Let's all join the National Guard!!!

**Aemilius Paulus** · 02-15-2010, 20:10

Originally Posted by Lemur

Tothis day, this remains my favorite military commercial of all time. There's something abut the glossed-out blonde bringing the tank dude an earthware jug that cracks me up every time.

Yeah, but the bloke who translated it was either a lousy Ukrainian speaker or most likely, exaggerating. I speak fluent Ukrainian, and the words do not match, not at all. The meaning is rather distorted. But sheesh, that was one cheesy commercial.

I wonder how old it is - the music is early 2000s, and even then it was seen something as awkward folk rock... Then again, the commercial makes a point of military service under contract - and IIRC, Ukraine is still using the levy system of all able-bodied 18-year-old males. The general contract bill has yet to be passed into the law. So if we take the legal chronology, the commercial should not be too old.

The earthenware jug is symbolism, just as the sol' (salt) and kalach' (bread) that the traditionally-dressed girls treat foreign visitors with. I wonder why they stuck it there, though. The commercial does not harken back to the past of Ukraine in any other manner, so sticking in the jug in was oddly anachronistic.

EDIT: Check out this Austrian recruiting commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99qU...eature=related

A copy of the Ukrainian one. Did the Ukrainians steal it from the Austrians? Or did the Austrians do the same, but vice versa? Hmmm, why do I have a sneaking suspicion it was the former option...

**Husar** · 02-15-2010, 22:28

Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus

EDIT: Check out this Austrian recruiting commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99qU...eature=related

A copy of the Ukrainian one. Did the Ukrainians steal it from the Austrians? Or did the Austrians do the same, but vice versa? Hmmm, why do I have a sneaking suspicion it was the former option...

Well, I know for sure that you stole it from post #20...
I am rather sure the Austrians stole it from the Ukrainians as the austrian one is rather recent, in fact it caused a bit of a stir earlier this year in austria for being sexist and some minister apoligized for it IIRC.

Oh and thanks for the explanations on the ukrainian video.

**The Wizard** · 02-15-2010, 22:36

EDIT: Argh, spmetla got there first

Well then: not really a recruiting video, but still!

**drone** · 02-15-2010, 22:44

This thread is ground zero for a Lemur's disease outbreak.

**Aemilius Paulus** · 02-15-2010, 22:46

Originally Posted by Husar

Well, I know for sure that you stole it from post #20...

Oh, so sorry

Yeah, I did not check your link... In fact, I somehow seemed to have skipped over your post, despite my unwavering policy to read the whole thread before posting.

Originally Posted by Husar

I am rather sure the Austrians stole it from the Ukrainians as the austrian one is rather recent, in fact it caused a bit of a stir earlier this year in austria for being sexist and some minister apoligized for it IIRC.

Wow, talk about setting new lows, stealing from the Ukrainians

... But 'sexist'? Since when is a story of boys trying to impress girls sexist? I mean, I know about the objectification of women, but this is perfectly natural behaviour.

EDIT: Just for the record, I hold Ukrainian citizenship as well as Russian, technically, although the reality is quite complicated. Also, I am, crudely speaking, half-Russian and half-Ukrainian, although my mother has strong German as well as Russian roots, and my father has hazy Polish roots in tandem with his main classification as a Ukrainian.

**Crazed Rabbit** · 02-16-2010, 00:18

That Ukrainian one is the clear standout, but let's not forget the old 80s army commercials, complete with terrible jingles and attempts to sound totally radical;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebjl...eature=related

And of course, The Army; where you learn how to become an engineer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBiG...eature=related

CR

**ajaxfetish** · 02-16-2010, 00:56

Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus

I mean, I know about the objectification of women, but this is perfectly natural behaviour.

Perhaps it's possible for perfectly natural behavior to be sexist?

Ajax

**Yaropolk** · 02-16-2010, 22:31

Originally Posted by Aemilius Paulus

Yeah, but the bloke who translated it was either a lousy Ukrainian speaker or most likely, exaggerating. I speak fluent Ukrainian, and the words do not match, not at all. The meaning is rather distorted. But sheesh, that was one cheesy commercial.

I wonder how old it is - the music is early 2000s, and even then it was seen something as awkward folk rock... Then again, the commercial makes a point of military service under contract - and IIRC, Ukraine is still using the levy system of all able-bodied 18-year-old males. The general contract bill has yet to be passed into the law. So if we take the legal chronology, the commercial should not be too old.

My friend, you have to polish up on your fluent Ukrainian. The translation is spot on, they did a great job. The tune is a rap song, "Black BMW" which was released in 2005 and went multi-platinum in the former Russian states. It's about the rapper showing off his Black BMW to some girls - which is what they're mocking in this commercial. Ukraine has a 2 year conscription at age 18 where recruits go through basic and specialist training. After 2 years most recruits are discharged as sergeants, but some choose to sign a voluntary contract to stay on and make the military their career. This commercials tries to convince enlistees to do the latter.

As for the sexist comment, the standard really depends on the country. This video just reflects reality. In Ukraine there are very few opportunities, and any man with money will get a gaggle of girls around him. The last time I went to Ukraine was 6 years ago. I went to a spa, the owner advertised the services of their call girls right in the sauna - buy one get one free for the night for $20. I am sure that prices might have gone up, but the scenario is just as likely today.

**Strike For The South** · 02-16-2010, 22:33

Originally Posted by Yaropolk

My friend, you have to polish up on your fluent Ukrainian. The translation is spot on, they did a great job. The tune is a rap song, "Black BMW" which was released in 2005 and went multi-platinum in the former Russian states. It's about the rapper showing off his Black BMW to some girls - which is what they're mocking in this commercial. Ukraine has a 2 year conscription at age 18 where recruits go through basic and specialist training. After 2 years most recruites are discharged as sergeants, but some choose to sign a voluntary contract to stay on and make the military their career. This commercials tries to convince enlistees to do the latter.

Oh snap

**Centurion1** · 02-16-2010, 22:44

Ill start up the beatbox, i feel a rap off coming up in here.

**Aemilius Paulus** · 02-17-2010, 00:34

Originally Posted by Yaropolk

My friend, you have to polish up on your fluent Ukrainian. The translation is spot on, they did a great job. The tune is a rap song, "Black BMW" which was released in 2005 and went multi-platinum in the former Russian states. It's about the rapper showing off his Black BMW to some girls - which is what they're mocking in this commercial. Ukraine has a 2 year conscription at age 18 where recruits go through basic and specialist training. After 2 years most recruits are discharged as sergeants, but some choose to sign a voluntary contract to stay on and make the military their career. This commercials tries to convince enlistees to do the latter.

O chim ti ghovorish?

Ya rozmovliau po ukrainiski bez niyakih problem. Moya ghramatika mozhi bute ne zovsim doskonala, ale ya ymiu perevoditi ne girshe byd'-yakogho hohla

Shchozh, zvidki ti, ah? Ya prozhivav v Kyiv ta v Chernivtsah, v Ukraini. A ti yak?

'Ny!?!' does not qualify as 'WTF'. Not in this reality. Then, moving on, 'duzhe hochetsya vodichki napitis' is literally translated as 'I really wanna get a drink of water until I am sated', whereas the 'wouldn't mind a sip of water' is a rather liberal translation - a middle ground could have been reached. Furthermore, the slutty-looking blond with a pseudo-beret says 'Military/Army [contract], [pause] for now' and not 'Army stupid lol'. No 'asshole' in the end either, just the grandma reference as already translated. Additionally, Overlooking the 'hero's' instead of he proper plural 'heroes', 'zbroini sili' means 'armed forces', and not simply the 'Army'.

Overall, nitpicking aside, the translation was made vulgar, which the original was not. As the Israeli and Australian tourism ads showed, even certain minor oaths (more in the Aussie case) stir quite some controversy, something that is not true in the case of the Ukrainian ad.

Anyhow, personally, I like this version better.

Originally Posted by Yaropolk

Ukraine has a 2 year conscription at age 18 where recruits go through basic and specialist training. After 2 years most recruits are discharged as sergeants, but some choose to sign a voluntary contract to stay on and make the military their career. This commercials tries to convince enlistees to do the latter.

Ahh, I see. So they have not passed the bill yet. Too bad, Russia already did, and the same largely goes for most other CIS nations. I believe, though, the bill was promised to be implemented in 2010. But I suppose there are more important things to do. At the same time, it is likely that abandoning the mass conscription could be a budget-tightening measure.

**Yaropolk** · 02-17-2010, 03:35

You're quite fluent then! But I still think they did a great job translating to make it sound like conversational english. What bill are you referring to? As far as I know none of the former CIS countries have repealed the draft.