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Oct 31, 2023 6:40 AM
#1
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Oct 2018
12
Why are so many of the episode titles badly translated idioms? They're clearly all idioms, and many are correctly translated. Did the translators have an IQ of 2 or is this somehow intentional? "Birds of a feather flock together" is obviously correct. "Slow and sure" could be an intentional change to "slow and steady" that still makes some sense. But "Nothing venture, nothing have" is incredibly bad grammar. The original idiom would be "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." ("Needs must when the devil drives" may sound like nonsense today, but it's actually one of the correct ones.)

Someone please shed some light on this.
Oct 31, 2023 6:46 AM
#2
Offline
Oct 2018
12
Additionally, "Nothing seek, nothing find" is bad grammar, but seems to be a combination of "Seek and ye shall find" and "Nothing ventured, nothing gained," which is mildly clever. It should probably be "Nothing sought, nothing found."
Oct 31, 2023 7:29 AM
#3
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Sep 2010
17
Then you have a possibility to take the job of translation. I have understand that it is really hard to find even people to translate anime and manga. When I started watching anime there wasn't any grammar at all Every sentence was full of mistakes. Nowadays translation is so much better. It dosen't feel as a puzzle so much as before.
By the way I started watching 20 years ago and then there were mostly translator who did it as a hobby so people from overseas would understand anything at all.
Maris333Oct 31, 2023 7:33 AM
Oct 31, 2023 1:03 PM
#4
Offline
Aug 2019
86
Maris333 said:
Then you have a possibility to take the job of translation. I have understand that it is really hard to find even people to translate anime and manga. When I started watching anime there wasn't any grammar at all Every sentence was full of mistakes. Nowadays translation is so much better. It dosen't feel as a puzzle so much as before.
By the way I started watching 20 years ago and then there were mostly translator who did it as a hobby so people from overseas would understand anything at all.

yup kids today dont know what we had to go through back then.. though it does get annoying with all the advancements we have today for them to still make things sound like a 6 year old translated them lol. there will be mistakes sure but it also requires people using their brain.. unless its just an A.I doing the translations.. then its just trial and error then update the errors..
Oct 31, 2023 11:18 PM
#5

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May 2017
810
Maris333 said:
Then you have a possibility to take the job of translation. I have understand that it is really hard to find even people to translate anime and manga. When I started watching anime there wasn't any grammar at all Every sentence was full of mistakes. Nowadays translation is so much better. It dosen't feel as a puzzle so much as before.
By the way I started watching 20 years ago and then there were mostly translator who did it as a hobby so people from overseas would understand anything at all.

well no, what OP is offering to do is be an editor of the translation. this season has SO MANY anime to be translated, I've found that atleast some of the lesser watched shows (Migi & Dali), have TERRIBLE nonsense translations, that would have been more improved if an editor took some time to go through and fix the sentence structure. the translator has done their job, translating the sentence from one language to the next, but they obviously have a buttload of work to do that they aren't able to edit the translations enough to make sufficient sense to the audience. like, we will jlget the jist of the titles of Mahoutskai episodes, but Crunchyroll must have an English dub coming, so any episode titles will then have another whole team to edit it properly
Nov 2, 2023 5:18 AM
#6

Offline
Jun 2007
1044
you sure it's a translation? I thought it was an original japanese thing. like, a cool-looking ep title in 'english'
see you, space cowperson . . .
Nov 2, 2023 11:35 AM
#7

Offline
Sep 2014
4839
What the dude above me said, are these even translated or do the original titles not have this broken english?
"This emotion is mine alone.
It is for Madoka alone." - Homura
or how I would descripe Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.
Nov 2, 2023 11:59 AM
#8

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Jan 2017
6099
Sorvarin said:
I thought it was an original japanese thing. like, a cool-looking ep title in 'english'
Comander-07 said:
What the dude above me said


These are the original titles.
Actually , they are taken directly from the Manga , as this is how the chapters are named as well.
"Genius lives only one storey above madness."
– Arthur Schopenhauer.

"Stupidity is a talent for misconception."
– Edgar Allan Poe.

"I'm tired... and hungry."
– Alexioos95.
Nov 3, 2023 8:24 AM
#9
Offline
Oct 2018
12
Maris333 said:
Then you have a possibility to take the job of translation. I have understand that it is really hard to find even people to translate anime and manga. When I started watching anime there wasn't any grammar at all Every sentence was full of mistakes. Nowadays translation is so much better. It dosen't feel as a puzzle so much as before.
By the way I started watching 20 years ago and then there were mostly translator who did it as a hobby so people from overseas would understand anything at all.

Just to clarify, I'm a bit older than you (not a value judgment) and have been watching anime for just as long. Your response filled with spelling and grammatical errors doesn't help your case, though the mistakes you've made give me the impression that English is not your first language, for which a bit of leeway must be given. Clearly I understand the intended meaning: I am familiar with the idioms being referenced. I'll admit my "IQ of 2" comment was overly brutal, but it's fairly common for people to exaggerate in bafflement, especially on the internet. My question was, as another response touched on, regarding whether this was a translation error, an intentional choice, or otherwise. If you don't have any insight into whether this was something other than a translation error, you're not answering the question I posed.
Nov 3, 2023 8:25 AM
Offline
Oct 2018
12
Alexioos95 said:
Sorvarin said:
I thought it was an original japanese thing. like, a cool-looking ep title in 'english'
Comander-07 said:
What the dude above me said


These are the original titles.
Actually , they are taken directly from the Manga , as this is how the chapters are named as well.

This is precisely the response I was looking for. Thank you.
Nov 3, 2023 8:59 AM
Offline
Oct 2018
12
demision said:
Maris333 said:
Then you have a possibility to take the job of translation. I have understand that it is really hard to find even people to translate anime and manga. When I started watching anime there wasn't any grammar at all Every sentence was full of mistakes. Nowadays translation is so much better. It dosen't feel as a puzzle so much as before.
By the way I started watching 20 years ago and then there were mostly translator who did it as a hobby so people from overseas would understand anything at all.

well no, what OP is offering to do is be an editor of the translation. this season has SO MANY anime to be translated, I've found that atleast some of the lesser watched shows (Migi & Dali), have TERRIBLE nonsense translations, that would have been more improved if an editor took some time to go through and fix the sentence structure. the translator has done their job, translating the sentence from one language to the next, but they obviously have a buttload of work to do that they aren't able to edit the translations enough to make sufficient sense to the audience. like, we will jlget the jist of the titles of Mahoutskai episodes, but Crunchyroll must have an English dub coming, so any episode titles will then have another whole team to edit it properly

Though I'm not actually offering or attempting to be one, editors and proofreaders are both highly invaluable and abysmally underused in all forms of written media. Anime subtitles, for the sheer volume you pointed out, need to be given something of a pass. Even episode titles can often be excused; the reason I'm being more picky with these is because they are idioms - well-known sayings - and there is very little reason they should be incorrect, so they stand out like a sore thumb. If I had said there, "obviously a painful fingers," it would sound extra silly both because it's very poor grammar and because "stand/stick out like a sore thumb" is such a well-known saying - an idiom.
pblivingston91Nov 3, 2023 9:03 AM
Nov 3, 2023 10:24 AM

Offline
Sep 2014
4839
Reply to Alexioos95
Sorvarin said:
I thought it was an original japanese thing. like, a cool-looking ep title in 'english'
Comander-07 said:
What the dude above me said


These are the original titles.
Actually , they are taken directly from the Manga , as this is how the chapters are named as well.
@Alexioos95 exactly what I suspected then, thx for confirming it
"This emotion is mine alone.
It is for Madoka alone." - Homura
or how I would descripe Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.

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