Lost in Translation: Japanese to English (in Anime) part 1

[sonicxisforever]

That's true, a lot of the original meaning can you be lost in translation. Like "anta" means "you" but is a rude form of you, so if you hear it in a sentence in Japanese you can tell someone is trying to insult the person(or is being rude)but in English the same *feeling* is lost.

Good job explaining! I enjoyed your video.

[hotwhire]

I hate fan subs, Why do they use MSN writting phrases in the subs? Keyboard emotion or extra swearing? They dont say "fuck" in japan as far as I know.

[1000erey2]

`lol this is really good :D

[eathenicus]

You!!!!!!!!!!

[ChurbaSilvertongue]

The only thing that annoys me is when they both Leave the honorific, AND translate it, because that's just wrong in both languages. Leave it or translate it, don't do both.

[bigpimpin89898989]

its not pronounced koon genious lol k-un

[tokuanimecitvguy]

Fansubs have a problem with rude versions of saying you as well. They always turn it into swear words.

[tokuanimecitvguy]

Sometimes I've seen the english put-downs be less threatening! There was this one episode of Digimon where Rika was supposed to be insulting Takato and what did she call him? A dull-brained goggle head. That was the best they could come up with!

[Fitzner123]

if you base japanese on japanese in anime, then you are so wrong. Japanese in anime is not real japanese in real life

[wilddey]

i dont care about the translation, in fact, it makes it funnier

[darkdrag187]

i dunno but i read somewhere that the honorifix aren't being used to often any more and there starting to dissolve

[Fourseason]

I dont speak japanese but I bet if I at least was ASK TO DUBBED ONE I would do great. I have sing over 50 Japanese modern songs and rewritten at least 20 in well define english grammar and it sounds great. You just have to put work into it. For example in the Naruto part when Konohamaru transform into a fat women, then an old women then a little girl, the American translate a fat women the whole time. Really lazy if you ask me. It's not hard. Look at DBZ, Inuyasha and Bleach was good dubbs.

[ScoobyDigites]

lmao I remember that part hes selling super donkey piss.

[ando1135]

damn hes cute!~

[viper8215]

Given the fact that you can't speak Japanese, I'm quite impressed by your insight. Though you made some mistakes with some minor details, for the most part you were right. I understand the difficulties that translators face, as I had to do alot of translation when i got my degree in Japanese. You got all of this from watching Anime? Sounds like you are taking a beginner or intermediate course in Japanese.

[l00l20r2]

well some subbed animes actually explain some of the stuff for you

e.g the suffix senshu is used when addressing professional athletes. I dont take japanese but i know this because i watch quite a bit of subbed animes.

Mainly due to the interest of animes, watching them subbed helps u pick up a lot about japanese even if you arent studying it. Try watching a long anime from start to finish subbed. Im sure u will pick up a lot about japanese than you would think

[456mon456]

what i think is weird is how sometimes when you watch an anime people will become embarrassed by using a character's first name (like in harems/romances) and theres a scene of them saying that they will talk to each other with their first names (i.e. School Days ep?).

Or if there is simply an age difference they will use their last names when talking. in english that would be considered weird...

maybe you will discuss this in part 2, but i was just pointing that out.

[ngamer3k]

Using someone's first name especially in harems/romances the way I understand it, is a way of saying that there is no formal barrier between the two people. They likely seem embarrassed because they are used to calling them by their surname. It means they're "progressing" in the relationship so to speak. Yes, usually even if you know the person pretty well, if there is an age difference, you always call someone by their surname in that case.

[numanumadigi]

I don't know if my comment went trough, but

is Boondocks an anime, and if so was it in english first? cause i found a japanese version of that show.

[AizicToxemia]

The "Mononoke hime"-version I have that was sold in sweden the dub for the japanese version is just the english dub for people with hearingdisabillities. Looks really weird when they shout something i inglish, but everyone is silent in the Japanese. Since I know a little japanese I found soooo many translation errors. I just refrain from watching anime in english in total nowadays :P

[Kskylin]

There are a few inaccuracies in your points but you understand a lot for someone that doesn't speak japanese.

[hikarusweety]

I used to translate Japanese for the class I was in school.

[Whoo69]

I also find it very crude how the English dubbers deliberately screw with translation when there's really hardly in difference in the subtitled Japanese. They add too much slang and colloquialism. It's aggravating.

[ngamer3k]

I know what you mean, that's why I would prefer to watch the subs on official DVD releases, or go to a fansubing service that I know is really good.

[type7android]

so are you saying translating a non-latin based language(japanese) to ANY latin-based (french, german, italian, SPANISH) language is difficult at times?

[type7android]

is there a simple way to translate Jap. to Eng.? (Disregaring the rule that japanese is a SOV language and english is a SVO language) is there a roughly correct rule?

[ngamer3k]

There are a few rules that can be followed, like the particle "no" is used to show ownership, but even this is up in the air at times! With all the Engrish you see everywhere, there is not a simple way to do it, there will always be different (and wrong) interpretations.

[mi95]

oh, ok

[spikezula]

ngamer, You seem very astute in Japanese for someone that doesn't speak the language.

[LemonehFresh]

Huh, pretty interesting stuff to learn. Thanks!

[scuba2024]

so... what you're saying is... they drink donkey piss like water in japan??

point taken.

[spikezula]

Gee, what an ignorant and smart ass comment.

[ngamer3k]

He's a friend irl, he's just joking.