(Episode 230) Busjacking - AI's weird question

[Xtian]

Also to the above, a minor grammar lesson

"it's here, THAT person is in this bus!"

is better as "It's here. That person is ON this bus!"

"As I thought, SOMEONE from the Organization, who's after me?"

is better as "I think it's someone from the Organization. Who could be after me?"

The above translation of mine was more interpretative to try to leave the gender out. "who could be after me?" would change the meaning of the question.  She knows the BO is after her =) it was my bad translation to begin with haha, the below one is better.  I was going through a simple stream of thought process.

"Someone from the Organization? Is this person after me?"

is better as "Could it be someone from the Organization? Are they after me?"

Just minor grammar suggestions

I wouldn't use "could it be" because Ai doesn't use it.  She could have said "Soushiki no ningen nano/kamoshirenai (or other form of question/inquiry)" but she says simply "soushiki no ningen?" which sounds fine when you're distressed and thinking to yourself. (as Abs said literally "Organization's person?")

I thought about using "are they after me", but this might suggest another meaning instead of "the person ON this bus" after me.  The Japanese implies the person on the bus (aka the pressure), not a generic that can imply something else by using "they".

thanks though =D

Had the hardest time trying to figure out how to use the QUOTE thing lol

[sstimson]

I could have suggest this : "I think it's someone from the Organization. Who could be after me? as this

I think it's someone from the Organization. Who from the Organization could be after me?

but that second part should be understood and so in theory is not needed this part "from the Organization"

your looks like this: "As I thought, SOMEONE from the Organization, who's after me?" if you want to say the basic thing without extra words might get phrased as this

"I thought Someone from the organization is after me" but then that becomes a statement, not a question, and I am sure if I phrased it as

Is someone from the organization is after me?

would change the meaning of the question

though you might again go this route:

Is someone from the organization after me like I thought?

That last one is the best way I can think to phrase it.

as for this:"Someone from the Organization? Is this person after me?"

Again at the moment the above "Is someone from the organization after me like I thought?"

seems to be the best way to state that.

as for (as Abs said literally "Organization's person?")

should become either "Is this person from the Organization?" or Did the Organization send this person?"

English does like to add extra words to clarify thoughts other language can do with a lot less words.

And remember, that this just how I might edit  it, and just a suggest at that.

I guess the real question is not how to translate, but what exactly did she mean.

Those few words leave it open to lots of possible meanings.

[Xtian]

to me there's no other possible meanings. 

In context she's talking about the "pressure" that is equal to the time of Pisco, and just wondering why that "pressure" is on the bus, and her worry is that if that "pressure" is on the bus because of her, or if it is just coincidence.

I don't see how any of it could be translated with any other meaning.  I don't see Ai "wondering" if the Organization "sent" this person.  She doesn't say anything in that sense, and from just what she said there's no way to think that she is implying that.

so

"Is this person from the Org?" would be the correct instead of "did the Org send this person?" because those are two different meanings, and to get the "send" meaning a verb is needed in the Japanese, there's no verb in the phrase.

A rough example comparison would be the English phrase "Company Man" (meaning someone from CIA).  Ai is using "organization" in that way, she's kinda saying "Organization Man?" that doesn't carry any meaning of being sent, or being affiliated with them, or any other implications.  It's just a statement.

the possibility of meanings (although I don't see any other, in this case) doesn't give the translator the right to "add" words that are not there, that goes too much into "interpretation" that doesn't need to be there.

[Xtian]

ok, now that I think it over "is this person from the org" would not be the correct translation either because in english it would be interpreted as if AI is wondering if the person on the bus is from the org, or not. 

The Japanese doesn't give that impression.  The problem is in the english sentence that could give a dual meaning.

the correct translation should be then "is this a person from the org?"

If we would break down the sentence

a) [is] this person [from the org] === this person / from the org <--- asking if person = from the org. (affiliation)
b) [is] this [a person from the org] === this / a person from the org <--- asking if this = person from the org. (presence)

but because there is no "this" in Japanese, I still think "someone from the org?" is a better translation as it gives the presence meaning without having to add to it words that COULD have been said but weren't said like "this" = "kono"

If Ai had said
"kono hito (pressure) wa soushiki no ningen?" <--- this would carry the dual meaning that we are arguing about, that would actually lean more towards affiliation.  But that would be interpreting too much.

[sstimson]

As you might know the phase "Is this a person from the Org." is the same as "is this person from the org"

You should try this at the right translation as there will not be a double meaning :

Who is this person from the Org?

Yes I know it might change the meaning slightly, but that is what you are trying to say.

I could see your second statement / question is this: Is this     A person from the org" Questioning if that is the case.
We know that they are from the Org and so the question becomes either who is from the ORG. or more of a disbelief like I can not believe they sent that person?

Someone from the Org could also have the double meaning as it is a question and not a statement.

IMO I am leaning toward the later. Haibara can not believe they sent vermouth after her.

And this if the proper name was allowed. the question becomes one word : Vermouth?

[D.]

sstimson you're kinda confusing it again
Xtian clarified that Ai was asking whether this pressure she is feeling is because there is a person from the organization present not whether a certain identified person is with the organization

[Callid]

I think it's a bit strange noone has pointed that out yet, but it seems likely Haibara was unaware who was after her (if anyone at all) until 345. After all, not only didn't she realize that Vermouth = Belmotto (which she likely had if she had known that person to be after her, considering she, having studied in the US, speaks English (TBH, she probably should have realized it anyway )), she was also surprised by Conan revealing that the latter was sent by "Belmotto", which would have been strange if she had already known Vermouth to be after her. It's likely she only realized that the "strong pressure" was Vermouth at that point.