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.

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.

Translator Conventions

1). 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).

2). 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.

3). Machine Translations: DISCOURAGED BUT ALLOWED

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

4). Novel or Chapter Summaries: NOT ALLOWED

• All translations posted on the Wiki must be legitimate translations. Summaries or summary-like translations are not allowed.

Note that a Project Manager may allow summaries in extraordinary circumstances, such as for licensed or missing volumes.

5). 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.

6). A Maximum of TWO Translators May Be Simultaneously Registered on a Volume

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

7). Registered Translators are NOT REQUIRED to Contact the Project Manager Prior to Contributing

• If you have an account, registering on the Project Registration Page is sufficient for joining a project and making translations.

Note that some Project Managers like to talk to new translators before they start translating. Some Managers may request a sample translation to gauge fluency.

8). Anonymous Translators are REQUIRED to Contact the Project Manager Prior to Contributing

• If you do not have an account, we will be unable to contact you. Hence, you are required to contact project staff before contributing.

Editor Conventions

1). Editors are NOT REQUIRED to Contact the Project Staff for Minor Edits

• Minor Edits include typos, grammar mistakes, misspellings, etc.

2). Editors are ENCOURAGED BUT NOT REQUIRED to Contact the Project Staff for Stylistic Edits

• Stylistic Edits include re-wording sentences, changing tenses, and modifying sentence structure to improve fluency, flow, and general style.

3). Editors are REQUIRED to Contact the Project Staff for Major Edits

• Major Edits include any edits that change the interpretable meaning of the sentence.
• Editors should contact Project Staff to have a translator check over the new sentence.

If in doubt (when it's ambiguous), contact a translator just to be safe.

4). Registered Editors are REQUIRED to Contact the Project Manager if they would like to Officially Join the Project Staff

• The Editors listed under Project Staff are exclusively reserved for editors who have made significant contributions (e.g. >10,000 characters of changes).
• Editors may not add themselves to the Project Staff. The Project Manager will do it for you.

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, unless first edition used.)
• 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.

Note: Translation Projects are encouraged to come up with their own typographic formatting guidelines involving ellipses, em-dashes, quotes, etc.

Default Verb Tenses: Narrative Tenses

• For story narratives, the default verb tense should be in the Narrative Tenses (aka: Past Tense):

• Narrative Tenses include: Past Simple, Past Continuous, Past Perfect, and Past Perfect Continuous.

Example: It was pouring down even at midday. We decided to leave at 5 o'clock in the afternoon.

• For dialogue, monologues, and thoughts, the default verb tense should be Present Tense.

Example: What they heck is that guy thinking?

General Translation Considerations

Sound Effects (SFX) and Onomatopoeia

• By default, sound effects and onomatopoeia should be translated to an English equivalent whenever possible.

Example: "goro goro" (ごろ ごろ) should be translated to "purring" (cats).

• If there is no straightforward translation, Project Teams are asked to use their best judgment.

Honorifics

• By default and unless otherwise stated, Baka-Tsuki translations utilize romanized Japanese honorifics:

Example: Yuki-san, Yamada-sensei, Yoshimura-sama, etc.

Japanese "Otaku" Terminology

• In general, Baka-Tsuki holds the stance that translations should be maximally accessible to an audience that may not be familiar with "Otaku" terminology.
• Japanese "weeaboo" terminology should always be translated to an English equivalent:

Example: Kawaii, Baka, Arigatou, Sugoi, etc., should be avoided in translations.

• Key terms (ie: Chuunibyou, Denpa, Doujinshi, Tsukkomi, etc.) are more debatable. Project Teams are asked to use their best judgment but arrive at a common standpoint that is consistently used throughout the series. Romanized terminology should be accompanied with an explanatory reference at the first occurrence of every volume.

Emphasized Content: Italics, Bold, and Large Font

• Translators should not add additional emphatic formatting (bold, italics, large font) to text that is not equivalently emphasized in the original translation.
• Translators should refrain from adding superfluous details (including formatting) that was not expressed by the original author.

Miscellaneous

Image Placement and Pagination

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References

References