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Chiibi Since: Aug, 2009
#126: May 24th 2011 at 8:17:24 PM

I really freaking hate any subs that:

  • Completely ignore honorifics. I mean what the f**k?
  • Reverse to first name, last name.
  • Put the character's first name when the audio has that they are CLEARLY saying the LAST NAME
  • Do not sub songs.
  • Leave full Japanese phrases in that can be easily translated.
  • Translating "sensei" to "Mr." >:/ Like, no, okay?
  • Translate an Engrish "Sank yuu" to "Arigatou". I SEE THIS A LOT. WHY DO SUBBERS DO THIS!? IT'S REALLY STUPID.
  • Can't spell or use grammar properly. Look, you're putting out this anime for the world to see. Take some pride in your work and use a goddamn dictionary!
  • Use a very hard to read font. Um....some common sense, please?

......on slightly off-topic, I love when they give different characters different font colors. It makes it easier to keep track of who's talking to who and it looks nice. :D

edited 24th May '11 8:24:39 PM by Chiibi

Justin_Brett Since: Jun, 2010
#127: May 24th 2011 at 8:23:11 PM

I've seen the head TV-Nihon guys arguments on why they keep the japanese stuff, but it doesn't really make sense. Japanese isn't some magic language or anything, and they probably translate a lot of our stuff thoroughly.

In any case, I can handle honorifics, but -tachi just drives me up the wall, since it's something that can be replaced with just the letter s in most cases.

edited 24th May '11 8:23:44 PM by Justin_Brett

KSPAM PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY from PARTY ROCK Since: Oct, 2009 Relationship Status: Giving love a bad name
PARTY PARTY PARTY I WANNA HAVE A PARTY
#128: May 24th 2011 at 8:29:17 PM

Things that piss me off:

  • No honorifics
  • Gratuitous Japanese
  • TRANSLATOR'S NOTES *

I've got new mythological machinery, and very handsome supernatural scenery. Goodfae: a mafia web serial
AikoHeiwa I AM NOT A TREE from Aikoland Since: Feb, 2011
I AM NOT A TREE
#129: May 24th 2011 at 9:51:09 PM

I really hate when you're watching fansubbed anime that doesn't translate something that has an official English name for it. Ffs, it's the Millennium Puzzle NOT the Sennen Puzzle.

NO TREE FOR ME (ALSO LOVES HER BOYFRIEND)
zeroplusalpha The World Is Mine from behind the 7th Door Since: Apr, 2009
The World Is Mine
#130: May 24th 2011 at 11:53:03 PM

It's a tricky thing, this.

I'm not a fan of localisation, and I prefer the retention of some Japanese words.

Not for any particularly good reason, it's just that I think it adds a bit of cultural flavouring.

I also don't like profanity in subs, because they never swear in the original Japanese versions.

Play Again? Y/N
Arilou Taller than Zim from Quasispace Since: Jan, 2001
Taller than Zim
#131: May 25th 2011 at 12:02:45 AM

[up][up] Whether or not names should be translated is a pretty big argument all over itself. (Notably, where do you stop?

Let's take swedish, the name Björn literally means "Bear" (it's not even an archaic form or anything, it's just the word for bear) should Björn be translated into "Bear" if you translated something from swedish to english?

Most people don't translate personal names of people, but what about names of things? (When it's a Proper Noun, not a category of things) what about organizations? What about when something is half of the language translated from and half some other language?

There's serious arguments for both sides when it comes to translating names.

"No, the Singularity will not happen. Computation is hard." -Happy Ent
PoochyEXE from 127.0.0.1 Since: Sep, 2010
#132: May 25th 2011 at 2:31:25 AM

I think there are times when translator's notes are appropriate, and times when they aren't.

Puns in Japanese that can't be translated into English? Use a translator's note. I can usually understand a pun from the audio, but it still annoys me when the subs do a literal translation that makes no sense whatsoever. (Crunchyroll, I'm looking at you. >_>)

Proper names? I say leave them in Japanese, but put a note as to any literal meanings.

I do also think there is no reason whatsoever to put "Translator's note:" in front of a translator's note. It just takes up more screen space.

Extra 1: Poochy Ain't Stupid
kalandra Since: Dec, 2012
#133: May 25th 2011 at 9:23:30 AM

I don't remember which sub I watched for Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei season 1 but they did a great job.

Anyone who watched it knows that the background was filled with random Japanese joke & take thats, and the subbers actually took the time to translate everything that was in the background, even almost none of it was plot relevant. However, I am a little disappointed that they didn't bother explain any of the Japanese jokes. Kinda pointless to translate the background jokes if the watchers aren't gonna get most of them anyway.

Its probably the only series where translator notes would filled the screen to the brim, but I wanted it anyway.

edited 25th May '11 9:24:57 AM by kalandra

Raso Cure Candy Since: Jul, 2009
Cure Candy
#134: May 25th 2011 at 9:25:02 AM

IIRC There were notes files with them that explained most of it.

Sparkling and glittering! Jan-Ken-Pon!
PikaHikariKT Since: Jan, 2001
#135: May 25th 2011 at 9:54:46 AM

Bad grammar and spelling. Then again, that's a general pet peeve of mine.tongue

Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#136: May 25th 2011 at 6:56:31 PM

Not sure if this has been posted...but the worst fansubs are generally crap like THIS and THIS

edit: I just noticed, the second link came from another completely identical fansub-related thread I made in this forum around the time of this thread. [lol]

edited 25th May '11 6:57:46 PM by Signed

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
Nika-senpai The Golden Girl from Mitakihara Since: Nov, 2009
The Golden Girl
#137: May 25th 2011 at 8:42:49 PM

There was one thing that really pissed me off:

I watched Eclipse's sub of Shakugan no Shana. They wrote in Wilhelmina's de arimasu~ every. SINGLE. TIME. Seriously? is that even necessary? I could already hear it without it being pointed out and it made it twice as annoying.

Shine
Chiibi Since: Aug, 2009
#138: May 25th 2011 at 10:00:59 PM

[up]Lol I remember that. XD Subbing speech impediments never really bothered me though.

Vyctorian ◥▶◀◤ from Domhain Sceal Since: Mar, 2011
◥▶◀◤
#139: May 26th 2011 at 2:05:47 AM

subs that don't have useful factoid triva things for japanese language and culture references annoy me.

Ever try watching Gin Tama~ without explanations at the top for the jokes not fun.

~ Gin Tama relies heavily on old (80's-90's-00's) japanese pop culture references (many of which aren't even from animes) and Japanese word puns.

Rarely active, try DA/Tumblr Avatar by pippanaffie.deviantart.com
AikoHeiwa I AM NOT A TREE from Aikoland Since: Feb, 2011
I AM NOT A TREE
#140: May 26th 2011 at 5:45:07 AM

Don't forget subs that say one thing, when you can clearly hear them say another thing.

Funimation's subs of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters had Jounouchi's sister saying something and the subtitles said "Big brother Jounouchi!" but you can hear her saying "Katsuya-onii-chan". >.> Or something. It's been a while since I saw it. I know she said Katsuya for sure though.

NO TREE FOR ME (ALSO LOVES HER BOYFRIEND)
harkko Since: Apr, 2010
#141: May 26th 2011 at 9:43:50 AM

When I watch movies in general, it bugs me when on screen texts (computer screen, newspaper page etc) are left untranslated, especially if it's in Chinese or Japanese, when I can't even google the meaning. The Finnish DVD release of Paranoia Agent is almost unwatchable, because its subs don't translate anything else than the audio.

I personally think the translation should be as faithful as possible but it should also use idiomatic language, i.e. language, which is natural for the native speaker. This doesn't mean that content should be changed. I can accept changing some puns or idiom based jokes, but I don't think changing Morning Musume reference in Summer Wars to Uriah Heep one or some other band with a song titled Love Machine.

What I find strange, is that at least some of the Disney dubs have different translators and re-writers. Jonathan Clements wondered in one article or presentation why would someone hire a translator who can't produce target text, giving Princess Mononoke as an example.

edited 26th May '11 9:46:21 AM by harkko

SirPsychoSexy The Sensui Fan from Texas Panhandle Since: Jan, 2010
The Sensui Fan
#142: May 26th 2011 at 1:54:24 PM

  • The only time I don't really care if honorifics aren't left in the subtitles is if the anime doesn't take place in Japan, and the Japanese the characters are speaking is just a Translation Convention of, say, English. (For instance, a series taking place in Victorian England using "-sama"? I'd translate that as "Lord" or "Lady" depending. But if it's in Japan, I leave the "-sama" as is.)

  • There really isn't a one-to-one correlation sometimes between languages. It's not just Japanese and English that have this problem. (Though I HATE when idioms in any language are translated literally- I wanted to choke a fansubber who translated [月と鼈だ] (tsuki to suppon da) literally as "it's like the moon and a tortoise" instead of an English idiomatic equivalent such as "It's like apples and oranges/night and day". If you can't find an equivalent idiom and translate idioms literally, it borders on "Blind Idiot" Translation for me. Though I do like to find idioms that are the same in meaning and similar in subject matter...)

  • I am guilty of translators' notes. However, it's not for every goddamn thing. Most of my stuff is in straight-up English save honorifics and a few Japanese fandom terms like "tsundere" that we've borrowed anyway. Mine are usually explaining why I used a certain word, usually to preserve either a.) Japanese dual meaning and/or b.) kanji puns. (Speaking of translator's notes, did Comic Book Guy do those last screencaps? tongue)

  • Things that are Department of Redundancy Department to people who are bilingual in Japanese and English (like the aforementioned "Yamayuri lily") might be in subs because the subbers think Viewers Are Morons, or that everything sounds cooler in Japanese...or so I like to think. ("You mean yuri means "lily" too? WELL SHIT, did not know that.")

  • Subs have waaaaay less leeway than dubs. No matching the mouth flaps, you get to get closer to what's actually being said, etc. But dubs have their moments too. The reason I'm attached to the Yu Yu Hakusho dub is because they put in some bilingual Japanese-English Stealth Puns in the English dialogue. "Toguro looks like he has to go number two" makes me laugh. EVERY TIME. *

Heaven doesn't want me, and Hell's afraid I'll take over.
Signed Always Right Since: Dec, 2009
Always Right
#143: May 26th 2011 at 2:01:30 PM

What's wrong with "it's like the moon and a tortoise"?

"Every opinion that isn't mine is subjected to Your Mileage May Vary."
SakurazakiSetsuna Together Forever... Since: Jun, 2010
Together Forever...
#144: May 26th 2011 at 2:35:57 PM

[up]

Its an idiom, and meaningless unless you know that its equivalent to "Like apples and oranges" or "like Night and day".

SirPsychoSexy The Sensui Fan from Texas Panhandle Since: Jan, 2010
The Sensui Fan
#145: May 27th 2011 at 3:57:31 PM

EXACTLY.

It's kind of like The Vodka Is Good But The Meat Is Rotten for "the flesh is willing but the soul is weak".

Japanese idioms are kind of bizarre-sounding to an English speaker when translated literally (unlike common European languages where you can at least guess at the figurative meaning from the literal one most of the time, and sometimes [by coincidence or loan translation] are the exact same thing- Spanish "llover a cántaros", English "to rain buckets", for example). Very few English speakers would guess, for example, that [油を売る] (abura o uru, literally "to sell oil") figuratively means to slack off.

Heaven doesn't want me, and Hell's afraid I'll take over.
Sporkaganza I'm glasses. Since: May, 2009
I'm glasses.
#146: May 27th 2011 at 4:58:31 PM

I understand what you're saying in principle Sir Psycho Sexy, but I think with the moon and tortoise example it could be clarified pretty easily: "It's like comparing the moon and a tortoise." It's a little clunkier, but it makes it much clearer what's being said, with the added bonus of reminding the viewer of the cliche "apples to oranges" comparison in English.

edited 27th May '11 4:58:46 PM by Sporkaganza

Always, somewhere, someone is fighting for you. As long as you remember them, you are not alone.
SirPsychoSexy The Sensui Fan from Texas Panhandle Since: Jan, 2010
The Sensui Fan
#147: May 30th 2011 at 9:50:10 AM

[up] You have a good point.

Heaven doesn't want me, and Hell's afraid I'll take over.
jayday12345678910 Since: Nov, 2010
#148: May 31st 2011 at 10:09:59 AM

IMO keeping san kun ect. makes no sense and kinda defeats the purpose of subs.

edited 31st May '11 1:18:31 PM by jayday12345678910

....Why
AikoHeiwa I AM NOT A TREE from Aikoland Since: Feb, 2011
I AM NOT A TREE
#149: May 31st 2011 at 12:59:16 PM

I barely understood what you said.

NO TREE FOR ME (ALSO LOVES HER BOYFRIEND)
SakurazakiSetsuna Together Forever... Since: Jun, 2010
Together Forever...
#150: May 31st 2011 at 1:10:03 PM

[up][up]

Seeing as how apparently you don't even know English, I don't think we should be using you for advice on Japanese to English translations.


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