.)
-->'''Hank:''' I guess that's a no.
* In ''Series/GameOfThrones''' third season, Daenerys goes to the city of Astapor to potentially buy an army of slave soldiers. The slavermaster, who only speaks Valyrian, constantly makes insulting remarks to Daenerys, referring to her as a "stupid Western whore," and remarking to one of the other slavers that he's only offering her such a good deal because he likes "the curve of her ass," while the slave translating for him either filters these comments out, or changes them into him offering a deal "because he is generous." Then after the slavers turn over control of the army, [[spoiler: they find out that Daenerys actually spoke perfect Valyrian all along and knew ''exactly'' what he was saying. Cue OhCrap look from the slavermaster]]. Missandei, the slave who translates for him later enters Dany's service and translates honestly, though she does express embarrassment for the insults she sometimes has to relay. It happens again with Missandei when she struggles to describe Tyrion in Valyrian to Grey Worm in a respectful manner, eventually settling on "short one." Tyrion immediately interjects (in Valyrian, no less) that he believes the proper term is "dwarf".
* ''Series/KeyAndPeele'' uses an inversion as the premise for the "Luther, Anger Translator" series of sketches. President Obama (Peele) gives an address in typically mild [[WindbagPolitician politic-speak]], which Luther (Key) "translates" into the [[ChewingTheScenery intensely emotional]] language that he really means. The real Obama liked the routine so much that he invited Key to [[{{Defictionalization}} do it live]] with him at the 2015 White House Correspondents' Dinner.

* Inverted in an episode of ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''. Raj starts dating a woman named Emily who is deaf and can only communicate through sign language. The gang begin to worry that Emily may be just using Raj for his money, so Penny goes to Emily's gym to "talk" to her about it, bringing Howard (who knows ASL) as a translator. Penny is as diplomatic as possible, telling Emily that Raj is prone to becoming infatuated too quickly, and she's concerned that Emily may be unintentionally taking advantage of his generosity. Howard translates this as "Are you a {{Golddigger}}, yes or no?".
* In ''Series/{{Vikings}}'' Athelstan becomes the translator for Lagertha and a completely smitten King Ecbert. Though he seems bemused by Ecbert's attraction, he also downplays some of their words to each other, presumably out of loyalty to Ragnar (Lagertha's ex-husband, who still has considerable feelings for her). As such, Ecbert's lengthy declaration about how beautiful, fascinating and wonderful Lagertha is simply becomes: "He likes you." Later, after being invited to Ecbert's villa, Lagertha agrees and declares that: "I need a bath." Athelstan significantly leaves this out when he relates her words to Ecbert.
* ''Series/TheYoungIndianaJonesChronicles'': While fighting in the Mexican revolution, Indy is tasked with translating the {{Title Card}}s of captured American silent films and newsreels. When the reel turns to the revolution from an American perspective, Indy attempts to play off the footage as respectful to Pancho Villa, but fails: the revolutionaries shoot up the theater.
-->'''Title Card:''' To the Halls of Montezuma! US troops sweep into Mexico.\\
'''Indy:''' US troops... pay a courtesy visit to Canada.\\
'''Card:''' General Pershing: "We shall soon have that cowardly bandit Pancho Villa on the run."\\
'''Indy:''' It says General Pancho Villa... is a great man.

* Not a political example, but in an episode of ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' Roz drafts Frasier to break up with her French boyfriend for her, since her boyfriend doesn't speak English and she doesn't speak French. Frasier reluctantly proceeds to do so, only to discover that Roz's boyfriend has been wanting to break up with her for some time. Frasier naturally doesn't tell Roz this bit, so while Roz thinks that Frasier is translating her heartfelt speech about why she and her boyfriend are not meant to be, Frasier and the guy are ''actually'' discussing a good place to get a steak.
* ''Series/TheSopranos'': In season 2 Tony, Paulie and Christopher travel to Naples to negotiate deals with the local mafia. Furio translates between Tony and the local boss, toning down Tony's brashness and severely toning down the local mob boss's clear disdain for Americans.

* ''Series/{{Andor}}'': The elder of an Aldhani tribe greets the Imperial military governor with a backhanded StealthInsult ("may the Eye remain open long enough to find good in you") in the native tongue. [[TheMole Lt. Gorn]] — the only Imperial who speaks the Aldhani language — decides to "translate" this as a very generous and friendly greeting. The elder gives Gorn a surprised look, implying he understands Basic but refuses to speak it.

* In ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'', [[DeadpanSnarker Landon Ricketts]] did this to the protagonist in one mission. Marston gave elaborate descriptions of his target, and Landon gave the Mexican informant very basic ones. Made much worse by the fact that Marston knew enough Spanish to ask (or at least understand) these things himself, and Landon [[CaptainObvious even translated the answers]] which Marston objected.
* PlayedForLaughs constantly with hapless Protocol droids and translators in ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic,'' doubly so if they're translating for Hutts. Huttese is second only to Galactic Basic as a "default" language, and all of the {{Player Character}}s are perfectly able to understand it, but there are still situations where the Hutt will declare something like ''"Winner gets to eat my translator!"'' and the hapless translator has to spin it "Uh...may the winners feast on victory!"

* A subversion in ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince'', via BilingualBonus. When Viren says that he only tried to claim the throne out of love for humanity and their kingdom, Gren translates Amaya's signing as "I have found a giant pile of bull...[[LastSecondWordSwap droppings.]]" The implication to Viren (and the audience) is that she said "bullshit" and Gren translated it more nicely, but she actually did sign "bull droppings", meaning she and Gren are trolling Viren by making him think this trope is in play.
** A straight example in season 3, when Janai is interrogating Amaya, with Kazi interpreting. When Janai demands that Amaya "say something," Amaya signs "Why not take your sword [[AssShove and stick it up your ass]]?" Kazi exclaims softly in mortification and hedges a bit before getting out: "She suggested an unusual way in which your body might accomodate your sword."

* ''WebVideo/DreamSMP'': PlayedForLaughd. During the Manburg era and the time leading up to it, Quackity nicknamed the White House (the Presidential Headquarters of L'Manburg and later Manburg) the "''casa de putas''", but whenever he's asked for a translation of the name, he "[[{{Bowdlerize}} trans]][[HidingBehindTheLanguageBarrier lates]]" it to "toilet" or "bathroom".[[note]]The actual translation would literally be "house of whores/bitches", i.e. "whorehouse" or "brothel".[[/note]]

* ''LetsPlay/DreamSMP'': During the Manburg era and the time leading up to it, Quackity nicknamed the White House (the Presidential Headquarters of L'Manburg and later Manburg) the "''casa de putas''", but whenever he's asked for a translation of the name, he [[{{Bowdlerize}} translates]] it to "toilet" or "bathroom".[[note]]The actual translation would literally be "house of whores/bitches", i.e. "whorehouse" or "brothel".[[/note]]

'''StudentCouncilPresident:''' Hm. ''[to thug]'' Now listen you punk, there is no way you'd beat me. So step off, 'cuz you ain't even got one chance in a billion, you loser bi-atch.\\

'''StudentCouncilPresident:''' Oh, it's nothing, only what I've gleamed in books. I'm... Not certain he'll understand my translation, though...
* ''Manga/BlackLagoon'''s Rock tries to do this to the Japanese with whom Balalaika is trying to speak, until she catches on and insists he take fewer creative liberties.
* In the ''Manga/{{Basara}}'' appendix ''Kanata'' Sakaki does this, to hide Shuri's rudeness. We aren't told what he translates it to, though.

** A meta example: in [[http://www.geocities.jp/himaruya/omochi.html one of his mochi strips]] (titled "Beautiful Rice Cake"), the [[MakesJustAsMuchSenseInContext "king of rice cakes"]] drops tons of {{ClusterFBomb}}s in English, but the translations provided use polite language. For example:
-->'''Mochi:''' Get out of my sight! Holy bitch!\\