As an avid film enthusiast and professional linguist, I find myself perpetually drawn to the cinematic world. Much like my fellow linguists and translators, immersing ourselves in the latest movie releases is a cherished pastime. However, a recent viewing of “Patriots Day” left me questioning a crucial detail often neglected by Hollywood producers – the accurate portrayal of language and dialects.
The reviews for “Patriots Day” had been promising, and indeed, the film did not disappoint in terms of its cinematic value. Yet, there was one glaring flaw that seemed to have escaped the attention of critics and viewers alike. This a fundamental mistake that could have been easily rectified if Hollywood producers recognized the importance of engaging competent linguists.
Allow me to elaborate:
- “Patriots Day” centers around the Boston Marathon bombing, with the key suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, originating from Kyrgyzstan. The fact was well established in the narrative: “Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, Boston bombing suspect, was born in Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving suspect in the deadly bombing of the Boston Marathon, left the country in 2001.”
- In a pivotal scene in the movie, the younger Tsarnaev is depicted watching a tutorial video on creating homemade nail bombs. The language used in this tutorial video is Levantine Arabic, a considerable oversight.
- This misstep is glaringly obvious as the official language of Kyrgyzstan is Kyrgyz. Tsarnaev did not have a command of fluent Arabic or Levantine. Thus, even as a narrative tool for dramatic effect, the use of Levantine Arabic falls flat and becomes an inaccurate portrayal.
- Unfortunately, the inaccuracy does not end there. During the montage of international news flashes, while other languages were accurately depicted, the representation of Arabic and Urdu news was shockingly incoherent. What was intended to be meaningful dialogue turned out to be Arabic letters arranged in an unformatted, indecipherable manner.
This error is not an isolated incident confined to “Patriots Day.” It is a recurring issue in Hollywood blockbusters like “Mission Impossible Rogue Nation” during the Moroccan scenes, and “Fast and Furious 7” in the Dubai sequences, among others.
“Patriots Day” is an incredibly powerful portrayal of resilience in the face of adversity, love triumphing over hate, and unity defeating violence. These themes demonstrate our capacity as a nation to overcome threats of any magnitude, irrespective of the origin or objectives of our adversaries. However, such inspiring narratives could be further enhanced if Hollywood producers would recognize the importance of linguistic accuracy. By engaging linguists in their creative process, they can ensure authentic language use and prevent such glaring errors from detracting from the overall movie-going experience.
Ali Bekki
Originally published on LinkedIn on January 15, 2017.