Ask anything about Japanese language - 日本語ã

[Tanner-kun]

[quote="meidei"]

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[Callid]

Well, I have just another question. When you look at the translation of anime openings, you'll notice that the same sentences are sometimes often translated differently, and I'm not talking about little structural changes, but changes that change entire lines completely, or change the relation of words.

For example, if we look at DC Opening 5 (Truth):


JapaneseKazeNoKoe(128)KazeNoKoe(129)NazoNoKami(132)DCTP(128)

A

Quest for Love!Quest for Dream!Quest for All Truth!

Hitomi ni himeta yume dake waYour dream that's inscribed on your eyesOnly the dream inscribed in my eyesBecause only the dream hidden in your eyesIt's the dream you've got hidden in your eyes

Dare ni mo ubae wa shinai karaBecause noone's song diesBecause no one's song diesWon't be taken away by anyoneThat no one can snatch away

Azayaka ni ima shinjitsu wa dakishimete!The brilliant truth, embrace it!Vibrantly, embrace the truth now!Vividly now, embrace the truth!Brightly now, grab onto the truth!

A

Fureta kata no nukumoriTouch the shoulder of purityThe warmth of the shoulder I touchedThe warmth of touched shoulders,The tears that flowed

Nagareta kimi no namida waand your tears will flow.And your tears that flowedYour tears that flowedas I touched the warmth of your shoulders

Yoakemae ni umarekawaru tsuyosa ni!The weakness from before shall be born into strength!Will be reborn as strength before dawn!Will be reborn before daybreak ... into strength!Will be reborn before the day breaks... into strength!

Tatoe hanaretemo futari waEven if we are separatedEven if we are separated...Even if we're separated, weEven when we're far apart

Toki wo tomete yobiaeru yo soko ni ai ga areba!beyond time love will summon you there!We will call each other surpassing time, if love is still there...Can stop time and call out to each other, if there's love...We'll put aside time and call out to each other if love is there...

A

Quest for Love!Quest for Dream!Quest for All Truth!

Osaerarenai jounetsu gaFriendship turns into passion.The passion I can't controlMy uncontrollable enthusiasmThe passion I can't restrain

Mezashita mirai wo hikiyoseruWake up to the shining future.Draws in the awakened destiny.Draws out the future that I aimed forPulls me towards the future I've chosen

Kotae wa itsumo kimi dakara!The answer is always just you!The answer is always just you.'Cause the "answer" = "your own self"!Because the answer is always you!

A

Quest for Love!Quest for Dream!Quest for All Truth!

Hitomi ni himeta yume dake waYour dream that's inscribed on your eyesOnly the dream inscribed in my eyesBecause only the dream hidden in your eyesIt's the dream you've got hidden in your eyes

Dare ni mo ubae wa shinai karaBecause noone's song diesBecause no one's song diesWon't be taken away by anyoneThat no one can snatch away

Azayaka ni ima shinjitsu wa dakishimete!The brilliant truth, embrace it!Vibrantly, embrace the truth now!Vividly now, embrace the truth!Brightly now, grab onto the truth!


As we can see, they differ strongly, especially the lines about passion and future. And this is a moderate example, there are much stranger ones, and often enough one group changes their own lyrics (like KazeNoKoe above). So, what's the reason for this? I do understand that there are small differences in word order and selection of words, as in the line about the "answer", but why is "Dare ni mo ubae wa shinai kara" sometimes translated with "Because no one's song dies" and sometimes with "That no one can snatch away"? Is it that ambiguous in Japanese, despite the Kanji? Are these translations of idioms? Or of idiots?

[c-square]

why is "Dare ni mo ubae wa shinai kara" sometimes translated with "Because no one's song dies" and sometimes with "That no one can snatch away"? Is it that ambiguous in Japanese, despite the Kanji? Are these translations of idioms? Or of idiots?

In this case, it's because of misheard lyrics.  "Dare ni mo ubae wa shinai kara" literally translates to "Therefore, to/from anybody a snatching (ubae) can not be done (shinai)".  "Dare ni mo utae wa shinai kara" literally translates to "Therefore, to/from anybody a song (utae) does not die (shinai)"  The first "shinai" is using the negative of the verb "suru", which is to do.  The second "shinai" is using the negative of the verb "shinu" which is to die.

[Callid]

why is "Dare ni mo ubae wa shinai kara" sometimes translated with "Because no one's song dies" and sometimes with "That no one can snatch away"? Is it that ambiguous in Japanese, despite the Kanji? Are these translations of idioms? Or of idiots?

In this case, it's because of misheard lyrics.  "Dare ni mo ubae wa shinai kara" literally translates to "Therefore, to/from anybody a snatching (ubae) can not be done (shinai)".  "Dare ni mo utae wa shinai kara" literally translates to "Therefore, to/from anybody a song (utae) does not die (shinai)"  The first "shinai" is using the negative of the verb "suru", which is to do.  The second "shinai" is using the negative of the verb "shinu" which is to die.

Well, I actually thought the translators would compare if what they had heard would match the lyrics - not to mention that the romaji of the karaoke read "ubae" in both cases. Obviously KazeNoKoe needs needed some internal coordination...

[arielrachel0527]

I have a question: What does "moe" mean in Japanese? It seems like it means adorable or something like that, but I'm not sure.

[c-square]

I have a question: What does "moe" mean in Japanese? It seems like it means adorable or something like that, but I'm not sure.

It might help if you have some more context, like the full sentence in which it's used.  However, a quick look on jisho.org came up with this: http://jisho.org/words?jap=moe&eng=&dict=edict

I'm guessing the meaning you're looking for is the first one (the manga/anime slang).

[Azu]

I have a question: What does "moe" mean in Japanese? It seems like it means adorable or something like that, but I'm not sure.

It might help if you have some more context, like the full sentence in which it's used. 

As what he says, because it's hard to explain just in words. It doesn't really mean adorable/cute. Try to "learn" it by seeing someone using it .

[arielrachel0527]

I have a question: What does "moe" mean in Japanese? It seems like it means adorable or something like that, but I'm not sure.

It might help if you have some more context, like the full sentence in which it's used. 

As what he says, because it's hard to explain just in words. It doesn't really mean adorable/cute. Try to "learn" it by seeing someone using it .

Okay, I'll go back and find an example. I saw that in an anime so I was like, what does this even mean.

[Abs.]

Eisuke

[Azu]

Eisuke

SO WRONG

[Eve]

Eisuke

SO WRONG

depends actually, moe is subjective

[Azu]

Eisuke

SO WRONG

depends actually, moe is subjective

Haha yeah, I know, but I couldn't help my instant reaction. . That's only me, though. Sorry in advance. if I'm going to offend anyone.

On a side note, it really reminds me if of the lady in Otaku no Musume san who wants to learn up the meaning of moe, such a cute scene 

[Abs.]

Eisuke

SO WRONG

Nope, Sonoko said it herself!  If Eisuke had been a girl, he would have been a moe character!

[Azu]

Eisuke

SO WRONG

Nope, Sonoko said it herself!  If Eisuke had been a girl, he would have been a moe character!

WHEN

[meidei]

Eisuke is 格好悪ã