Beyond sarcasm?

Post by **HolyCow** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:35 am

As I have stated before, if I was really that frustrated, I wouldn't have bothered translating to begin with.

It is simple to think that the translation has been warped by my argument with g u e s t over the parody chapter, but, like I said, if I was indeed frustrated, I wouldn't have translated anything.

I understand that my credibility, integrity and proficiency as a translator has been severely jeopardized by that fake translation I posted earlier, and I fully acknowledge that it was my fault. I never thought something as simple as a joke would be blown up so big beyond proportion. I had always thought that joke releases were supposed to be fun due to the fact that they cheat you into reading something that you clearly know wouldn't be there in the first place, like an episode of BLEACH when the subbers had said that there would be no upcoming chapter that week. Since we don't work on a weekly schedule, I exploited the only hole I could have found, and that was everyone clearly knew that there wouldn't be a chapter 5 before a chapter 4, but yet they still read it anyway.

I know very well that it's my fault, and that the joke/parody chapter could be my very undoing. Oni had previously warned me against it, but I assured him that it was alright. I assumed that a small joke like that wouldn't bother anyone, but apparently I was mistaken. I can understand why my credibility and integrity as a translator is being questioned.

But I can assure you that while I was translating, I did not let my personal feelings go "into the text". Whenever I translate, I try to do it as accurately as possible, to the point of having several open chinese->english online translator tabs open, a separate window with both the chinese and english wikipedia and a printed chinese dictionary by me just in case. My translations are also done in MS Word for the sake of running it through a spell check. I know that this is hard to believe, again due to the above incident, but I ask you to please believe me, I did not let any personal emotions leak into the translation.

Umiman · Post by **Umiman** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:38 am

Yarr... I do believe you.

Just worried that as seen above, ego can get in the way of reality. I demonstrated it, and deleted it, and you demonstrated it too. I really don't want to see that in a translation.

I might not be very good at many things, but I'm very confident in my ability to read emotions, especially through written text.

That was the reason I brought this up.

Though I don't care about the joke chapter so much... just the effects of it.

Post by **HolyCow** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:43 am

Well then let me assure you that nothing has leaked into the translation. When I do translate, I try to be as serious as possible, but I realize that's not easy to believe after that joke chapter.

Again I take full responsibility for my dented reputation/credibility, but I just posted this to tell you, I certainly do not let my personal emotions get in the way of my translations, since if I was indeed frustrated, I wouldn't be translating at all.

Umiman · Post by **Umiman** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:49 am

righto.

Dan · Post by **Dan** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:44 am

I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary with the translation. And HolyCow, no need to apologizzllele...um...some people just need to pull out their butt-plugs and enjoy a joke. Unlike this guy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9GftAR3NZ4

I think you made it clear enough that you wouldn't put up a translation before the previous chapter was done. The fact that 91% of the last chapter you did was translated but none of it was put up should have made that clear even to people who don't read the forums. And it only took all of about 7 minutes to read the crossover fic plus the disclaimer at the end.

Umiman...wtf, m8? O_o

typhonsentra · Post by **typhonsentra** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 10:11 am

People are actually upset about the joke posting? I was a tad disappointed, but HolyCow's worked so hard for so long it's like a mosquito bite on an elephant.

Umiman · Post by **Umiman** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:25 am

Eh no... I don't care about the joke posting one bit. I'm more concerned about the effects people calling him out on the joke posting affecting the translation of Wandering Shadow.

I'm not so petty as to whine about a joke...

typhonsentra · Post by **typhonsentra** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:14 pm

All I wanna say is: Please don't turn down your current pace Holy Cow. Everyone here appreciates it, remember that.

nghtmre15 · Post by **nghtmre15** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:07 pm

typhonsentra wrote:All I wanna say is: Please don't turn down your current pace Holy Cow. Everyone here appreciates it, remember that.

Seconded.

Guest lol · Post by **Guest lol** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:21 pm

Thirded ... Thirded?

Why should you apologize holycow? I see nothing wrong with this, and I think it's great that you're putting something up for us to read while we wait for the rest of CH4.

Umiman · Post by **Umiman** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:23 pm

Gahh.... I didn't want an apology. Now I look like some bad guy.

Fine, I don't care... whatever, misunderstand all you like.

Guest lol · Post by **Guest lol** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 1:24 pm

I'm not talking about apologizing to you, I mean apologizing to G u e s t.

typhonsentra · Post by **typhonsentra** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 3:42 pm

Umiman wrote:Gahh.... I didn't want an apology. Now I look like some bad guy.

Fine, I don't care... whatever, misunderstand all you like.

I can't read what you originally wrote, but I understand how misunderstandings can start. I once upset Kinny by mistake.

Iznogoud · Post by **Iznogoud** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 4:54 pm

Umiman wrote:Gahh.... I didn't want an apology. Now I look like some bad guy.

Well, from what I read...

I can't believe that a joke has turned into this.

(I enjoyed that chapter 5

)

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 11:52 pm

Umiman wrote:Gahh.... I didn't want an apology. Now I look like some bad guy.

Fine, I don't care... whatever, misunderstand all you like.

The thing I love about the Suzumiya series is that the author uses the other characters to represent "hard sci-fi" by paraphrasing actual offbeat, but legitimate theories (Mikuru and Nagato) and philosophical ideas (Koizumi) while Kyon represents the the "soft sci-fi/fantasy" audience who would rather skim over the technical/philosophical crap and get on with the story. Koizumi offers a reasonable (if not usually questionable) answer to the weirdness the SOS Brigade experiences which Kyon accepts until it clashes with his common sense (as most philosophical ideas are pretty removed from common sense).

It doesn't sound like an issue with translation. Kyon isn't getting meaner, his issues with Taniguchi and Suzumiya have softened considerably from the first novel and it's reflected in Holy Cow's translation. It simply sounds like Kyon is more comfortable with Koizumi at this point, and less impressed with Koizumi's philisophical claptrap. Koizumi is a great character, who takes his own "theories" with a grain of salt. I don't think it's unusual or combative that Kyon realizes Koizumi loves to throw stuff out there without taking what he says too seriously.