Re: One Piece Chapter 780 Spoiler Discussion
"Actually, Kawaii means also dear, precious and may have others meanings in Japanese we dont't necessary know."
Japanese language sure works in strange ways - ways that an outsider like me doesn't
quite understand.
"A word don't have a unique meaning, but most of time many (that's called polysemy : the existence of several meanings in a single word) and somes specific uses that a person who has not an accurate knowledge of a given language/ culture, may not know."
A word doesn't necessarily have to be polysemous. It could also be monosemous. If a word like, let's say, magnesium, or lipid, or neuron was used, shouldn't the translation be literal? They are monosemous words after all, and I can't imagine them being used figuratively either.
"Valued", "precious", even "indispensable" is ok, "cute" is definitely a misinterpretation due to a word-to-word translation, and a lack ok Japanese language knowledge background. Plus, "cute" is obviously wrong given the story context (More chances that Caesar is "indispensable/ valued" than "cute" to Doffy )."
That's what I noticed after I had searched other translations. Also, the confirmation I did using anime was a wrong idea after all, because anime might also contain slightly different words or/ and additional words, that do not exist in the original text. Perhaps the word
kawai means cute mostly when it's used as an interjection.
"Most of times a word to word translation doesn't work as I said earlier. Yes, I agree about the colloquial aspects, but definitely not with literal translations. As one of my linguistics teacher used to say: " translation is not about translating words, but their meaning". It's definitely not the same, as your "cute" exmple proves."
If only it did stop at the colloquial aspects.
A)
Mangastream does not take seriously its audience into account. When Viola's ability was revealed( the ability to see anything in the radius of 4000 Km, according to
Cnet and
Mangapanda), Mangastream used the unit "
mile" instead of "
kilometer."
When you convert miles to kilometers, Viola will be able to see anything within a radius of
6437 Km. This is one of those cases where Mangastream did not use the literal translation when it was needed, because not only does Japan use the SI units or the metric units but more than 90% of the world's population uses the metric system.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_System_of_Units#Global_adoption
Since they were resolute in using the U.S.Customary System in their translation, the least they could have done is convert between the two units.
By the way, for those who were victims of these errors, 1 mi(mile) = 1.61km(kilometer). So since Viola is able to see anything in a radius of 4000 km, in U.S Customary units it is
2485 miles. In cases like these, a calculator sure can be handy
.
B)
1.
Mangastream:
Chopper: This is bad!!! Get the "tourniquet" out from my backpack.
Chopper: A little bit more to the "right."
Batoto:
Chopper: Oh, no!!! Robin, look in my bag!!! There should be an "injection" to stop his bleeding!
Chopper: A little to the "left." A little further.
Mangapanda:
Chopper: This is bad, Robin!!! There's "material" to stop the bleeding in my rucksack.
Chopper: A little more to the "left."
As you can see, in Stream's translation they used "
tourniquet" instead of "
injection", and "
right" instead of "
left". When chopper was about to give Luffy an
injection(vitamin K) to stop the bleeding, he was holding a
syringe, not a tourniquet, and was pointing to the
left.
2.
Mangastream:
Mihawk: Has your sword ever broken?
Zoro: well, yeah...more times than I can count. Even you broke one of mine.
First off, Zoro's swords have broke two times. The first time was when he dueled Mihawk and lost in the process.
The second time was in Enies Lobby: it was destroyed by the user of the Rust Rust Devil Fruit.
Secondly, since we know that Mihawk broke two of his swords, a form of plural is necessary there.
Cnet's translation:
Flashback!Mihawk: Have you ever had your blades broken?
Zoro: No damage to the blade...
Flashback!Zoro: Well, once or twice... Hell, you broke them once!!
Cnet translated it how it should be. Plurals are used how they should be. Zoro's words make perfect sense.
What I gave you is just a drop in the bucket.
) the only exception to the rule, to my opinion is Hunter x Hunter 2011, 147 episodes of epic animation, York New Arc is pure awesomeness, probably one of the best shonen adaptation I've seen.
:
)Law actually said "lick the ass" :
.
), either for emphasis or to express annoyance. It shocks me. You find yourself used to a character whose words have always been polite suddenly talks in that manner. And that's only through Stream's translation.
@ that Gintoki-sensei explanation! 
)
