Re: Amazing subtitles

pieter mioch wrote:
I think that there are plenty of doubtful translations made
on purpose to fit the screen and to make the Japanese more
natural but at the same time it seems that in an average
movie the translator hasn't got the first clue 5~10
times.Perhaps this is especially so when translating
(modern) USA idiom.

Same thing happens with the unmentionable sub-genre of (whispers) anime
& manga. That's why there is such interest in learning Japanese to
escape the (maybe) well-meaning intentions of the "professional" adapter
classes. Not the translators -- the 'adapters'. The people who only
speak English and take the translators' work to try to mold it into
natural English. They try to overcome cultural and linguistic
references with suitable English/American replacements. Supposedly.
Sometimes they just make up dialog because they find it too hard to
adapt the original.

I've lost track of the number of dubious Japanese to English
translations from early releases into English, but it has become a LOT
better now. Especially since releasing companies have all but given up
trying to hide that these stories take place in Japan.[1] :-)

But as I understand, the same thing happens with classic literature.
Wasn't the classic English translation of the Book of Genji by Waley
supposed to have taking significant liberties?


[1] 4-Kids entertainment and Funimation are the last hold-outs, but at
least Funimation limits it to the "kids" shows. 4-Kids is just eeevilll.
.

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