Baka-Tsuki:Project Conventions

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This page is a DRAFT.

Please use caution. There many be inaccurate or incomplete material.

This page describes the "default" Baka-Tsuki Translation Project Conventions for all English light novel translation projects. These are the "default settings" and rules that should be observed for a translation project until a Project Manager specifies more detailed guidelines.

Only Project Managers have the full power to modify the default conventions with respect to their corresponding translation projects. They also have the privilege to grant exceptions to their own rules in special cases.

Please note that all conventions in this section may be overridden by a Project Manager for his/her specific project.

Project Specific Guidelines takes precedence over the items stated in this section.

Language

Default English Dialect: American English

• The standard spelling lexicon for this Wiki will be based upon American English as defined by the Fourth Edition of the American Heritage Dictionary (5th edition).
• After editing, manuscripts should only contain colloquialisms and slang understood in American English.

Note that some Project Managers may change the default language to British English, Australian English, etc.

Typographic Style & Grammar Conventions

Default Manual of Style: None

• Baka-Tsuki has no default style manual. However, we do encourage that a single translation project adhere to the same typographic choices.
• Here are some popular style manuals:

• The Chicago Manual of Style -- Most authoritative style guide in American publishing (requires purchase)
• The Elements of Style (Strunk and White) -- An extremely influential general American style guide (full text available)
• The Wikipedia Manual of Style -- Better suited for factual prose (full text available)

Note that some Project Managers may have specified precise ways to use dashes, em-dashes, and ellipses.

Translator Conventions

NOTE: Project Managers must notify Administration if any of Baka-Tsuki's default rules in this section are changed for a specific project.

Translating from Intermediary Languages: ALLOWED

• Chinese to English and Korean to English translators of novels originally published in Japanese may participate in a Translation Project.
• Note: Or the equivalent analogs if the original source material is Korean or Chinese.

Note that some Project Managers may request that only Japanese to English translators participate in a project (ie: Bakemonogatari).

Translating from Fan-Translation Sources: ALLOWED

• Second-hand translations made using fan-translations as a raw are allowed.
• Example: Translations made from Chinese fan-translations, instead of the officially published Chinese version, are allowed.

Note: If the statement were false, translations made from the officially published Chinese version would be allowed, but translations from Chinese fan-translations would not.

Machine Translations: DISCOURAGED BUT ALLOWED

• Machine Translations (translating with a full dependence on software) is allowed, so long as it adheres to the Machine Translation Guidelines

A Translator May Register for no more than ONE VOLUME OF CHAPTERS at a Time on the Project

• This is to ensure translators do not sign up and reserve more chapters than they can chew.

A Maximum of TWO Translators May Be Simultaneously Registered per Volume

• This is to preserve a similar writing or translation style across a single story arc.

References