Forum - View topicAnime Translators
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Delthayre
 Posts: 414 Location: One of the good United States |
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I think it's more or less known that I'm a language geek. I'll even be entering collegiate study of linguistics soon (I've been studying independently for two years) as well as Japanese (I'm in love with the structure, anime is a lagniappe). My aim in all of this is to someday become a professional translator (although I'm not holding myself to anything until I've graduated). This particular ambition of course led me to the idea that I might one day translate anime and manga (although legal documents and other trivium are more likely).
What I have realized is that I know very little about the translation process as it applies to these particular media. So it has lead me to wonder if anyone here might be able to share some knowledge of the process. For those of you who are slightly denser than average (my knowing sympathy goes out to you), I will provide a more direct question: Could some of you, so long as it is not too much trouble, enlgihten me as to the particulars of anime and or manga translation? |
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Masayume
 Posts: 115 Location: Indiana |
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I'm not a pro-translator myself, but I also hope to become one someday. Though my methods of going about it might be shot down by some. Yes, I work as a fansub translator. But I love what I do, and enjoy working with anime and the Japanese language. It keeps my Japanese strong and helps me learn more in the process.
From what I have learned from talking to some pro translators though, at least where anime is concerned, they get actual Japanese scripts to work with. Unlike fansubbers who have only the raw to work with and hope their hearing is good. So in that regard its like translating a manga. You have to have great reading skills. I'd love to know more myself, especially considering ADV was recently running adds for translators. But since I'm just now going to be entering college, I think it'd be best to get in as much experience and growth before I even think about a professional career. |
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Delthayre
Posts: 414 Location: One of the good United States |
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Finding out that they get the Japanese scripts is what I was mostly concerned with. I wouldn't think you could do it very well any other way, but I've seen some odd things happen involving brining anime overseas.
Interestingly what fansubbers have to do is closer to interperting. Translation deals strictly with written text, interperting with the spoken word. But there's still overlap between the too, but translation has fewer awkward pauses and utterances of ,"uh." Last edited by Delthayre on Fri Aug 15, 2003 5:35 pm; edited 3 times in total |
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Cloud Strife
 Posts: 41 |
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Hey might become a translator. Because like the way japanese handwriting looks. And want to understand what some of it says.
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JELEINEN
 Posts: 253 Location: Iowa |
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Most fansubbers use native speakers to do their translation. There are lots of Japanese college students studying in the US that can always use extra cash. In fact, I would never use a non-native Japanese speaker for a translation unless I had no choice. It's been my experience that cultural knowledge is at least as important as linguistic knowledge in getting a good translation. |
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Shouta
Posts: 32 |
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I'm a a fansub translator myself and I've been doing it for 3 or so years now even though my Japanese isn't exactly perfect.
Since I don't have access to any sort of script for the show. I start by watching the show at least once to get a feel of events and flow of that episode. I listen for dialogue that pertains to previous lines and look for early lines that might involve later parts of the episode. After that, I go through a first pass of the entire episode to get dialogue that I can easily get translated. I then go back again and catch the ones that I couldn't do on the first try and spend some time. After that it's another run through to meticulously check the dialogue. I do that over the course of several hours but only one stage at a time. I still get stuff wrong though  (technical details and REALLY heavy accents).
I would personally think that doing a translation from both the script and listening to the actual dialogue itself would be best. You get what they're actually saying with the style and attitude of the original voice actor. It'd make a lot of sense as to why a lot of shows have terribly mechanical translations or downright awful in a huge amount of domestic releases. Interpretation is just the vocal form of translation when you separate the two as professions. In all actuality, translation and interpretation are the exact same thing when it comes down to it. It's not inaccurate to use translator for what we do but think people who do this for a liviing would like to be differentiated .
If you have any questions just ask. |
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Masayume
Posts: 115 Location: Indiana |
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But unlike Spanish speakers there's not near as many native Japanese speakers here in the States that would be interested in those kinds of positions. Trust me, the Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex translator I met from Bandai was definitely American and no Asian background. I never said I wanted to be a translator now. There's still much more I don't know. The language part is easy, the culture part takes living there, which is what I prefer to do. But don't underestimate some of the American students learning Japanese. On my fansubbing team we have a native Japanese person who, is actually, a double citizen and fluent in both Japanese and English. She had no intentions of getting into fansubbing but she did. Honestly, things like translating take time and exposure and emmersion in the language. But really, last I checked the credits on the DVDs most of the translators were American's who learned and studied Japanese for many years. |
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JELEINEN
Posts: 253 Location: Iowa |
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As I said, there are always Japanese college students who need extra cash. Of course, living near a decent sized university probably makes a difference on that sort of availability. Anyway, I just stated my preference, but then I tend to be picky about stuff. |
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