Learn the damn language!

[Broomjockey]

And isn't it jarring when you hear a word you know and realize that the subtitle has changed the translation for some unfathomable reason?

^-.-^

You want something REALLY jarring? I can't remember what it was now, but there was a show that had the Japanese and dubbed soundtracks, and several subtitles. On a lark, I played the English sub and dub. There were some fairly major differences in word choice. The gist was the same, but the intensity was changed, rhythm, etc. Ugh.

[AdvancedFlea]

And isn't it jarring when you hear a word you know and realize that the subtitle has changed the translation for some unfathomable reason?

YES!!! Indeed it is! They seem to do it a lot in one of the fansubbs for ookiku furikabutte. lol

[Andara Bledin]

You want something REALLY jarring? I can't remember what it was now, but there was a show that had the Japanese and dubbed soundtracks, and several subtitles. On a lark, I played the English sub and dub. There were some fairly major differences in word choice. The gist was the same, but the intensity was changed, rhythm, etc. Ugh.

I've done the same thing. They have different teams on the sub vs dub. For dubs, they'll usually do more for colloquial and regional changes than with subs, for one thing.

YES!!! Indeed it is! They seem to do it a lot in one of the fansubbs for ookiku furikabutte. lol

Not all fansubs are equal, that's for sure. I've had some that were great, and found a couple of groups that I avoid like the plague.

Oh, and my favorite for jarring inconsistencies is one particular episode of Bakuretsu Hunters (Sorcerer Hunters). One scene has Carrot crawling along the edge of a wall over a bridge, and in the original Japanes, there is no dialogue. We had it on English voices but with subtitles to see how awful the voices were, and the sudden lack of subtitles made us both go So we backed it up, switched to the Japanese language track and found out that there isn't supposed to be a running dialogue for that scene, but the English dub crew thought it needed more noise.

^-.-^

[corporate_food_slave]

That happened to me alot Managing fast food resturants in the Chicago area. Especially Spanish speaking people who assumed that if you are American, you don't know Spanish. I have had the same type of senario happen with SCs, but my favorite was the new employees who didn't know that I spoke Spanish. If I asked them to do somthing that they didn't feel like doing, they suddenly didn't understand English , they would assume that this would get them off the hook. so would give the same instruction in Spanish and they would and never pull that again.

[Geek King]

And isn't it jarring when you hear a word you know and realize that the subtitle has changed the translation for some unfathomable reason?

Usually, this is due to lazy/cheap companies doing what is derridingly reffered to as "dub-titling." They just take the English dub script and run it as the subtitle. Some companies don't do direct translations, however, so you get some real disparities from the origional Japanese*. I can understand just enough Japanese to know when companies are doing this, and I do boycott companies that do it to ridiculous extremes.

*I understand some changes are needed for clairity purposes, but such changes should not change the nature of entire characters or scenes. There is no good reason for a company to "dub-title" without providing a true translation option. I'll also note that the best companies/fansub groups do "true" translations, and run liner notes to explain oddball language usage or local colloquialisms.

[Andara Bledin]

I love the groups that run liner notes to explain obscure references and language-based puns.

^-.-^

[alphaboi]

Yeah, see, they didn't cover rude language in my classes. Not to mention if my Spanish teacher those last two years (who called herself "La Bruja" -- the Witch) had heard such language being used, we would have very quickly deeply, deeply regretted it.

I just went with the first thing that came to mind.

My French teacher taught us to curse in French. Including Québécois profanity (which consists of Catholic church terms used out of context).

[VComps]

Just a quick hit to all that think that English is an easy language to learn, imagine you're a non-English speaker and you're trying to learn English. And one of the words you've learned to read, write, and pronounce is "cough."

Now, how would you assume the following words are pronounced:

bough
through
though
rough

English has no hard-and-fast rules about anything. That's what makes it so hard to learn. However, the structure of English makes it arguably the most versatile language on the planet.

And now, a brief rant about language SCs.

Why is it that if I go to, say, France, I'm expected to pronounce my French flawlessly, with no accent, or I will be mocked - but when a French person comes here and mangles the English language, that's fine?

(Im just using France as an example, btw, I really have no problems with the French, other than the fact that Paris weather in January SUCKS)

My French teacher taught us to curse in French. Including Québécois profanity (which consists of Catholic church terms used out of context).

You know, I always wondered what would happen if the Mormon Tabernacle Choir ever came to Montréal...

[Soulstealer]

And isn't it jarring when you hear a word you know and realize that the subtitle has changed the translation for some unfathomable reason?

^-.-^

Don't get me started on that. Every time I come back to visit my family and I'm watching some program from an English speaking country I start cursing whoever did the subtitles. At least I know if I fail law school or the attorney gig doesn't work out I can go take up a career in making subtitles for programs that we imported.

[AdvancedFlea]

other than the fact that Paris weather in January SUCKS

Hey! Come and live in ENGLAND!! lol

[Ironclad Alibi]

Just a quick hit to all that think that English is an easy language to learn, imagine you're a non-English speaker and you're trying to learn English. And one of the words you've learned to read, write, and pronounce is "cough."

That reminds me of Dr. Suess' book The Tough Coughs As He Ploughs The Dough.

[VComps]

Hey! Come and live in ENGLAND!! lol

England's not as bad. Honestly it isn't. I went from London to Paris in January... in London I was just fine, in Paris I was freezing my... knees off.

Now, take a look at my avatar and realize that when I say I was freezing, I mean I was freezing.

(Oddly, at -10C in Paris I was freezing in a long coat, toque, scarf, gloves, etc, but when I got back to Canada it was -25C and I was just fine... I didn't even do up my coat... it's that humidity in Paris... it's deadly)

[AdvancedFlea]

Actually it's dry cold that will kill you without you noticeing humidity makes you realise how cold it is and seek shelter faster