 The Importance of Being Earnest 's popularity has meant it has been translated into many languages , though the homophonous pun in the title ( " Ernest " , a masculine proper name , and " earnest " , the virtue of steadfastness and seriousness ) poses a special problem for translators . The easiest case of a suitable translation of the pun , perpetuating its sense and meaning , may have been its translation into German . Since English and German are closely related languages , German provides an equivalent adjective ( " ernst " ) and also a matching masculine proper name ( " Ernst " ) . The meaning and tenor of the wordplay are exactly the same . Yet there are many different possible titles in German , mostly concerning sentence structure . The two most common ones are " Bunbury oder ernst / Ernst sein ist alles " and " Bunbury oder wie wichtig es ist , ernst / Ernst zu sein " . In a study of Italian translations , Adrian Pablé found thirteen different versions using eight titles . Since wordplay is often unique to the language in question , translators are faced with a choice of either staying faithful to the original — in this case the English adjective and virtue earnest — or creating a similar pun in their own language . 
 The Importance of Being Earnest <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>popularity <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>has</mark></a> meant it <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>has</mark></a> been translated into many languages , though the homophonous pun in the title ( " Ernest " , a masculine proper name , and " earnest " , the virtue of steadfastness and seriousness ) <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>poses</mark></a> a special problem for translators . The easiest case of a suitable translation of the pun , perpetuating its sense and meaning , may have been its translation into German . Since English and German <a href='drop_aux' title='5'><mark>are</mark></a>closely related languages , German <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>provides</mark></a> an equivalent adjective ( " ernst " ) and also a matching masculine proper name ( " Ernst " ) . The meaning and tenor of the wordplay <a href='drop_aux' title='7'><mark>are</mark></a>exactly the same . Yet <a href='dey_it' title='8'><mark>there</mark></a> are many different possible titles in German , mostly concerning sentence structure . The two most common ones <a href='drop_aux' title='9'><mark>are</mark></a>" Bunbury oder ernst / Ernst sein ist alles " and " Bunbury oder wie wichtig es ist , ernst / Ernst zu sein " . In a study of Italian translations , Adrian Pablé found thirteen different versions using eight titles . Since wordplay <a href='drop_aux' title='10'><mark>is</mark></a>often unique to the language in question , translators are faced with a choice of either staying faithful to the original — in this case the English adjective and virtue earnest — or creating a similar pun in their own language . 
Da Importance of Being Earnest  popularity done meant it done been translated into many languages , though tdahomophonous pun in the title ( " Ernest " , a masculine proper name , and " earnest " , thdairtue of steadfastness and seriousness ) pose a special problem fa translators . The easiest case of a suitable translation of the pun , perpetuating its sense and meaning , may have been its translation into German . Since English and German closely related languages , German provide an equivalent adjective ( " ernst " ) and also a matchin masculine proper name ( " Ernst " ) . Thedaaning and tenor of the dadplay exactly the same . Yet it is many diffrent possible titles in German , mostly concerning sentence structure . The tdamost common ones " Bunbury oder ernst / Ernst sein ist alles " and " Bunbury oder wie wichtig es ist , ernst / Ernst zu sein " . In a study of Italian translations , Adrian Pablé found thirteen different versions using eight titles . Since wordplay often unique to the ladaage in question , translators are faced wid a choice of either stayin faithful to the original — in this case the English adjective and virtue earnest — or creating a similar pun in their own language .