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All About Licensing Part II: The Contract


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samuelp
Industry Insider


Joined: 25 Nov 2007
Posts: 2231
Location: San Antonio, USA
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 3:59 am Reply with quote
Chagen46 wrote:
I find it hilarious how you're getting all mad at me for my subjective opinion.

ANYWAY, take a look at this sentence: "Hey, Aoi-chan, I'm gonna meet Wakamoto-san and Kenchi-kun at the arcade today..."

Does that look natural to you? Hell no. It HURT to type that sentence, I felt like such a weeaboo. Anyway, my point is that keeping in honorifics can result in farcical-looking dialogue like that.


When it's the text alone, sure. But when you are listening to the dialog in Japanese:

"Ano, _Aoi-chan_... Kyou wa gamecen de _wakamoto-san_ to _ken'ichi-kun_ wo ai ni iku"

and read the subtitles, it doesn't seem awkward at all. Your brain interprets the -chan and -kun as part of the name address and matches with the dialog you hear.

Your point is simple: People don't talk like that in english.
True, but the characters aren't speaking english, and subtitles' job isn't to make them speak just like they would if they were speaking english.
Subtitles' job is to express the intent/meaning, and connotation of the original line in the clearest way to the audience, and that includes minimizing the dissonance between what is heard and what is read.
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dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 5:26 am Reply with quote
Everyone has a different opinion on what the role of subtitles should be, and how important fidelity is compared to having a natural-sounding translation. You can't argue that it has to be 'this' way or 'that' way, only that these are the pros and cons of 'this' way and these are the pros and cons of 'that' way. Some people prefer the subtitles to be very readable even at the expense of a bit of fidelity, while others insist on high fidelity even if they then have to pay more attention to the subtitles.

There's no right or wrong answer, is what I'm saying. My personal preference is that if honorifics are not absolutely necessary then don't use them. But that's just me.
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Furudanuki



Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 1874
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:48 am Reply with quote
samuelp wrote:
Subtitles' job is to express the intent/meaning, and connotation of the original line in the clearest way to the audience, and that includes minimizing the dissonance between what is heard and what is read.

Bless you! I shall now perform the Happy Tanuki Dance in your honor.
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Polycell



Joined: 16 Jan 2012
Posts: 4623
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:59 am Reply with quote
General translation theory is pointless - the level of "Japanesiness" kept in the subs should be decided on a case-by-case basis. Eg, Polar Bear's Cafe works just fine with the honorifics removed/replaced(the bigger issue being Polar Bear's rhyme cavalcades).
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