Translation Completion

Crimson7 · Post by **Crimson7** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:20 am

No... I'm not here to tell the people doing this to hurry up and finish the translation...
I just wanted to know about the opinions of the people on when will this project be completed.
Again, I'm not here to ask anyone to speed things up... I'm happy enough as it is that someone IS translating...

keito · Post by **keito** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 5:27 pm

An ETA? I can tell you something; it'll be finished when the translators are finished translating. You knew that already, right? But that's all we know.

Zero Blitz · Post by **Zero Blitz** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:42 am

That's hard to say since translation doesn't seem to be to a schedule, it's fairly erratic. Plus, Baka-Tsuki are going to partake in translating an additional novel series once volumes 1-6 are finished (according to Onizuka-GTO) so some of the Haruhi translators may completely stop translating Haruhi and start on the new novels or start doing half-half which will slow down Haruhi quite a bit.

There's still about 11 chapters approximately before we get to that point, though, so we won't be seeing another novel picked up for around 14-18 weeks by my guess. Although, like I said, the translation's slightly unpredictable so it could end up taking longer just to get to that point.

velocity7 · Post by **velocity7** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 10:13 am

Unpredictable, but at least some progress here and there.

The best ETA I could give anyone for this is, "When it's done". It completely depends on the moods of the current translators, if we get any new translators, etc.

Also remember that when the novels get licensed (Kadokawa indicates it might come within the next year), the project will have to terminate.

Da~Mike · Post by **Da~Mike** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:54 pm

Do note that for most of the Translators and Editors, this isn't exactly something they love doing all the time.
It is really time consuming to translate a foreign language into English (such as Japanese or Chinese to English).

Just like velocity7 said, people choose do to this more on whim and fancy rather than anything else.

So if you're a dedicated reader, just sit back and relax. Either more chapters will be finished sometime in the near distant future or it might get licensed. If not, why not try your hand at translating or editing?

Pookie · Post by **Pookie** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:15 pm

why not try your hand at translating or editing?

In relation to this, it is okay for people who are not members of this outfit to edit the stories for grammatical corrections?

Or, taking it a step further, how would the project leaders feel about sprucing up the language in the translations? This is not a knock on the translators who slave away selflessly on making the story readable for English speakers (I am very appreciative of their efforts), but I think a few creative liberties here and there can make the translation seem more "professional," in a manner of speaking. These differences won't be the kind that completely change the context of the story, or even make it flowery a la "Lord of the Rings" or the King James Bible. But what it could do is make the story seem less like a direct translation and make it seem more like it was written originally in English. I'm not sure if that description makes any sense, but I hope I got my idea across.

Zero Blitz · Post by **Zero Blitz** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:42 am

The whole point of it being on the Wiki system is that if we spot mistakes or think we can change it for the better, we can. They can revert it if they don't like the changes.

I don't really get what you're trying to say in the second bit.. since there isn't anything unproffessional about the translations. There is no one English style of writing so saying that you wish to write it as if it was originally English is vague and is likely to mess up the original. Also, the story doesn't come across as the "direct translation" you say it does.

I think the translators and editors are doing a very good job and I hope they keep on doing it. ^^

If you're dead-set on your thoughts then provide an example of what you'd like to change and to what.

Avalon · Post by **Avalon** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 7:25 pm

I think I understand...is it something like a transliteration? I've seen instances in manga translations where it seems the editor is mindlessly inputting glaring errors in grammar or syntax or whatnot...but the editors on Baka-tsuki are there to fix it all up, like onizuka-gto says, like a pack of hyenas.
So for the more flowery + professional part, is it safe to assume that you mean to make it less like a bland article and more like a true novel? I sure wouldn't mind; I'm sure Yamaguchi Noboru is pushing the Japanese language to the limits in terms of hilarity and story-telling. There's no way I would object to somebody trying to bring that same quality into the English verison. However, from what I've read in the Haruhi translations, that "bland article" sense is completely absent, and I'm enjoying it thoroughly. I don't think theres any need as of yet to change anything, because as Zero Blitz said, it could mess up the original.

SubordinateFive · Post by **SubordinateFive** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 7:47 am

Avalon wrote:I'm sure Yamaguchi Noboru is pushing the Japanese language to the limits in terms of hilarity and story-telling.

I assume you're referring to Tanigawa Nagaru, the author of the Suzumiya Haruhi series.

Yamaguchi Noboru was a yakuza. I don't think that's what you're referring to.

Avalon · Post by **Avalon** » Wed Aug 30, 2006 9:50 am

Whoops, i was thinking about the author to Zero no Tsukaima since I was so giddy about finding the news of it being translated xD.

A yakuza with the same name, interesting ^^