schuyguy posted:
Didn't feel like commenting about it, but saying "if you don't like TL, read it in original" is the worst way to defend translation. People read translations, because they can't read original, but they still expect to get the same experience as native readers. So telling them if they want "more Japanese-ish" they should read original is the same as telling them, "TL made a shitty job at conveying the feel of original work" (or they didn't try to do it in the first place, which is another whole topic). I understand some localization is unavoidable or sometimes even necessary, but the entire point of good translation is finding balance.
Obnoxious as it is, "if you don't like it, go learn Japanese" is a pretty fair response to comments like "this is overly localized." Readers can and should demand accuracy, and translators should respond to legitimate criticism by fixing mistakes (in general, I think most of us do correct errors when they're pointed out). But saying something is "overly localized" is not all all constructive. It reveals nothing about the translation, only that the complainant doesn't know what localization means.
Except I never complained it was "overly localized" or anything like that. Someone said it felt kinda western, so I offered a explanation why it could be so. I didn't comment whatever it's good or bad thing or whatever this specific translation done it well or not. I simply stated a fact as a explanation of someone's inquiry. So when another person comments to this "you want more Japanese-ish read the original", then it is obnoxious. Because they completely missed the point.
Just to illustrate it further, when I was saying "but saying "if you don't like TL, read it in original" is the worst way to defend translation." I meant translations in general, not just localization. For this person it clearly wasn't even about whatever it's overly localized or not. It could be anything, from it having rewrites or it just not being translated accurately. They just liked this specific translation, regardless of how faithful it's to source material, so they understandably were afraid of any drastic changes to it. Again, I never said they were wrong about feeling that way, just the way they chose to defend it, was the worst way possible.
I was talking about how translation is supposed to work in general and why some people can find issues with it, but I also specifically added "(or they didn't try to do it in the first place, which is another whole topic)" part, because I do not think Sexy Akiba Detectives are doing "a shitty job at conveying the feel of original work". I and many other people are not fans of localizations. That does not mean, they're inherently bad or worthless. Even added jokes and references can make work better (though then we go into discussion of whatever you translate author's work or want to make your own, which is yet another whole other topic). I might not be fan of it, but I do understand value of it and that some other people might like or even prefer it that way. That's why I actually think Akiba are doing great job on it. Regardless of faithfulness to source material and all that stuff, their translations are great to read and flow well. So at no point I'd ever tell them to stop doing it. If there's no other translation available, I'd probably go and really read original if I wanted to read it in the "more Japanese-ish" way. But again, not everyone is able to do it, which is kinda the whole point of this pointless conversation. If someone had brought up actual issues and critic of translation and actually point out every single localization they don't agree with, that person would still tell them to shut up and just go read original, if they don't like it, which not everyone can.
And last thing, I specifically chose word "heavily" and not anything else like "overly", because it does make a difference.
Thanks for wasting my time. Again, why I even bother writing anything, when most of the time people will completely miss my point and I'll have to waste thrice as much time explaining myself again and even then often they still don't get it or just never reply.
last edited at Jun 9, 2019 9:45PM
