Sorry Barb, going to clog the "FINAL DISTRIBUTION POST" one last time ^_^
barbsicle wrote:
1) Conflict
This is the main thing that is using up whatever time we're trying to save as well as manpower, with a multiplier(as there are 2 or more thinking). I do agree with you that the transcriber must be dedicated, but after working along for a bit with seaghyn, I realize half of our discussion/interrupting each other is because of conflicts. Like I've said earlier on, rephrasing is very different if you're going according to Chinese/Japanese or if you're going according to English. From Chinese/Japanese point of view, you take a sentence, and restructure it almost completely, and leave it at that. For English, though, people not only rephrase to make it sound right, they also omit certain phrases that may seem redundant because they sort of don't fit into the phrase, or perhaps change a word. This, was like I said earlier, distorting meaning, and I've stopped seaghyn many a time during those 3 lines to clarify and request for him to add this or that word (no offense, buddy).
Also, when I hear seaghyn read his sentence out to me, I feel kind of weird (again, no offense). This is due to the fact that everyone has their own style of writing. I write my translation out in my way, he writes it out in his way. So to confirm his transcription was accurate, I have to go through the sentence again, simply because I'm not used to the style. I understand this will change with time, so yeah.
Thirdly is a problem that I predict will happen if we use method (a). Simply, I record and send, the transcriber transcribes this chunk of text. The next day after audio-translating I have some spare time, so I go look at what my transcriber has done and I realize line xx does not match because my transcriber has omitted something. So we have to get into a discussion and time is, once again lost as my transcriber will be writing on the forum/im instead of transcribing. Unless, of course, we leave all the discussion to the end and in one span of time, correct everything at once. But here's where, if we followed conventional translating, I would be on the next chapter as seaghyn edits. So really, we can't get very much ahead of time. In the end we would still be discussing about the conflicts. After all transcriber vs. transcriber (if there are 2) discussion doesn't really help. The translator understands the core text so he would be the one to consult. Which, after this long roundabout statement, just ends up with the translator going back to sort things out and saves no time as a result.
Yeah, this is pretty much how conflict went. For one there was background noise where I use the internet, coupled with a small bit of static from Barb's CPU, it makes words hard to hear, and I had to end up asking Barb to repeat this or repeat that, then when he wants to say something I have something to ask, and it's "So you/What do...oh, sorry, go ahead...okay, it was ....." like that. Then what I wrote was changed a bit because I do have my own style of writing, how I think something should sound, and I don't have the original text. Kind of a flaw on my part. The communication takes time, and Barbs right, when he speaks it, it's pretty much all already in his head. Transcribing isn't as simple as barb reading word for word the chinese text in english while i transcribe. the order of words, structure, etc makes it so he has to figure out what it means, and by that time he's got the way he wants it to sound already.
barbsicle wrote:
2) Context
After translating lines with seaghyn, he and I agreed that to transcribe, one would need to understand the context well. Of course, context is in which all the conflicts arise. One way a transcriber could understand the context better is by watching the anime or reading the previous chapter. But, the anime is slightly modified (especially with Chloe who plays a big role for the Church) and some parts of the book are not present in the anime. Either way, in my opinion the translator probably knows the context best (as we're going through the thoughts and feelings of each character, main or not, as they perform their role). So, once again in the roundabout way, the translator will have to go through each sentence again to verify the correct context, example being importance or precedence of subject. Sometimes to get the phrasing right, the transcriber might twist the structure such that xx is more important than yy, which results in the sentence not implying what it's trying to mean. Therefore, the translator has to go through it all over again, and yeah, you get the roundabout.
Yes. Currently I am unable to read the Japanese text. If I was able to read the Japanese text, and had read the novel, then decided to translate, it might at that point be faster to transcribe what barb says...maybe. But with all the interjections, questions, background noise, etc, a considerable amount of time is taken up in Barb saying something, and then me repeating my "fixed" version, to make sure how it sounds is still kept in context. Sadly time isn't that well saved. This is good in theory, but it would work best under these conditions:
-Barb was reading an English book, one that I didn't have.
-Barb and myself had good mics, no background noise, and clear speech
-I was fast at typing (which I am ^_^)
-So Barb would read the book to me, and I would quickly write that text, to have a "copy" on the computer.
That's really the way this would work the best, and be faster than Barb reading the english text, typing it in, forgetting where he was in the book, and scanning, reading the next part, typing, etc.
barbsicle wrote:
3) My Side
as for the rest, they're minor problems (like seaghyn screwing up and asking me on im to TYPE what i was trying to say)
TL;DR: i respect your suggestion and thank you for it, but at the moment (unless you hit me with something i didn't realize even up till now) i don't really see the amount of time it could save to being very significant. nevertheless, the trial lines were a half-success. so for me (judgment is away in korea btw) i'll continue with my normal course of typing whatever i translate. nevertheless thanks for your ideas and i hope this one doesn't die out just yet.
P.S. this thread was supposed to be on final distribution, not the translating process. so yeah, we kinda got off-point. heh.
Barbs.
Haha, sorry for that...but seriously, there were these screaming kids that wanted their mom, I just couldn't hear you....plus it didn't help i was a bit confused on some of the words...haha, my bad my bad....wait til I get internet in my apartment, and it's quieter =)
Yeah, I think this is probably not going to work out. But for the record Pav, we did give it a serious effort, it's just under the conditions we have, it doesn't save time, right now we actually lost time....40 minutes for 3 lines =)
Okay, so that's that. Now back to the final distribution options? PDF, eBook, then another one.
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What is the general consensus out there of an audio book? Pav did make me start thinking, and I'm wondering if I voiced an Audio Book, what you would think?
Before you say "No! Your voice SUCKS!" ^_^, there is also the possibility of adding in the audio to the text on the eBook, and you can click an audio button to listen to the text. Check out Deckard Cains History of Sanctuary for the new Diablo III site. Sort of like that. Any thing you guys out there have to input?
[EDIT by Barbs so as not to clog it another time.
http://www.blizzard.com/diablo3/world/lore/journal.xml is what we're aiming to achieve with a slight hope that the audio will be implemented too, if it's in majority favor.]
-Krikit/seaghyn