Quote:
Originally Posted by genjichan
Questions! Why does subber's have different translations of a particular anime?
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In the first place Japanese doesn't translate well into English as much as the other way round. Translation is more of an art than a science, and there is no right or wrong as long as the meaning it is intended to convey is retained. Even if the subs are different, the meaning should not differ too much, unless one of the translators made a mistake in interpretation, or if a loose translation was used for a particular line to make it flow. If a show has self-invented words, non-standard names, and its own terminologies, then its up to the subber to use the one he or she thinks fits, unless there is an official English glossary provided by the source. And then there's word play lines where some translators use notes and others work it out in English even if the actual meaning diverges somewhat. The way lines are translated can also reflect the experience and English capabilities of the translator. Some of the new, inexperienced translators tend to be more literal than experienced ones. Finally, some translators prefer things to be completely localized (like Honorifics and cultural stuff) while others prefer to preserve these things in Nihonglish.