# Dalek to Chinese translation **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491 "2016-01-28T14:15:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491/1 "2016-01-28T14:15:43Z")
OK, a silly premise but still could use a serious answer. As you’re probably aware, Daleks speak in a near-monotone, while Chinese is a tonal language where the same word can mean different things depending on how it’s toned. So how do movies dubbed into Chinese depict someone speaking in a monotone? The words could be duly translated, but a Dalek speaking in a Chinese sing-song voice somehow loses dramatic effect. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491/2 "2016-01-28T14:21:28Z")
This is just a WAG, but maybe they simply lose the dramatic effect and add the needed tonal variations. Another possibility that comes to mind is that the translation is worded very carefully so that it’s unambiguous regardless of tone. I’m not sure if this is possible or not. It would depend on how dependent on tone the language really is. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491/3 "2016-01-28T14:23:49Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Daleks speak in a near-monotone No, they don’t. The ring modulation used in fact produces a very tonal-rich voice for the Daleks. Plus they also have that rising inflection WHEN THEY GET EXCITED! EX -CI -TED! ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491/4 "2016-01-28T15:13:04Z")
I love that as I read this I heard it. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491/5 "2016-01-28T15:40:40Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > No, they don’t. The ring modulation used in fact produces a very tonal-rich voice for the Daleks. Plus they also have that rising inflection WHEN THEY GET EXCITED! EX -CI -TED! Now you’ve got me thinking of Daleks having sex. OH BAY-BE! HARD-ER! DEEP-ER! ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491/6 "2016-01-29T06:10:39Z")
E-JAC-U-LATE! E-JAC-U-LATE! …and extra text added for the stupid all-caps rules… ---
**Author:** ![Enilno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58f4c7/32.png) [@Enilno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enilno)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491/7 "2016-01-29T15:57:09Z")
A dalek speaking monotone chinese would not be difficult to understand. The tones can be inferred by context, otherwise song lyrics would be incomprehensible. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2016, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dalek-to-chinese-translation/744491/8 "2016-01-29T16:11:03Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > E-JAC-U-LATE! E-JAC-U-LATE! You win the thread. Bonus appropriate username.