Why do Netflix German subtitles always make use of formal pronouns?

Question

I am watching a lot of American and English movies on Netflix with the original sound and German subtitles. I've noticed that in the subtitles, when two people are talking, the formal pronouns are always used when the two characters address each other, regardless of their relationship.

For example, a conversation in Sherlock between Sherlock and Watson (extremely good friends, one might say): Sherlock says to Watson something along the lines of: Sie sind […] or Sie haben […] gemacht, while the audio is You are […] or You've done […].

This happens in all the series and movies I have watched. Another example would be The Expanse where crew members would talk to each other in formal language.

I'm assuming it's not a slip-up, since it's Netflix and it's on such a huge scale, but what's the reasoning?

Answer 1

The answer is probably that the choice between du and Sie in productions translated from English is not always necessarily natural. Primarily, this is due to the fact that English does not make the same distinction, so the translators have to guess which pronoun is appropriate starting with the first episode of a series.

If a series shows mostly the work of two or more characters, translators may thus err towards using Sie. At any point in the series, the following can happen:

• Something about the characters' past is revealed that implies they should have called each other du all along.
• The actual relationship between the characters is conceded more depth, or something between the characters changes.

In both cases, continuing to use Sie seems off to German viewers, but on the other hand, it can be hard to naturally switch the pronoun when the original dialogue doesn't. (That is, the original dialogue doesn't contain a line like "Let's say du to each other!", or anything less explicit that provides an obvious good time when characters should start switching to du.)

These issues are a reason for the tongue-in-cheek rule of thumb that in German versions of originally English language shows, "characters only use du if they have slept together" (presumably because no matter how unnatural a sudden switch to du would appear, it's still more believable than the characters sticking with Sie at that point, at least while they're alone).

With that said, it does not seem particularly alien to me for work partners who are also something like friends to use Sie toward each other. Maybe it doesn't happen so much in real life, but it is so common staple in detective shows and similar that two protagonists refer to each other only with their surname (without prepending Frau or Herr) and Sie. This is my impression of the principle at work in Sherlock, and appears in other police procedural or similar shows with two protagonists, as well.

Answer 2

Your assumption that it is not a slip-up because it is Netflix may be wrong. If it was too expensive to put effort in proper dubs or subtitle, or if it does not pay off otherwise they simply will not do it.

Usually we use the formal address Sie to unknown people, people of a higher rank, but also often amongst collegues or sometimes even amongst people we know for long. We always use Du amongst friends nowadays but note that this was different in the times Sherlock Holmes lived, when even children addressed their parents with Sie.

Whatever the intention of that show might be, one thing is for sure: they don't care about language as much as we don't switch from formal to informal and back. If this occurs within the same show it may indicate that more than one person wrote the subtitles and nobody reviewed them.

Answer 3

In the German dubbed version Sherlock and John also use Sie when talking to each other.

One reason might be, that they still have a somehow professional relationship which maybe should be enforced by the use of Sie. Especially in a business context in a German speaking company it is still quite common to use Sie instead of du, even when talking to colleagues you have known for years.

EDIT: Having just watched the first couple minutes of Black Mirror with German audio and German subs, I noted that the subtitles constantly changes between the use of du and Sie even within a single conversation between two people, while in the audio Sie is always used. There is also no obvious reason for the constant change of the pronouns and this can definitely be quite confusing to the viewer. So my conclusion that the German subtitles matches the German dub is not always right. And it even might be true that Netflix actually don't put much effort in producing the subtitles in some cases, however this is just a guess.

Answer 4

The form of address in German is part of the speech and vary in dependence of social relation. Further more it is different in parts of Germany how you address your counterpart by default. So it can be very subtle which address is suitable in which situation.

I don't know other series but for Sherlock in a modern sight as interpreted by the BBC series I can state following:

Sherlock has a special lack of social interaction. This is called Asperger. Often very intelligent people can not interact well just by feelings. Sometimes they have problems to get to close to anybody even nearest family members and close friends. So to keep a formal distance they might use the formal form of address always simply to avoid closer contact. Even if they are aware it is not applicable in this situation or relation they keep this by habit. Simply you also could say it is Sherlocks arrogance to keep everyone under his level even Watson. But how this can be excused related to special "disabilities" of Sherlock is a long, long discussion. ;-)

PS: If Asperger is applicable to Sherlock might be subject of big discussion and might be seen controversal however it narrows his behavior quite well.

Answer 5

(When writing this answer I thought it is about the movie with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. I don't know the series, except knowing that it exists. So instead of old times I guess old fashioned would still apply.)

Not that long ago, people used to talk formally even to their own parents, or siblings, or husbands/wives. That can also be seen/heard in the German audio version of movies that take place in old times (maybe until the early 20th century or so).

Another answer suggests that it is due to the professional relationship between the two protagonists. While this might be part of the reason, I think that it is mostly because of the historical time, because while you would refer to your colleagues as "Sie" today in some companies, you wouldn't do so with your close friends (who may or may not be your colleagues as well).

Answer 6

Inherited literary and historical context

Building on Raimund's answer, while the action of the Sherlock TV series is set in the present, the fictional universe is built on a historical work set in the 19th century, a time when two educated German gentlemen friends would have addressed each other using “Sie” under most circumstances.

This is exacerbated by the German translation of the original works by Sir Arthur¹ to which the series may want to stay faithful to some extent.

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¹ Search for “Sie”, case-sensitive and whole words only. “Späte Rache” (referring to the letters “RACHE” on the wall of the murder scene) is the title of early German translations of “A Study in Scarlet”, now most commonly translated “Eine Studie in Scharlach” or “~ Scharlachrot”. I chose the last chapter because the two characters only get to know each other in the first.

Answer 7

Actually this is more a problem of the English language, which has only you for formal and informal style. (The ancient thou is seldom used outside of the bible, and the other choice is something like attaching "Sir"). Details may be found in Wikipedia under the somewhat dry title T-V distinction.

So each translation has to decide, what is more appropriate for the situation given. In German Sie is used quite often in business contexts as well for the older generation.