How to Spell “Inglourious Basterds”
I went to see Quentin Tarantino’s latest film, Inglourious Basterds, last weekend. I’ve been perturbed ever since. Not so much by the violence, although I don’t really enjoy violence and honestly could have lived just fine without seeing this movie. I just can’t stop wondering about the spelling of the title. Wouldn’t it be fun to take a red pen to a few movie posters and fix the spelling to read “Inglorious Bastards”? (Please note that I am in no way advocating such an action.)
This issue wouldn’t trouble me so much if Tarantino would just say something like, “Yes, I do know how to spell. I deliberately chose to use this particular spelling because …” Would that be so hard? But apparently he’s choosing to play it cagey and not explain the spelling (at least that’s what I turned up in an exhaustive five-minute Internet search). I could even forgive Tarantino for that (artistic license and all) if not for the other reason I’m presently perturbed: I regularly have to correct “basterd” to read “bastard” in manuscripts I edit, and now I suspect there will be even more “basterds” showing up in my work life. But wait—there’s more! Someday someone will argue with me over how to spell “bastard.” I will point to the correct spelling in the dictionary, and the author will reply, “But that’s not how Quentin Tarantino spells it.” I can hardly wait.
2 Comments
Leave a Reply
-
Meta
I can so relate to your post! Spelling errors jump out at me and in this case an explanation is really needed. In Will Smith’s, The Pursuit of Happyness, the reason for the misspelled word was clearly explained in the movie. Quentin Tarantino really needs to give an explanation of the spelling for those who suffer from “anality” (anal retentive) on the subject.
Thanks for the post!
Imagine how Brad Pitt’s character would say it with his southern accent. He would bastardize the pronunciation and so that’s how he decided to spell it. That’s my thoughts anyway. Makes sense to me.