Why do people reverse Japanese names?

This is probably not on-topic, but this is a thing that's been steadily bugging me. WHY?

Its distracting when watching anime; what you hear and what you read are 2 different things. Since you can't change the voice track, why do people try to change the sub track?

The names are backwards in english..........also, some subbers are very bad at being translating what's said.

Case in point, I've seen a character saying "yay!" be subtitled as "yahoo!".

edited 25th Jul '11 12:03:51 AM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."

Oh, do you mean in subs specifically? That can get a little odd.

I thought you just meant in general, which kind of opens up a whole can of worms.

Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you. As long as you remember them, you are not alone.

People who watched subbed anime (and subbers) use Western norms. As long as they're consistent, I don't really mind.

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It drives me nuts when names are flipped in subtitles.

Browsing on this Wiki and The Other Wiki is similarly weird. The early days of the Baka Test page was particularly a nightmare. Nobody knew what the main character's name was, all because of the reverse naming sense.

I'm fine with either, as long as the subs are consistent.

iM@S archive of materials.

They probably do it because it's easier to use the western style, being native english speakers I would assume. Which is fine and all, but since the use of western and eastern naming varies between subs it can get confusing.

edited 25th Jul '11 12:31:38 AM by Spirit

#IceBearForPresident

Plus it doesn't really manner.

This, basically.

People aren't as awful as the internet makes them out to be.

This only ever bothers me if I can both hear and read the name, which is rare (Since I don't watch much anime). Other than that, all I want is for it to be consistent.

Japanese is a finicky language. As with pretty much all translations, there are a number of ways you can render each sentence, even each word.

Translators and subbers and all that could put down the character names in the standard Japanese style, but with all the discrepancies between Japanese and English, functionally it's better to have it in the First Name - Last Name format.

I write pretty good fanfiction, sometimes.

Well now there's something that bugs me. When people refer to Japanese names as being a "first name" and a "last name". Very confusing. I personally advocate "given name" and "surname".

Names should be in their proper order.

The Japanese manage to survive having both Takamachi Nanoha and Subaru Nakajima in the same work, and I think that non-Japanese audiences can survive this as well.

Also, Japanese is the only language where names are reversed. No other language which uses Family Name Given Name order has the names reversed by other languages.

Ever heard of Jong Il Kim? How about Kim Jong Il?

I'm more bothered that subbers think they can get away with that excuse.

Did those guys go to school? Didn't they have to write their name on test papers with surnames first? Did your school have that rule? I know its uncommon, but I also know government forms in my country are required to be signed with family name first so it should still be part of life.

I used to prefer it always written surname first for Japanese names, but then I found out that the Japanese write even their own names with the surname last if they're writing in romaji.

I'm pretty sure that there are other Asian languages that do this.

People aren't as awful as the internet makes them out to be.

The Japanese are the absolute last people to trust when it comes to Romaji.

The point is that they reverse it when it's not written in kanji or kana.

I prefer Family Given but will accept Given Family so long as shit is consistent. I strive to not give a fuck about this as much. I should strive to be not let myself be irritated by things.

As it is I myself always use Family Given for the most part. There's the occasional oddity like Hayao Miyazaki. When I see the reverse I tend to just switch it back mentally.

If someone wants to accuse us of eating coconut shells, then that's their business. We know what we're doing. - Achaan Chah

I prefer Family Given in describing fictional characters for every East Asian culture except Japan. Probably wrong of me, but I'm sort of used to it now.

Honestly, I don't think I'd notice which order the subtitles use. It's just not important and you can tell by listening anyway.

it drives me nuts
because im used to reading japanese literature with the correct order of names
and first names are only used by friends and family
subbers seem to forget that fact so its hard to judge characters' relationships in an early stage

This level of trolling is reasonable for Commander Obvious. What do you think of this, everyone?

I'm Chinese but that's not related. But likewise I'm very bothered that native naming orders aren't mostly put as is . Seriously, why? Is it such a hassle?

Or is it that most Western viewers want to enforce surname to the right, main name to the left norm across everything else? It's kind of a good thing that Chinese people are a bit flexible about this. Usually say, my Western main name is Cassie (a realistic lie here) , I can make do with 'surname to the right' basis no problem, as well as other people. Call me Cassie Chai

BUT when I use my original name, and when spoken, subbers and listeners must not SCREW THIS UP so it would be 'surname's first' basis. It's not hard to follow, or fickle. It's just opposed to Western viewer's 'surname to the right' tradition and basis that's all. What's next, flip the globe so that it's flat? That would be too sad

And I do believe that plenty other Asian people like me are originally 'surname's first'

What profit is it to a man, when he gains his money, but loses his internet? Anonymous 16:26 I believe...

I think I just mentally flip the names whenever they're put given name first*

. Subs don't bother me in that regard. XD

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