I want to start translating Japanese web-novel

[AnimeFangirl]

I don't have a suggestion, but for novel translations please, please translate them into English! Not Engrish. Not Japinglish. Common English as people write and speak it. Don't adhere slavishly to the original Japanese word order or try to translate every single word in the original. The meaning is the most important thing, so adapt if necessary. So many, many LN/WN translations are so horrible I can't read them.

[Rainne]

Dont bother with Ark, its already being Translated at Super speeds, 1 Chapter every 1-2days.

[travelingbum]

Originally Posted by mj31382

Overlord is being translated by Flying Squirrel Overlords (v.3 c.1c). My plan is to pick dropped/hiatus/untranslated web-novel (preferable to source from http://syosetu.com/).

lol. already got active group translating.

well Overlord is nice and the first part is complete.

and World Teacher, even though that is 1 person.... just looking at like the first 3 chs and you will see that you can't really call it a translation..... more like a machine might actually be better.
------------

side note.... why the heck are people bringing up LMS and Ark....
look at the thread title

Japanese web-novel

those 2 are korean novels.

[Ophis]

呼び出された殺戮者 - Yobidasa reta satsuriku-sha => I have yet to start this one, but it seems interesting. The chapter names are the best!

白の皇国物語 - Shiro no Koukoku Monogatari => this one seems to be really good. I`m loving the manga so far.

神器を統べる若神様　～戦神の異世界ハーレム奮闘記～ - ~The tale of a Wargod's otherworldly harem endeavor~ => Did not start this one either, but the MC seems to be really broken!

The 1st and 3rd seem to be really enjoyable novels~ Hope you'll pick one of them~

[Apoptosis]

Originally Posted by Ophis

呼び出された殺戮者 - Yobidasa reta satsuriku-sha => I have yet to start this one, but it seems interesting. The chapter names are the best!

白の皇国物語 - Shiro no Koukoku Monogatari => this one seems to be really good. I`m loving the manga so far.

神器を統べる若神様　～戦神の異世界ハーレム奮闘記～ - ~The tale of a Wargod's otherworldly harem endeavor~ => Did not start this one either, but the MC seems to be really broken!

The 1st and 3rd seem to be really enjoyable novels~ Hope you'll pick one of them~

I believe someone has already picked up the LN for Shiro Koukoku.

http://mahoukoukoku.blogspot.com.au/

[larethian]

Originally Posted by mj31382

Currently at JLPT4 (new system). Planning to take JLPT2 end of this year.

Better to spend your time studying on foundation, especially on advanced grammar. You don't just need to understand the grammar constructs and fixed expressions, but need to know the subtle differences between all the similar constructs. Translating won't help you in that. Translating and reading will actually help you in your reading comprehension by leaps and bounds and improve your skills beyond the academic constraints but provided you have the academic foundation to start with. It will also be a lot more rewarding to read and translate after that (the ah-ha moment on encountering something you learned and able to understand better is invaluable), rather than trying to apply guesswork every now and then, and attempt to learn new and foreign stuff through translating. Racking your brains over obscure, long sentences which are hard to understand because of insufficient foundation will just demotivate you from this arduous hobby (unless of course you don't actually care about what you are pumping out for the leechers).

[laon]

Originally Posted by travelingbum

side note.... why the heck are people bringing up LMS and Ark....
look at the thread title

those 2 are korean novels.

Read the first post.

[mj31382]

Originally Posted by Ophis

呼び出された殺戮者 - Yobidasa reta satsuriku-sha => I have yet to start this one, but it seems interesting. The chapter names are the best!

白の皇国物語 - Shiro no Koukoku Monogatari => this one seems to be really good. I`m loving the manga so far.

神器を統べる若神様　～戦神の異世界ハーレム奮闘記～ - ~The tale of a Wargod's otherworldly harem endeavor~ => Did not start this one either, but the MC seems to be really broken!

The 1st and 3rd seem to be really enjoyable novels~ Hope you'll pick one of them~

Thanks for the recommendation. Will check out the 1st and 3rd.

Originally Posted by dragon1412

well, N4 is a little low, but assuming you are at N2 at the end of this year, then you should be about N3 right now, which there shouldn't be many novels you can't tank. I suggest trying out 帰ってきてもファンタジー！？, the New Gate since there are no translator at the moment, avoid Isekai Mahou wa Okureteru! and Knight and Magic's type of novels due to their Jargon and references, personally i suggest 帰ってきてもファンタジー！？, there is not much technical details there and the Japanese level is quite reasonable.

Thanks for the advise. Will check out on Kaette mo Fantasy!? first.

Originally Posted by laon

Read the first post.

Yep. I was trying to suggest web-novel with similar element. But I dont have any knowledge on Korean language.

And much gratitude to the suggestion. Will try to go through a few chapter before deciding to translate.

[for3ver]

Okie.. first LMS is out of the question. The author had not given his permission for translations beyond volume 20. Second, it isn't exactly efficient to learn grammar and whatnot from translating light novels/web novels, the structuring isn't always fluid, and there are odd words here and there, if your a beginner. My suggestion, would be to learn the formal form properly first (via things like newspapers etc...) before moving to Light novels or web novels, which you would then be better off doing as a hobby.

Good-day.

[laon]

Originally Posted by AnimeFangirl

I don't have a suggestion, but for novel translations please, please translate them into English! Not Engrish. Not Japinglish. Common English as people write and speak it. Don't adhere slavishly to the original Japanese word order or try to translate every single word in the original. The meaning is the most important thing, so adapt if necessary. So many, many LN/WN translations are so horrible I can't read them.

Adapt as in like this?

Spoiler:

original japanese text: なにこれ?

It's kinda funny since sometimes translators who is expected to "localize" isn't even an (english-speaking country) "local", english may very well be his 2nd or 3rd language. I mean I can understand your frustration and I do hope the scenes got better, in a particular way, and not the way many localized game has become for years.

[Apoptosis]

Originally Posted by laon

Adapt as in like this?

Spoiler:

original japanese text: なにこれ?

It's kinda funny since sometimes translators who is expected to "localize" isn't even an (english-speaking country) "local", english may very well be his 2nd or 3rd language. I mean I can understand your frustration and I do hope the scenes got better, in a particular way, and not the way many localized game has become for years.

How does one even translate なにこれ? into that? Even when all he needed to put down was, "What's this?" Not even non-native speakers can screw up something as simple as that.

[setsuna86]

Originally Posted by Apoptosis

How does one even translate なにこれ? into that? Even when all he needed to put down was, "What's this?" Not even non-native speakers can screw up something as simple as that.

Well, I don't see much difference between "what's this?" and "what's going on?", aside of the fact that "what's this?" is just a transliteration. Otherwise: "what's this?" = "what's going on?" in the meaning.
Well, it's what I think.

[laon]

There is no "Holy moe maid waifu" in the original Japanese though, just なにこれ?. Now that's just a very tiny portion of the game, imagine how many things the translator added to the game.

But video game translationlocalization has been pretty liberal since ye' old PSX days so I guess this is nothing new. I just hope that some of the novel I've read in the past isn't as bad, but you never know... (I did know some manga scanlators who did something similar to this but thankfully they mostly went extinct.)

[itisjustme]

It's not really a bad thing, like Japanese and English are pretty different, Japanese is kinda terse and a lot of it is implicit, directly translated it reads pretty dry and repetitive esp for anime/gamess. I noticed that even in big games like FFs or stuff, where translators will constantly add stuff to elaborate, it kinda gives it a richness if it's done right.

The holy moe maid waifu is pretty funny and goes well with what I've seen of the game tbh. :P

[PROzess]

Originally Posted by laon

There is no "Holy moe maid waifu" in the original Japanese though, just なにこれ?. Now that's just a very tiny portion of the game, imagine how many things the translator added to the game.

But video game translationlocalization has been pretty liberal since ye' old PSX days so I guess this is nothing new. I just hope that some of the novel I've read in the past isn't as bad, but you never know... (I did know some manga scanlators who did something similar to this but thankfully they mostly went extinct.)

I think the game localisation is the worst in that regard. I have played various games with the original Japanese sound, but the subtitles sometimes told an entirely different tale. Especially for common phrases or battle shouts. It had absolutely nothing to do with the Japanese anymore. Well, I ain't saying this is a bad thing, translating means to ADOPT the meaning in a different language, not to replace it word-by-word.
Still, its pretty creepy when the stuff you hear is different from what you read.

For what matter, I would say the phrase "nani kore!?" implies more high impact in Japanese, exspeciallywith the right tone. A simple "what's this?" might not convey it, even less when it's just in text-form. So adding something like "holy moe kyun kyun" can be legit, imo. Questionable though, if it was actually the perfect phrase for that. I admit it sounds pretty retarded^^

[dragon1412]

Well this a purely assumption, but i suggest to reach at least N3 before any attempt at translating, since that level would allowed you to realized your own mistake, N4 is a little too low and too lacking in grammars while Japanese is a very context-heavy langue.

I was shocked to see how nanikore turn into Holy moe waifus as well

[laon]

Originally Posted by PROzess

I think the game localisation is the worst in that regard. I have played various games with the original Japanese sound, but the subtitles sometimes told an entirely different tale. Especially for common phrases or battle shouts. It had absolutely nothing to do with the Japanese anymore. Well, I ain't saying this is a bad thing, translating means to ADOPT the meaning in a different language, not to replace it word-by-word.
Still, its pretty creepy when the stuff you hear is different from what you read.

Yeah, I've experienced this too from time to time. It's easy to notice in a game with dual audio option since you can hear the actual sentences they're saying but for novel and manga you're entrusting everything to the translator and editor. Though it's good to know that you, who is a person involved in novel/manga translators scenes, think that they're not as bad since I don't have the drive to recheck back most works that I've read in the past in Japanese.

Originally Posted by itisjustme

It's not really a bad thing, like Japanese and English are pretty different, Japanese is kinda terse and a lot of it is implicit, directly translated it reads pretty dry and repetitive esp for anime/gamess. I noticed that even in big games like FFs or stuff, where translators will constantly add stuff to elaborate, it kinda gives it a richness if it's done right.

The holy moe maid waifu is pretty funny and goes well with what I've seen of the game tbh. :P

So you're fine with deviating greatly from the original script as long as it's "funny" or "interesting". I hope you do realize that the people who's doing those localizations are often separate entities from the original creator, so in some way, it's a form of censorship which a lot of gamers seems to hate these days.

Not gonna argue on this though lol, this isn't the place for it.

[itisjustme]

Originally Posted by laon

So you're fine with deviating greatly from the original script as long as it's "funny" or "interesting". I hope you do realize that the people who's doing those localizations are often separate entities from the original creator, so in some way, it's a form of censorship which a lot of gamers seems to hate these days.

I don't think it deviates "greatly" like, nani kore is a generic expression of surprise/bewilderment, holy moe maid waifu ?!whatever is an expression of surprise/bewilderment, it's just a bit more original, except it goes along the tone of the game, which frequently breaks the fourth wall and makes fun of itself. I don't think the translator changed the meaning or the intent there, just added some spice. :P

[wuhugm]

what the hell?!

[larethian]

Originally Posted by PROzess

I think the game localisation is the worst in that regard. I have played various games with the original Japanese sound, but the subtitles sometimes told an entirely different tale. Especially for common phrases or battle shouts. It had absolutely nothing to do with the Japanese anymore. Well, I ain't saying this is a bad thing, translating means to ADOPT the meaning in a different language, not to replace it word-by-word.
Still, its pretty creepy when the stuff you hear is different from what you read.

For what matter, I would say the phrase "nani kore!?" implies more high impact in Japanese, exspeciallywith the right tone. A simple "what's this?" might not convey it, even less when it's just in text-form. So adding something like "holy moe kyun kyun" can be legit, imo. Questionable though, if it was actually the perfect phrase for that. I admit it sounds pretty retarded^^

Yup, agree with this. But sometimes, the translator feels really good about that really 'novel' stuff he comes up with, gets carried away and goes bankai with that. It could become a dangerous addiction.
But rather than creepy, I guess I'd feel kind of entertained if the whole work is loaded with such liberalizations.

Originally Posted by itisjustme

I don't think it deviates "greatly" like, nani kore is a generic expression of surprise/bewilderment, holy moe maid waifu ?!whatever is an expression of surprise/bewilderment, it's just a bit more original, except it goes along the tone of the game, which frequently breaks the fourth wall and makes fun of itself. I don't think the translator changed the meaning or the intent there, just added some spice. :P

Well, if in the context of the game, the protag keeps breaking the 4th wall then still fine. But there's a line to draw in liberalization. If it's just emphasizing the exclamatory factor of 'nani kore' here, I'd just use "WOOOAAHH, what's going on here!?", and many other ways to do it. I think there might be too much of a personal feel injected by the translator here. Doing it too often and in a too liberal manner can create a habit, and an addiction like I mentioned, and lead to over-deviation from original artistic intent (not just literal meaning of text). But hey, who knows, I've never played the game before so can't really judge, maybe it was really appropriate in this context