Thirdtwin said: In the Woolsey version Terra calls him a "bodybuilder," which I guess is fine--although it loses the context of the preceding battle, it still puts across that Sabin appears to be a dumb musclehead from Terra's vantage point. Again, Sabin takes "bodybuilder" as a compliment... but a few lines later he asks if the party would approve of having a bear join them. Barring a random swerve into the segment of the homosexual population that appreciates big beefy hairy motherfuckers, that line doesn't share context with anything anyone said, even though the line about bears was not five text boxes ago. At the very least, if you're going to change the content of a line when you're localizing something, be consistent with your change when that first change is referenced.
I also had a general sense that, at times, the man couldn't keep track of who was referring to what at any given moment. There'd be past tenses for something happening at the present moment, or the subject and object of a sentence would be at odds with what the game showed. Somehow the three gods all became goddesses. It's just little bits and pieces, but there are a lot of little bits and pieces.
SuperSquall said: Yes, you're right, although it isn't like the translator plays through the game in Japanese and then re-writes the paragraphs as he reads them. There is a giant, massive text dump, and that's it, and it is extremely likely he was never able to see his own text in the game until after it was too late.
Thirdtwin said: Wow, chill man.
I know dudes get all "omg Woolsey sucks blurrrrrgh hate hate hate" but that's not where I'm at. I'm just saying, beyond matters of "localization" or whatever, there are grammatical aspects of the translation that are rendered mistakenly, and that damages the narrative some.
Also, though--bodybuilder ruins the pun, but is at least accurate to Sabin's meatheaded self. Aerobics instructor? Bodybuilders look like this. Aerobics dudes look like this. Beyond "toned and healthy" there's definitely a difference between the lithe physique of an aerobics practicioner and the HULK SMASH-looking bodybuilder.
Ashilyn said: See, to me, those "good" excerpts you picked out ar ejust awful compared to the "bad" ones. Sure, the FFVIA examples are more verbose and use less "creative" language, but that doesn't make them "dryer". In particular, that Locke/Celes conversation seems much more expressive and well written in the FFVIA Â translation. The Wooseley translation feels like it loses any sense of meaning that scene is supposed to have in favour of a bit of silliness on Locke's part and some misplaced enthusiasm on Celes'. It's leagues better in pretty much every possible way. It sounds more like a real conversation while keeping the personality of the characters and the emotions of the moment intact. I don't get an "adolescent" feel from it at all. I get that from the first one. "Ayi yai yai!", "Izzat", and the way Celes abruptly proclaims "On with the show!" with a sudden burst of enthusiasm she hasn't had before all seem really juvinile and forced to me.
GOOD Locke: Aye yai yai! Izzat... you!? Celes: Locke. Why did you help me escape back there? Locke: I... once abandoned someone when she needed me... Locke: That ribbon suits you. Celes: On with the show! This is the big scene in which Maria senses that something's happened to Draco!
Onyx said: If you think that sounds remotely good or like something two people would actually say to each other, I can't trust your opinion on anything concerning the written word.
