ばか！バカ！　馬鹿ー月！

Reading through the novels, it appears there's no standardized translation of Kyon's characteristic catchphrase.

I've seen it translated as "Oh boy..." "My, my", and the original "Yare yare". (There's probably others, too, but I haven't seen them.)

Shouldn't we have a single standard translation of that line? I realize it can mean many things, (most of which seem to have to do with exasperation) but Kyon himself refers to it as a "catchphrase" and it really isn't one if it's translated differently every time it appears.

Thoughts?

I guess we could go with how the anime dub does it. I haven't seen it myself, but I heard that's it's pretty good.

O/T: The dub was, IMHO, a severe disappointment. I give them credit for not raping the original audio tracks like they do with more mainstream series, but the American VAs lack character compared to the originals. Just my $0.02.

Regarding translations, I see no reason to strictly define "yare yare" - if it has multiple interpretations, then the most appropriate interpretation should be used on a case by case basis. This isn't like a proper noun or trademark expression that should be consistent to establish pattern and character, it's just a regular expression.
=Smidge=

Usually, the American voice actors make me want to rip my ears off.

Another reason with fansubs > dubbing......

PIRACY FTW!

Smidge204 wrote:O/T: The dub was, IMHO, a severe disappointment. I give them credit for not raping the original audio tracks like they do with more mainstream series, but the American VAs lack character compared to the originals. Just my $0.02.

Regarding translations, I see no reason to strictly define "yare yare" - if it has multiple interpretations, then the most appropriate interpretation should be used on a case by case basis. This isn't like a proper noun or trademark expression that should be consistent to establish pattern and character, it's just a regular expression.
=Smidge=

Again, he's even said it's his catchphrase. And he says it a LOT.

Also, "my my" sounds incredibly stupid.

Personally, I wouldn't bother translating it at all, but...

I've never been a fan of fixed in translations like that. There are times when a phrase is better translated as something else to communicate the meaning more clearly.

Beware the talking cat wrote:I've never been a fan of fixed in translations like that. There are times when a phrase is better translated as something else to communicate the meaning more clearly.

I'm all for that, but can you even imagine Kyon saying "my, my?"

I think "Oh, well" would be better.

Kaisos Erranon wrote:

Beware the talking cat wrote:I've never been a fan of fixed in translations like that. There are times when a phrase is better translated as something else to communicate the meaning more clearly.

I'm all for that, but can you even imagine Kyon saying "my, my?"

I think "Oh, well" would be better.

Or just replace it with a region English version, i.e. British Yorkshire Version:

Kyon: "Bollocks?"

"Good grief"
-Charlie Brown

How Charles Schultz translated the phrase yare yare when he translated Penuts from Japanese to English.

Beware the talking cat wrote:

"Good grief"
-Charlie Brown

How Charles Schultz translated the phrase yare yare when he translated Penuts from Japanese to English.

Actually, that'd be an excellent translation.

It, too, can be used in various ways, with different meanings depending on the situation and tone of voice.

if you all want it that way it can be set into motion pretty quickly...

personally thought good grief sounded best.

If they had scouser accents or Dublin accents, it would be acceptable.

Otherwise, I'll stick with the subs...

I like the "no stock translation" idea. I caught a recent scanlation (I think it was Bleach?) where someone complained that "Kusoooooo!!!" (which I believe a number of us who don't even know Japanese know is usually translated directly to something that starts with an "S-" and ends with a "-hiiiiiiiit") was translated to "Da** yooouuuu!!" instead. While the scatalogical version is more "accurate", the term was used as a general angry curse, as it often is in Engllsh, and the situation involved actually fit the latter translation better.

While "Good grief" is a fairly accurate translation behind the feeling of the "yare yare" phrase, I think there are phrases that would work more ("You're kidding me...", "Aw, man...", "Oh, boy...", etc.) depending on the context.

Just my ¥2.226...

quigonkenny wrote:I like the "no stock translation" idea. I caught a recent scanlation (I think it was Bleach?) where someone complained that "Kusoooooo!!!" (which I believe a number of us who don't even know Japanese know is usually translated directly to something that starts with an "S-" and ends with a "-hiiiiiiiit") was translated to "Da** yooouuuu!!" instead. While the scatalogical version is more "accurate", the term was used as a general angry curse, as it often is in Engllsh, and the situation involved actually fit the latter translation better.

While "Good grief" is a fairly accurate translation behind the feeling of the "yare yare" phrase, I think there are phrases that would work more ("You're kidding me...", "Aw, man...", "Oh, boy...", etc.) depending on the context.

Just my ¥2.226...

But not "my, my."

Please.

Kaisos Erranon wrote:But not "my, my."

Please.

Oh...no. If he's going to be saying "My, my," he might as well start calling Itsuki a "silly goose". Now Itsuki, on the other hand...there's a "My, my" kind of guy for you... ^_^