I am, curiously enough, a big NFL fan. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of getting smothered playing football at the local park with neighborhood kids. However, it is not a popular sport in China. Teamwork, strategy and controlled violence are probably not things to be encouraged, all things considered. With the 2009-10 NFL season now underway, I thought I’d take a moment to dissect the Chinese translation of team names. As with most foreign names, the Chinese either translates the meaning, transliterates the sound or does both.
AFC
East
Buffalo Bills水牛城比尔队 : Bi-er (sound)
Miami Dolphins迈阿密海豚 : Dolphins
New England Patriots新英格兰爱国者 : Patriotic People (lost the heroic overtone)
New York Jets纽约喷气机 : Jet Engine (not the whole plane, just the engine)
South
Houston Texans休斯顿德克萨斯人 : Texans
Indianapolis Colts印第安那小马 : Little Horse (the Chinese word for Colt is cuter)
Jacksonville Jaguars杰克逊维尔美洲虎 : Jaguar
Tennessee Titans田纳西泰坦 : Titan
West
Denver Broncos丹佛野马 : Bronco
Kansas City Chiefs堪萨斯城酋长 : Tribal Chief
Oakland Raiders奥克兰袭击者 : Surprise Attackers (beware of them in bathrooms)
San Diego Chargers 圣地亚哥电光 : Electric Bolts (Shazam!)
North
Baltimore Ravens巴尔的摩乌鸦 : Ravens
Cincinnati Bengals辛辛纳提孟加拉虎 : Bengals
Cleveland Browns克利夫兰布朗 : Bu-lang (sound)
Pittsburgh Steelers匹兹堡钢人 : Steel People (Not Village People)
NFC
East
Dallas Cowboys达拉斯牛仔 : Cowboys
New York Giants纽约巨人 : Giants
Philadelphia Eagles费城老鹰 : Eagles
Washington Redskins华盛顿红皮肤 : Red Skin (just red skin)
South
Atlanta Falcons亚特兰大猎鹰 : Falcons
Carolina Panthers卡罗莱纳黑豹 : Panthers
New Orleans Saints新奥尔良圣徒 : Saints
Tampa Bay Buccaneers坦帕湾海盗 : Bay Pirates
West
Arizona Cardinals亚利桑那红雀 : Cardinals
San Francisco 49ers旧金山49人 : The “49″ People (doesn’t bode well for the 76ers)
Seattle Seahawks西雅图海鹰 ：Seahawks
St. Louis Rams圣路易斯公羊 ：Rams
North
Chicago Bears芝加哥熊 : Bears
Detroit Lions底特律雄狮 : Lions
Green Bay Packers绿湾包装工 : The Packaging Workers**
Minnesota Vikings明尼苏达维京人 : Vikings
As we can see, the majority of the team names are meaning translations. In general, the spirit of the name is conveyed in its new language. However, differences in cultural background and history occasionally lead to odd results.
What have we learned? Number one rule: avoid Cowboys and Indians. The American frontiersmen and his clashes with Native Americans didn’t translate successfully with the Redskins, Chiefs or the Bills. America’s Team the Cowboys managed to come out okay though.
Ancillary rule: stick to ferocious animals.
