Do people outside of Britain find the accents, slang, and dialogue hard to understand in the Trainspotting films?
Im pretty sure the Aussies and New Zealanders are ok with it as their common language is practically identical to the UK, but what about the Americans, Canadians and the rest of the World?
American here.
I saw Trainspotting when I was 16 and I did have a difficult time understanding Begbie and Spud but not the others. Seeing as I enjoyed the movie, I read some Welsh novels. Those were FAR more difficult to understand, but once I got into the rhythm of the prose, and looked up some of the slang, I got it. Funny story: It took me half a book to understand that, "bairns," meant children and not some model of car. I was SO confused.
Now, this trailer was nothing. I think a reason for that is Spud and Begbie's lack of actual dialogue in the trailer.
So to answer your question... it depends on the character.
There are a few parts that I needed subtitles for, and then a quick Google to make sense of the slang or saying, but mostly I have no problem. I do find myself walking around talking like a Scot for a few days after. Most people are nice enough not to give me a weird look.
Please remember to ensure all your postings are made in compliance with our terms and conditions.
I have very little trouble with the accents, but I live in NYC and hear non-Americans all the time. British slang and/or terminology can be difficult, though. In the first movie I understood why a character named Renton would be called "rent boy" but I didn't know it had a meaning - I thought it was like calling David Beckham "Becks" or something. Even in the new trailer, during Renton's opening monologue I don't quite know what a "zero hour contract" is, though I'm sure my guess is pretty close.
shareA zero hour contract is a fairly new concept, it basically means that you only work when your company wants you to work, some weeks you might work a 40hr week, other times just the 5hrs
shareI read the book several years after I watched the first movie. As many of you know, Welsh writes phonetically with the accents and even has a word translator thing in the back of the book (including the slang, not just phonetically-spelled words. So yeah... it's difficult for almost any non-Scottish person.
"So yeah... it's difficult for almost any non-Scottish person. "
I've read all his books and never had much of a problem. Just by context you can figure out what they're talking about most of the time even if you don't understand the word.
I might have had a little trouble when I first saw the movie, but I don't remember it so I doubt it was much. I've seen the movie probably a dozen times since and have zero problems understanding what they're saying or talking about.
I've always watched stuff from the U.K. Though.
It's a sequence of random images.
I'm a 16 year-old white Canadian boy in Ontario, I understand all of it perfectly, if you take any answer, take mine.
trainspotting is one of my favourite movies in the whole world, and i have watched it numerous times, but the first couple of times or so i did get subtitles...
now mind you, i obviously don't watch english movies with subs but waaaay back when i saw it first i wasn't this ummm....versed in accents...
#cloneclub /i am the topic closer, the real topic closer//if you post after me a faerie gets cookies
I've been all over Britain and people in Glasgow are among the most difficult to understand, especially for Americans.
My vote history: http://us.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=9354248
Well it's difficult to jibe with some accents at first, but it's really childish to let that stop you from enjoying a movie if it has any merit. People turn off too easily because they haven't "built their muscles" in terms of understanding patois. I saw trainspotting when I was 17, and it turned me on to multiple viewings as well as other UK films. Now I can see a UK film with very few problems catching dialogue, and hey, closed captioning is always an option for the literate!
Devil's advocate, though, you DID ask about Americans...er many of us don't like to read so....only speaking for myself here :(