Have you ever heard about The Bridgerton book collection? Perhaps you’ve heard about Netflix’s recent adaptations of the first two novels. Both seasons went viral within hours. It tells the story of the Bridgerton family, who are set in the competitive world of the Regency London. Also,
the plot revolves around the social season, that is the moment when the young marriageable gentry are thrust into society. Finally, the key on this saga is a non-visible character, who is called Lady Wistledown, and knows and tells all the secrets of the society. Therefore, we also find the mystery of discovering who hides behind that pseudonym and why she or he
knows everything.
Regarding the script, it is wonderful how it manages to connect the present with the past. On the one hand, it keeps the jargon of that time impeccable. On the other hand, it is also full of references to the present throughout the dialogues. This way, translation is a basic element on the series adaptation.
Find below some of the most popular (Regency) lexicon of the series:
1. Promenade
‘To promenade’ means to walk in public with a “special person”. Many years ago, as no (digital) social media existed, this was the way to show to the rest of the society that you were dating someone.
2. The Ton
This term was used to describe the higher society of London.
3. Courses
The Bridgerton mother’s way of referring to “get your period”.
4. With child
During the whole series, they don’t pronounce at any time the word “pregnant” or “pregnancy”. Instead, they allude to it as “being with child”.
5. Sire and heir
Concerning again with babies, this expression stands for the baby that inherits the family title and fortune.
6. Swoon
I’m sure you’ve faked fainting in style at some point. Well, so that stylish fall is ‘to swoon’.
7. Rake
It is a person, in this case the duke, who has no commitment to anyone but himself. In other words, it is a guy who enjoys having good times.
8. A diamond of first water
It is the person that is considered to be the sensation of the season, or in other words, the one that creates the most hype.
9. Ladybird
This noun refers to someone’s lover or mistress.
10.Leg shackled
This is the way the series refer to ‘be married’.
11.Be betrothed to someone
This expression is a different way of saying ‘to be engaged to someone’. Furthermore, not only do we find this ‘archaic’ lexicon throughout the two seasons available, but also more modern expressions or nouns that bring the past closer to the present. For example, the word ‘spinster’ is one of the most repeated ones; also, it can be seen how they refer to the undesirables as ‘the bucks and pinks’.
For all those reasons and more, translation plays a fundamental role in this series, because it is very important to maintain the essence and spirit of the culture of those times. Have you seen the series before? How has all this been translated into your language? Did you know what all this meant.