Translation Issues
In these past years,
there have been lots of discussions about the quality of translation
in games. Games like Xenoblade Chronicles, Fatal Frame 5, and Fire Emblem Fates have been in the fore front of the issues. With dialogue
changed and things removed, it as stirred lots of displeasure among
fans. Translations when it comes to game media is a mess. You got
people who translate 1:1 and people who translate well. Then you got
people who translate poorly or so different that it becomes a
different product. Video games and Anime are the only mediums were
translations can vary so much. It makes no sense.
There are people who
say 1:1 translations are not good because they are dry. What defines
“dry”? Is a written work dry because it doesn’t have swear laid
about or any talk of memes? That's called changing the work.
Regardless of what anyone says, by making something less “dry”
you are altering the tone and potential meaning of the text. Who are
you to say what needs to be changed or not? Doing that isn't
respecting the source material, but making your own derivative
product.
People
will say things like; “Not everyone is going to understand what is
going on so it needs to be changed”. That is just treating your
audience as idiots. If you can't understand
words or cultural aspects, then you need to get an education. The
world doesn't revolve around America and your little world. There are
many cultures and customs all around you that are different. Old
Books such as the “Iliad
“and Shakespeare’s work are full of different
cultures and customs based on their times, but they are translated
1:1 with translation notes. Translation Notes are there to help the
reader understand the work better. Surprisingly, if you say that,
people will respond with; “It doesn't look good” or “People
don't want to read”. At that point, if people are not willing to do
that then they are not your audience.
This kind of think
that people won't understand things or that it's to “dry” have
lead games being censored, removed, butchered, or out right changed
completely. Games like the Ace Attorney series and Elite Beat Agents
are completely different from their Japanese counterparts. These
games are changed to be American centric with all trance of Japanese
culture removed like it's a plague. That isn't respecting the source
material at all.
People
will respond to this by saying; “Well Japanese cultures or jokes
are to hard for audiences to understand so they need their own
cultural replacement”. I personally, often don't understand 80% of
jokes and memes that are out there. Regardless, I don't ask old
people to change their jokes for something I could understand or the
internet to
change their
memes. I ask and work to understand the jokes and memes so I can
understand them better when I encounter them again. I find them more
funny once I understand the jokes or memes. So if I can do it, then
anyone can.
However,
there is the evil argument of; “What about the children”? If you
treat your kids as fragile things that are stupid then they will act
like that. Kids can learn and grow stronger if you give them a
chance. They are not stupid as you may think. It's not up to you to
decide what kids can handle , but the parents themselves. We have a
rating system so this worry is a pointless excuse to get rid of
things you don't want to see. If you can't handle something or don't
like something then don't play, watch, listen, or read it. Don't ruin
it for others. If you do, then you are an awful, selfish,
condescending, disrespectful person.
Translations should be
1:1 or very close. If you have to re-arange something in a sentence
so it doesn't read like Google translate then that's fine. But that
is it. Your job is to translate, not alter the material. People
today, have the internet and are well aware of what changes are made.
If you are changing things then you are disrespecting the author,
their work, and the audience that wants the work. If you can't
handle it then get out of the translation business as nobody wants
you.
At times things do need to be altered, but damn they go way to far. For example, a Pun won't translate to another language most times, same with certain phrases. Of course in the instance of the latter you would only have to simply pick a saying that holds the same or at least very similar meaning in the other language. I am not really sure what the equivilent of 'What's up?' would be, but I doubt a direct translation of that into Japanese would make a whole lot of sense. But likely there are going to be similar ways to convey the exact message.
ReplyDeletePuns are a bit harder to do I'd imagine. I'm not sure if you are familiar with Bennet the Sage at all, but he spoke of one anime where a girl just goes to throw a matress at someone she is challanging to a fight. Dialogue had to be added into the anime to explain that the Kanji for 'Matress' is almost Identical to the Kanji for 'Gauntlent'. The Joke only works if are already familiar with Japanese Kanji, or if it is explained to you. And jokes are never that good when they need to be explained. What exactly is one to do in this situation?
That said, things changed for reasons like 'It's offensive' or 'think of the kids' are absolutely ridiculous. There are some things that need to be changed for the sake of cohesion, but the amount of liberties taken (Especially with Fire Emblem) is beyond reasonable.