About The Copying of My Translations

It seemed to me as hypocrisy to put a notice on my site which said, "copying of the translations without permission is not allowed", so I didn't.

As I myself upload the original lyrics of the artists without permission.

The only notice I have on my site is "For educational purposes only", i.e. you can educate yourself on what the lyrics etc. (might) mean.

I know that the only way to protect your work from not being copied without permission is simply not to post it on the Internet at all.

I don't have anything against people using my translations, even without asking permission; posting them on their blog, translating them to other languages or making karaoke videos, as long as they give credit to me.

Although I'd rather have people not use my translations at all, since they're not that good and I try to improve them every now and then. :)

If you use my translations, put a notice where you got them from – a link to my site.

This should be Internet common sense.

The biggest copying of my translations that I've noticed is the posting of my Onmyo-za lyrics translations to LyricWiki without permission.

I thought for a moment about removing the whole section from my site, but decided not to.

For now, I've added a notice to the Onmyo-za page on my site.

Voice Crew #585 and #598

In the first video I had some trouble figuring out what Morikubo says in the beginning.

It seems to be "人生を是正してます", but I'm not 100% sure.

I don't think I've ever heard the word 是正(ぜせい) before, but it isn't that rare a word.

In the video they use the word 店(みせ) which I've just translated as "shop", but I guess they mean specialized ice cream shops.

There were also quite a few onomatopoetic words and here's how I decided to translate them:

さらさら - dry

しっとり - moist

ふわーん - lightly

ほわー - whoaa (don't know if this is exactly what she means, but the words are somewhat similar)

At the end, at about 4:55, Morikubo doesn't say it very clearly, but I think he says:

"今年の夏は皆さん、Dippin' dotsで"

---

Here at the beginning they use the Japanese greeting お疲れ様, which doesn't have an exact English equivalent. I used "Good work today".

Other than that, there isn't much to say about this translation.

Making it was pretty straightforward.

陰陽座 - 帝図魔魁譚 Comments

Judging by its title, this song might be a reference to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teito_Monogatari. But I can't say for sure since I'm not familiar with that.

Some comments:

現存する雜魚の群に　畏る者は皆無

現存 literally means "to exist currently."
EDIT: First I put this as "living", but I've changed it to "extant."

祝いと呪いの　苧環紡げば

The sentence seems to be left incomplete: "if you/when you/once you've spun... (then what)".

彼の魁岸は星の蔭に　巡り続けるだろう

この開成も月の影を　照らし続けるだろう

I don't have a clue what these two lines are actually trying to say.

In the end I decided to leave the two uncommon words untranslated.
EDIT: I've changed them to English words.

魁岸(かいがん) means "to have a big and strong build". It's apparently a na-adjective, but is used here as if it were a noun. Kōjien has no usage examples for this word.
開成（かいせい） means "to develop human knowledge and to complete one's undertaking".

星の蔭 and 月の影 literally mean "the shade of the stars" and "the shadow of the moon".

懇願する烏合の衆　取るに足らぬ拝舞

拝舞(はいむ) is a sort of "gratitude dance" performed at a conferment/appointment. First you turn the upper part of your body left, then right and again left and bow.

能書きだの蘊蓄だの　蛆でも喰わない

蘊蓄(うんちく) has the original meaning of "vast stock of knowledge", but currently in everyday conversations it is used with the meaning "trivia".

Why Was Hideki Called Chack?

I came across this very precious video where Ryuichi talks to Hideki on his radio show "Midnight Rock City", and I decided to make a transcription and a translation.

R = Ryuichi

I = Imamura :)

R: えっと、今日はですね、スペシャル企画と申しましょうか？

インディーズナイトとして送りする２時間なんですけども。

まあ、一人目のゲストと言いますかね、SIAM SHADEのイマスくんに来ていただきました。

こんばんは。

R: Let's see, tonight we have a special program, or how should I put it?
It's a two hour program we've dubbed "Indies Night".

Well, here's our first guest, SIAM SHADE's Imas.

Good evening.

I: よろしく、こんにちは。

I: Thank you, good day.

R: えーっと、今日はですね、あの、なぜイマスくんと言うのか？デモテープにはCHACKって書いてあるんですけど。

何でイマスって言うあだ名というか愛称みたいなのついたんでしょう？

R: Let's see... Tonight— Um, why are you called Imas, when on the demo tape it says Chack?

Where did you get this nickname Imas from?

I: スキッド・ロウのヴォーカルにセバスチャン・バックつー人がいまして・・・

その人を意識してんじゃないか？とか皆に言われて、で無理矢理つけられたあだ名がイマスチャン・チャックだったんで、そっから

I: There is this person called Sebastian Bach who is the vocalist of Skid Row.

So, everyone was saying to me: "You trying to imitate him?" and forced on me this nickname: "Imastian Chack", that's how...

R: 今もイマスと呼ばれてると？

お客さんにもイマスと呼ばれてるんですよね？

R: And you're still called Imas?

And your fans also call you Imas, right?

I: そうですね、はい。

I: Yes, that's true.

R: で、多分今こうやってイマスくんと話してても知らない人が多いと思うんですよ、ラジオ聴いてる方。

まだ結成して半年というバンドなんでね。

で、簡単なプロフィールというか・・・

どんなバンドで？何人組みで？どんな人がいるのか？って簡単に言ってもらえますか？

R: Well, as I'm talking to you right now, I'm sure that there are many listeners who don't know who you are.

After all, your band was only formed half a year ago.

So, as a simple profile...

What kind of band is it? How many members? What kind of people are they? Could you tell us briefly?

I: えっとですね、五人編成で・・・えーっと一応ツインヴォーカルが売り物って言うバンドなんですけど、はい。

I: Let's see. It's a five piece band... Um, it's a band whose specialty is the twin vocals.

R: で、ギターも二人ですよね。

R: And, there are two guitarists too, right?

I: ギターも二人です。

I: There are.

R: で、かたっぽのギターの人が歌を歌うっていう？

R: And, the other guitarist also sings?

I: そうです。

I: Yes.

R: その人がソロもとるんですか？

R: Does he also play solos?

I: あ、とる部分もあります、はい。

I: Oh, sometimes he does, yes.

R: じゃ、ツインギターの比重としては両方の人がソロをとったり、バッキングを弾いたりと？

R: Then, the weight of the twin guitars goes so, that both of them play solos and rhythm?

I: はい。

I: Yes.

R: んー・・・そうか、イマスくんは何か楽器を弾かないんですか？

R: Hmm... Is that so? Do you play any instruments?

I: 一応エレクトーンだけなんですが、はい。

I: Only the electronic organ.

R: ま、今日来ていただいたのは他でもない、僕らの故郷であるプレイハウスのハヤマさんの今イチオシのバンドということで来ていただいたんですけど。

ま、今日ですね、きっと、本当に知らない人がまだ多いと思うんで、一曲とりあえず聴いてもらうかなと思ってるんですけど。

R: Well, the reason why you are here today is that your band is the band which Mr. Hayama from Play House, which is our home ground, is currently pushing the most.

Well, I think that there are many of those who don't know you, so I was thinking of having them listen to one of your songs.

I: お願いします。

I: Thank you.

R: じゃ、一曲聴いてもらいましょう、SIAM SHADEで「END OF LOVE」。

R: All right, listen to this song, "End Of Love" by SIAM SHADE.

Fan-made Mistranslations

Here are some mistranslations from fan translated Japanese anime and TV shows that I collected some years ago. Since I watch subtitled videos very rarely nowadays, I don't really come across new ones.

Anime

Elfen Lied

この国で未成年を撃ち殺すなんて指令が出るとはなあ

I think that there are too few chicks around here.

おい、いい世の中になったなあ

Hey, you have a good woman don't you?

口を慎め！貴様、任務を何だと・・・

Shut up, don't even mention her!

俺たちは毎日、何の訓練をしてるんだ？　人殺し・・・だろう？

We never know where we'll end up tomorrow, don't you think?

In the above discussion the translator hasn't even done a "guesslation", but has just made stuff up. What is that called, "imagilation"?

これから摘出手術が行いますので

From time to time, you'll be taking these.

(This was said by a doctor after he had given the other character tranquilizers.)

やっぱり５０口径の反動には耐えられなかったか

Guess I really do need tranquilizers from time to time.

拭えぬ血と涙によって少女は獣に変貌する

To question life's infinite struggle.

銀牙伝説ウィード (Ginga Densetsu WEED)

捕れるの？

When are you gonna show us?!

ここにはかつて、人食い熊の一団が人間を一切寄せ付けぬ王国を築いた時代があった

Here long ago, a huge battle was fought against a huge demon bear.

アジトは「牙城」と呼ばれた

He'd created a stronghold called Gajou.

牙城 translates to stronghold. There really isn't a reason to call it "Gajou" also.

だが、アカカブトに果敢に立ち向かう者達がいた

Akakabuto was going to fight to death.

一人のまたぎと…

One dog let the attack.

このことを旅先の総大将に知らせてください

It's an order from the leader.

母さんに持って帰るんだ

M..Mother.. I don't think I can get back..!

何だ、楽勝じゃねーか

It won't be easy then.

サスケ、考えがある

Sasuke, let's think it through.

馬鹿野郎！相手は土佐犬だぞ！俺がかなう相手じゃねー！

You fool! He's not a friend, he's just a Dog! I'm not his friend!

知るか！止めたのに聞かねーから

You should just stop it..

なんて情けねえんだ…

What sympathy he has..

そんなに変わりたきゃ、仏さんに変えてやるぜ！

You can't change yourself just from talking big.

桜、聞いてくれ！

Sakura, please don't!

さっきから総大将とか銀とか言ってるけど、ひょっとして、あの伝説の奥羽の総大将、銀さんの事か？

The story of Gin, the Boss Dog of Ohu... It isn't just a legend!? He's real?

この時、ヴィード、生後6ヶ月であった。

This time, it's Weed's story.

大将の器 (Episode title)

The tool of the leader

俺は高所恐怖症なんだ！

I shout at them but it does nothing..

TV Shows

Music Fighter

わたしは、いきたくありません　ケーキがきらいだからです

I didn't want to live, since I don't like cake.

The translator has mixed up the words "to live" and "to go".

Utaban

この笑顔は…

This laughter...

Although 笑う can mean either "to laugh" or "to smile". 笑顔 simply means "a smile".

来ましたね…奴が

They've arrived... this pair

ちょっと軽く傷付きました

You noticed it pretty easily.

The translator has misheard the word 傷付く (kizu-tsuku) as 気付く (kidzuku).
This is from my own translation. :)

バク天！(Bakuten!)

This was a TV show where Razor Ramon HG (a "hard gay" character of a comedian) appeared.

来る者拒まぬこの体

They can't say no to my body

The translator was probably unfamiliar with the expression "来る者は拒まず".

マジ超ウケる

I'll totally take that!

The translator wasn't familiar with slang. It means "That's super funny!" (or what would be the current English slang equivalent of that :-)

HEY! HEY! HEY!

それこそ早う脱いだらええやん

That's exactly what they shouldn't do.

I can't remember what the context was for this one.

ド下ネタやないか

Is this some kind of dirty joke?

The translation is rather weak. "That's the dirtiest joke I've heard in a while" might be closer to the original.

めちゃイケ (Mecha Ike)

あったやろ？筆箱の中に《物差しが》

It is right though...

さのさん、かまないように

Sano-san, please don't bite...

The English word bite doesn't have the meaning "to fumble or falter with one's words" that the Japanese word has.

カミ確率78％

Probability 78%

Here the translator has ignored the word altogether.

今に見とけよ、お前たち！

What are you looking at?

受験発表並みなんだけど・・・

These are "exam result" tears...

The translator has misheard the word "nami" as "namida".

ハロー！モーニング (Hello! Morning)

すずめの国から　巣立ち

From the land of sparrows, building a nest

笑っていいとも！ (Waratte Iitomo!)

お腹かなり出ちゃってんのよ

If you don't hold your breasts, they will come out!

続くでしょ。20何人いるのか、今？

So how many of you are now in Tsunku Family?

Quiz Hexagon II

大どんでん返し！

Dai Don Den Gai!

Probably some sort of inside joke by the translator. :)

ぼちぼち辞め時ちゃうか！

Will you get your act together!?

やだ！ここが引退？やだ！

No! I'm just gonna retire here!

The meaning of the lines is reversed.

 Uchikuru

 僕らが天然素材で勢いある時に、歌を、CDを出そうと。

Since we look like airheads, we thought we'll be able to sell. 

The translator probably did not know the group Yoshimotojirushi Tennensozai.

カバーしたの。

However...

僕らが歌ったのをまた自分でカバーした。
I found we sounded like frogs after hearing ourselves sing.
本当はこういう風に歌うんだよっていうこと？
You guys really sang that way you know?

FUJIWARA的には凡人！？
Fujiwara = Typical average joe!?

まあまあスベるし。
He's able to do whatever he likes.

セクシー！
Well, it's not really...

フルテンションでやったけど・・・
Mine is already not in use.

Gaki no tsukai

都内某グランド
Glove, bat, and ground.

About This Blog

I decided to start a blog where I can comment on my translations at my site and maybe write about other things.

People who are interested in translation or are learning Japanese might find it interesting.

A little about me:

I started learning Japanese sometime in 2000/2001 since I was interested in anime and video games.

I started by learning the hiragana and katakana and trying to figure out what was written in some Japanese video games. Some of those notes might still exist (on paper, at my parents home).

I haven't took any classes, I learned Japanese by myself with the help of the Internet.

Sometime around 2004, I think, I started uploading translations to my site.

Since I translate from a language that is not my native tongue into another such language, it is sometimes frustrating.

Sometimes the feeling of doubt arises that maybe everything I know about Japanese and English is somehow mistaken, that I've learned everything all wrong. :-)

About the blog title:

Reading a book about music (Finnish translation of Welt Der Tonkunst by Hans Schnoor), I encountered the word "aivokummitus" which is Finnish and literally means "brain ghost".

I'd never seen that word before and thought that now there's a funny word.

Since the book is translated from German, maybe it's a direct translation? (Google returns only 48 results for "aivokummitus")

As I was deciding what I should name this blog, I thought that maybe it should be a four kanji word like my main site.

So I thought what would "brain ghost" be in Japanese. 脳内幽霊. (脳内 means literally intracerebral, within the brain)

From there I just changed the kanji 幽 into the antonym of its homophone, that is, from 有 to 無.

The most important thing of course was that Google didn't give any results for "脳内無霊". :-)

I can only guess what connotations it gives to a native Japanese speaker.

脳内無霊 translates to 脳 brain, 内 inside, 無 no, 霊 spirit/soul.

Well then.

Thank you very much in advance (for your kind cooperation). ;-)