Preserving the mood
Moderators: Fringe Security Bureau, Senior Editors, Senior Translators, Alt. Language Translator/Editor, Executive Council, Project Translators, Project Editors
- Shadowys
- Project Translator
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:15 am
- Favourite Light Novel: Zero No Tsukaima
- Location: Somewhere in Malaysia
- Contact:
Preserving the mood
"怎么了?"
The literal translation of the above phrase is "What is it?", however, this was in a conversation between lovers(spoken with a soft tone, by a boy to a girl) and I felt that the literal translation was quite...out of place. I would like to translate it as "Hmm?" but that might seem vague. What are your thoughts?
The literal translation of the above phrase is "What is it?", however, this was in a conversation between lovers(spoken with a soft tone, by a boy to a girl) and I felt that the literal translation was quite...out of place. I would like to translate it as "Hmm?" but that might seem vague. What are your thoughts?
Winter's the time of the year,
when the cold chill the skin,
from the very within,
but you grasped my hand,
your eyes shedding a frozen tear.
Our eyes met,
and warmth filled the air.
when the cold chill the skin,
from the very within,
but you grasped my hand,
your eyes shedding a frozen tear.
Our eyes met,
and warmth filled the air.
- florza
- Shamisen Wordsmith
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:40 am
- Favourite Light Novel: Ahouka!
- Location: A place where the seasons come to a standstill
Re: Preserving the mood
"Sup girl, why the glum face?"
"You look pretty sad there sweetlips."
"Cheer up baby girl."
"Why so serious?"
Or the plain old "What's wrong?"
"You look pretty sad there sweetlips."
"Cheer up baby girl."
"Why so serious?"
Or the plain old "What's wrong?"
- Shadowys
- Project Translator
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:15 am
- Favourite Light Novel: Zero No Tsukaima
- Location: Somewhere in Malaysia
- Contact:
Re: Preserving the mood
"What's wrong"! I was searching for this all along lol. This fits nicely.
Though I do find that some phrases in English, while it being a good translation of the meaning, cannot convey the mood as it may be used differently in Japanese culture...
Though I do find that some phrases in English, while it being a good translation of the meaning, cannot convey the mood as it may be used differently in Japanese culture...
Winter's the time of the year,
when the cold chill the skin,
from the very within,
but you grasped my hand,
your eyes shedding a frozen tear.
Our eyes met,
and warmth filled the air.
when the cold chill the skin,
from the very within,
but you grasped my hand,
your eyes shedding a frozen tear.
Our eyes met,
and warmth filled the air.
- Hiyono
- Shamisen Wordsmith
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Thu Jul 31, 2008 12:55 am
- Favourite Light Novel: Ahouka!
- Location: The Internets
Re: Preserving the mood
Context matters as well. By default, I'd say something like "What's the matter?" or "What happened?" but sometimes 怎么了 can be used in other ways as well.
"There is always an easy solution to every problem - neat, plausible and wrong." H.L. Mencken (1971)
- Shadowys
- Project Translator
- Posts: 246
- Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 5:15 am
- Favourite Light Novel: Zero No Tsukaima
- Location: Somewhere in Malaysia
- Contact:
Re: Preserving the mood
Yeah, different relationship between people gives different meanings to what they say...and while it may be the same sentence in chinese/japanese, it's not so in English, which have way too many words for the same meaning
Winter's the time of the year,
when the cold chill the skin,
from the very within,
but you grasped my hand,
your eyes shedding a frozen tear.
Our eyes met,
and warmth filled the air.
when the cold chill the skin,
from the very within,
but you grasped my hand,
your eyes shedding a frozen tear.
Our eyes met,
and warmth filled the air.
- pudding321
- Haruhi Bunny Commando
- Posts: 1351
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:24 pm
- Favourite Light Novel: Ahouka!
- Location: Hong Kong
Re: Preserving the mood
ANGRY: What the poke is wrong with you? /// Is there a poking problem? /// What shit do you have in your ass now?
IRRITATED: What is it now? /// What matter do you have with me now?
TIMID: W-What is it?
CURIOUS: Yo, what's up?
HELPLESS: Um...what is it?
FLIRTING: What is wrong, my dear? /// What is wrong, my sweetheart? /// Is there something I can help you with? /// Please tell me if anything is bugging you. /// Is there something you want to say? /// Let it out. We can discuss this together.
You sir, just gave me a good example of why translations should refer to the context.
IRRITATED: What is it now? /// What matter do you have with me now?
TIMID: W-What is it?
CURIOUS: Yo, what's up?
HELPLESS: Um...what is it?
FLIRTING: What is wrong, my dear? /// What is wrong, my sweetheart? /// Is there something I can help you with? /// Please tell me if anything is bugging you. /// Is there something you want to say? /// Let it out. We can discuss this together.
You sir, just gave me a good example of why translations should refer to the context.
LoveLive! and Book Girl Extras: http://schoolidoldiary.wordpress.com/
- YoakeNoHikari
- Project Translator
- Posts: 1367
- Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:39 pm
- Favourite Light Novel: Ahouka!
- Location: この混乱の街並みの中でも、この2人は独自の世界を展開・・・
Re: Preserving the mood
never flirt with anyone ever pleasepudding321 wrote:FLIRTING: Let it out. We can discuss this together.
Even eternity can be encased in ice.
- pudding321
- Haruhi Bunny Commando
- Posts: 1351
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:24 pm
- Favourite Light Novel: Ahouka!
- Location: Hong Kong
Re: Preserving the mood
I just realised my F bombs were replaced by pokes. Anyway, isn't flirting an essential socialising skill?
LoveLive! and Book Girl Extras: http://schoolidoldiary.wordpress.com/
- florza
- Shamisen Wordsmith
- Posts: 388
- Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2012 12:40 am
- Favourite Light Novel: Ahouka!
- Location: A place where the seasons come to a standstill
Re: Preserving the mood
Yoake means to say your lines are so horrible for flirting you should never do it.pudding321 wrote:I just realised my F bombs were replaced by pokes. Anyway, isn't flirting an essential socialising skill?
There, I spelled it out for you.
- pudding321
- Haruhi Bunny Commando
- Posts: 1351
- Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 6:24 pm
- Favourite Light Novel: Ahouka!
- Location: Hong Kong
Re: Preserving the mood
Thanks for your interpretation of what Yoake is saying. I do not find it to be convincing though. Yoake is just saying this solely because Yoake hates the idea of flirting.florza wrote:Yoake means to say your lines are so horrible for flirting you should never do it.pudding321 wrote:I just realised my F bombs were replaced by pokes. Anyway, isn't flirting an essential socialising skill?
There, I spelled it out for you.
LoveLive! and Book Girl Extras: http://schoolidoldiary.wordpress.com/
- YoakeNoHikari
- Project Translator
- Posts: 1367
- Joined: Sat Mar 26, 2011 12:39 pm
- Favourite Light Novel: Ahouka!
- Location: この混乱の街並みの中でも、この2人は独自の世界を展開・・・