Silly translations...
Elfseeker
I've tried to find the proper translation, but either the site ain't got the
word in either form, or it doesn't include this form of the command.
What I want to know is, is it a plain 'sit', or does it really contain the
added element of reference('sit, boy')?.
I find the tendency of english translations(partiuclarly the season sets I
got) to use the double form incredibly annoying, as it sounds positively
inane.
I can understand that 'ouswari' takes a bit longer to say than 'sit', but
still...'sit, boy' simply does not give the command the authority it needs
to believeably restrain a half-demon son of the 'Lord of the West'...
June Geraci
Weatherhill publishers:
1. suwaru - sit
2. dozo o-suwari kudasai - please sit down
As far as I can see (and I am NOT a Japanese scholar, but love to do
research), Kagome is saying "sit" - o-suwari - without the "please"
(dozo and kudasai) because she's not being polite, but giving a
command, and usually angry at the time! When researching this, I
found it very interesting that two forms of "please" are used in the
invitation to sit down - on either side of sit. Perhaps someone who
knows the language better can explain that!
As far as the "boy" is concerned. The dubbers want to make the lip
movements match the English dubbing, and o-suwari has four
syllables. If the English voice actress just said "sit", the mouth
would still be moving afterwards. At least "sit, boy" takes up
some of the slack.
As far as it having enough "authority", apparently it did for
Takahashi.
Hope this is helpful,
June
"Elfseeker" <elfs...@c2i.net> wrote in message
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Elfseeker
While the dubbed version certainly makes sense, of a sort, I'd've been more
comfortable with something along the lines of 'sit down'.
And while we are on the topic of dubbing Inuyasha, I've just sat through the
first two boxed seasons from viz, and one aspect of them still rings
discordantly in my head; "Kilala".
While I can see how it might sound like it to people not quite paying
attention(on the one test with japanese audio, there was a pause to make the
name stand out clearly. Don't know whether that's done every time, but there
it was, and it sure weren't any L's involved.
Might only be a cosmetic flaw to some, but I cringed every time i heard it.
In the stretch of hurdles that is the usual collection of 'unbalanced'
elements in a movie or series, it was a blasted brick wall.
It might just be a case of what I'm used to, but I don't think I'd be able
to take the cat seriously if I'd first had it introduced as 'Kilala'.
Makes me think of those stereotyped chinese or whatnot in comics and such a
while back, exchanging 'r's for 'L's. I could understand it as part of a
dubbers dialect or something, but when the others said it in the same
manner, I groaned out loud. What were they thinking???
Elfseeker
I have no doubt that takahashi's original had every bit of 'oomph' it could
ever need. For one, I'm pretty sure I'd sit down should I ever hear it while
standing. :P
I just wish they could have found a similarly effective, multi-syllable word
to use(that would produce the same effect, natch).
June Geraci
I guess that's why I like subtitled anime much better.
I don't think I ever laughed so hard as when I first heard the
Sailor Moon dub, and "Molly" opened her mouth. Never heard of a kid
with a Brooklyn accent in Tokyo before.
June
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