# Dodgeball



## winegrower

I was watching a film on TV called "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" and remembered that recently I had been stuck with this word, trying to translate it in Greek for a physiotherapist friend of mine. At the time all I found was that it is a popular sport played in schools and colleges and little else. From what I saw in the film it is something like our game «μήλα» (or whatever you call it down in south!). So I called my friend and explained but the problem of translation remains…
Do you have any ideas?
PS. By the way, what is underdog?


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## NotNow

An underdog is someone in a competittion or game who is not expected to win.

Perhaps you can retain the English word dodgeball and explain that it is a game.


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## GreekNative

Underdog είναι, γενικά, ο "απόκληρος" (της κοινωνίας). Και, απ' ό,τι ξέρω, έχει μόνο ενικό αριθμό. Π.χ. Princess Diana was always interested in the underdog in society.
Σε επίπεδο παιχνιδιού, δε νομίζω ότι μεταφράζεται μονολεκτικά. Είναι ο πιο αδύναμος παίκτης ή ομάδα, που έχει τις λιγότερες πιθανότητες να πάρει τη νίκη. Στο internet βλέπω και το εξής παράδειγμα: he's the underdog in the elections = είναι το αουτσάιντερ των εκλογών.

Όσο για το dodgeball, διαβάζω το λήμμα στο wikipedia και βλέπω ότι είναι πράγματι σαν τα μήλα, μόνο που έχει περισσότερους κανόνες και παίζεται και από ενήλικες, ως άθλημα. Προφανώς, δύσκολα μεταφράζεται και, προσωπικά, θα το άφηνα ως έχει. Όπως π.χ. το paintball, πιθανώς βάζοντας μία σημείωση του μεταφραστή εξηγώντας με λίγα λόγια περί τίνος πρόκειται.


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## winegrower

So, in a game, an *underdog* could eventually prove to be an outsider (that is, one who wins against all odds) or is just a convinced and hopless loser?


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## ireney

Yep. I also agree with the non-translation of "dodgeball" suggestion by the way.


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## NotNow

winegrower said:


> So, in a game, an *underdog* could eventually prove to be an outsider (that is, one who wins against all odds) or is just a convinced and hopless loser?


 
Yes, an underdog can win against all odds.  That's the plot of many, many novels and films.

I guess an underdog would not be an underdog if he did not win eventually.  He would just be a loser.

Let's all ponder this..............


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## Nancy_gr

that´s right! it is " τα μήλα "


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