I’m writing about a Mexican company called Peliculas y Videos Internationales SA de CV and I’m trying to come up with a reasonable English translation. I’ve gotten as far as “International _____ and Videos, Variable Capital Company.” But I can’t figure out what “Peliculas” means. Help!
Peliculas are films (movies).
Hard to find in a translator because the I in “pelicula” is an í.
Ah, that’s why. I suspected there might be an accent in there somewhere, but I had no idea how to go about guessing where it might be. Thanks guys.
In general, the accent in Spanish words is placed on the penultimate syllable by default. If a different syllable is accented, then an accent mark is included. Of course, like all language rules, there are exceptions.
So what are you going to go with? “Films” or “movies”?
go with “movies”. highschool spanish teacher equated “peliculas” with “movies”…
Depends on whether the company is trying to differentiate film from video as far as the service they provide. After all videos can include movies.
Probably either way – like in English “film” means that stuff you put into a camera, or a movie, “pelicula” (with accent) serves the same purpose (and just to be complete, yeah, common vernacular is “rollo” for your antiquated roll-using cameras).
However, the company itself would probably choose to use “film,” since it’s a medium and video is another.
What rings better?: “International Film(s) and Video(s)” or “International Movie(s) and Video(s)”
Of course, if it’s granted that both media are movies, then it’s in fact redundant to use “movies” instead of “films”
Finally, using plural is another stylistic choice in the translation – it’s not really necessary in English, and using the singular (in my opinion) sounds better.
Not quite. If there is an accent mark, that’s where the accent is. Otherwise, if the word ends in a vowel, n or s, the accent is on the next-to-last syllable. If none of these conditions is true the accent is on the last syllable.
Thanks, all. I’ve decided to go with “International Films and Videos.” I’m keeping the plural, because I want to stick to the original as far as possible. “Films” seems better to me as a contrast with “videos” and to any avoid overlap in meaning created by “movies.”
I dealt with a similar issue with regard to a French company a couple of years ago. I wonder if anyone would like to comment on my choice. The company was Société des Bains de Mer et du Cercle des Étrangers à Monaco. I translated it as “the Monaco Beach Resort and Foreigners’ Club Co.”
I speak nor read no French, but here’s my translation anyway!!!
“Society of the Bath of the Sea and Your Circle of Strangers at Monaco”
If I’d not seen your translation, I’d be laughing at myself right now – but yet, it makes sense in a strange sort of way. 
“Films” is also better because a pelicle is a film, not a movie.