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Please, Jeeves - Translation Proofreaders Wanted!

Hello, all! You may have heard tell of a fan translation project for Please, Jeeves - the Japanese manga adaptation of the Jeeves and Wooster short stories by P. G. Wodehouse! Well... we at Right Honyaku Translations (yes, it's a group started solely for this project) are quite happy to announce that the translation of the first chapter is complete!

However, while I (Red, the translator and moderator of this tumblr) may have a lot of dedication and enthusiasm, as well as several years of Japanese under my belt, but in truth I am not entirely fluent in the language and still make mistakes. As such, we are looking for proofreaders for the translation! It may be a long shot, given that there are a lot of moving parts and the whole thing is a volunteer project, but in a perfect and ideal world we would love to have the following:

A Japanese speaker, preferably fluent, with experience editing English-language texts. This is in order to make sure the translation of the original Japanese has no mistakes. (Familiarity with the Japanese translation of Jeeves - specifically, Morimura's translation, as it differs in many respects from the newer translation by Iwanaga and Koyama - is not a requirement but would be a great bonus.)

A British English speaker, preferably with some knowledge of old British literary style, and P. G. Wodehouse's writing in particular. This is in order to make sure the English translation does not dip into any non-British pitfalls we as Americans are unaware of, and sounds suitably Wodehousean.

However, if you don't fit those descriptions, but think you can lend a hand, let us know! We'd appreciate all the help we can get.

There are also two things to note, so the translation doesn’t look utterly strange. I'll stick those under the cut if you're interested.

Firstly, since much of this manga is taken from Morimura’s Japanese translation of the original Jeeves canon, a good deal of this is back-translation i.e. rather than literally translating the Japanese, I am often replacing it with its original English line as written by Wodehouse. This will only change if a scenario in the manga is extremely dependent on the Japanese wording over the original, which I have not yet encountered. One thing this manga does a lot is have partial alterations made to Morimura’s translation in its dialogue, in which case I translate it by combining the original Wodehouse line with some changes of my own.

Secondly, given that Japanese is a radically different language from English, it does not really possess equivalents for all of the broad, hyper-specific Edwardian slang as used in the original stories - for example, you end up seeing “cove” being translated simply as 「男」or “man”. So I have endeavored for my translation to be not just a translation, but also something of a Wodehouseification - in short, making the translated dialogue sound as if it would fit into the written world of Jeeves, even if it means putting extra Edwardian flair in the dialogue that wasn’t present in the Japanese original. A bit like a localization, what? I’ve done something similar while translating Japanese fan comics of The Great Ace Attorney (since the official English version adds a great deal of Victorian flavor in its structure and word choice and I thus wished to mimic that), and I’ve written fanfiction in the world of Jeeves before, so I hope that I am reasonably up to the task.

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so I'm thinking about buying the Japanese translation of Ukridge, because the art is super cute and it looks like a lot of fun.

attempt at a literal translation of what Ukridge says on the intro page there (by "literal" I mean "without Edwardianing it up to match the vibes of the original"): “Yo, my bosom buddy! I’ve got a nice moneymaking scheme for ya - won’t you take a bite? You don’t have to worry about a thing - my plan is perfect, like always."

Fun notes about this:

よお (yoo) has the exact same meaning and connotation as "yo" does in English. This is very important to me.

The kanji for "bosom buddy" or "kindred spirit", 心の友 (kokoro no tomo), literally reads as "friend of my heart", which is incredibly cute.

Ukridge speaks very casually here, with 貴公 (kikou) being an old-fashioned form of "you" generally said to equals or social inferiors (for the record, it's often rude to even say "you" to someone at all in Japanese if you don't know them well - you're meant to use the third person even when talking to them - and while I have not yet read it in Japanese I suspect Ukridge is kikouing everyone he meets), and changes the negative verb ending ない (nai) to the slangier, more colloquial ね (ne) at every turn. It's such a big part of Ukridge's character that his casual nature has zero regard for class, situation, or decorum, and I love how this translation reflects that.

Easily the best part of this entire translation is the fact that Ukridge's personal pronoun (what he uses to say "I") is 我輩 (wagahai), which carries the connotation of the user being absurdly arrogant. There's a reason Wagahai wa Neko de Aru (I Am a Cat) by Natsume Soseki gives the cat protagonist this pronoun. He is a cat. Cats are like that. And apparently, so is Ukridge. The cocky bastard. I love him so much.

conclusion: there needs to be a Ukridge manga like, yesterday. please. there's already a Jeeves one and it's great. a Ukridge manga would be so much fun.

[transtranslations]

I am a Japanese Jooster fan, and sorry if my translation is wrong.

In Japan, there are two types of translations for the works of Wodehouse. One is the translation by Tamaki Morimura, which is used for the manga version, and the other is by Masakatsu Iwanaga and Taiichi Koyama.

It seems Morimura's version gives weight to recreate the flavor and character images, while Iwanaga and Koyama forcus on replacing exactly what original text means with Japanese.

Now, regarding the part that all Jooster fans frame and display, "I'm fond of Mr. Wooster...," Iwanaga and Koyama's translation is, ”大好きなウースター様のことですから、お顔を見るとくじけそうな気持ちになりました.”

In this case, the term "大好き（Dai suki）" strongly express the sense of affection. In Japan, it's not common for someone of lower status to describe someone of higher status as "大好き," making it a frank and affectionate expression. It could be interpreted as Jeeves, being the older character, having a deep affection for the favorable young man, Bertie.

Of course, it's also possible to interpret it as "I love him," indicating a strong sense of love. In other words, Iwanaga and Koyama's translation conveys a meaning like, "I have a very good feeling (friendship, affection or love) about Mr. Wooster, so when I saw his despairing face, I almost faltered (in my determination to train him with severe methods)."

On the other hand, Morimura's translation is, "わたくしはウースター様が好きでございます。あの方のお顔を拝見して、わたくしはもう少しで心とろけるところであったと、認めるものでございます."

The phrase "好き（Suki）" is used in a wide range, from a confession of hidden love to a simple expression of goodwill. So, while it may sound slightly more serious than "大好き", the difference from Iwanaga and Koyama's translation is not significant.

The issue arises in the subsequent part. Morimura translates "I admit I came very near to melting," using the imagery of "melt" as "心とろける(kokoro torokeru)" ("my heart felt like it was about to melt").

The problem is that the Japanese phrase "心とろける（herart + melt）" does not necessarily imply a wavering of resolve or a softening of emotions; rather, it carries a strong image of entrancement or in ecstasy. In other words, while Iwanaga and Koyama's translation allows for the imagining of gentle Jeeves, Morimura's translation opens the door to envisioning sadistic Jeeves who is enraptured by Bertie's despairing face. I don't know what the word "melting" exactly means in English, but translation is indeed fascinating!

Note that both Jeeves will carry out the training as planned.

Japanese version of this blog :

日本におけるウッドハウス作品の翻訳には2種類あります。漫画版の元になった森村たまき訳と岩永正勝・小山太一訳です。

私は英語に詳しくないので間違っているかもしれませんが、森村訳が比較的雰囲気やキャラのイメージ重視なのに対し、岩永・小山訳は原文に書いてあることだけをシンプルに日本語に置き換えた感じです。

さて、全世界のJoosterファンが額縁に入れて飾っている"I'm fond of Mr.Wooster…"の部分ですが、岩永・小山訳は「大好きなウースター様のことですから、お顔を見るとくじけそうな気持になりました」です。この場合の「大好き」はかなり強い親愛の情を示す言葉です。日本では通常身分の低い者が身分の高い人を「大好き」と形容することはあまりないので、フランクかつ親しみのこもった言い方と言えます。年長者であるジーヴスが好ましい若者のバーティに強い親愛の情を持っている、と���う解釈なのかもしれません。もちろん、「愛している」という意味に解釈することも可能です。つまり、岩永・小山訳は「私はウースター様をとても好ましく思っているので、彼の絶望した顔を見て（彼をひどい目に合わせて調教しようという決意が）くじけそうになった」ぐらいの意味です。

一方、森村訳は「わたくしはウースター様が好きでございます。あの方のお顔を拝見して、わたくしはもう少しで心とろけるところであったと、認めるものでございます」です。「私は（人名）が好きです」は秘めたる愛の告白から単なる好意の表明まで幅広く使われますので、「大好きなウースター様」より若干真剣な告白に聞こえるものの、岩永・小山訳とそこまで違いはありません。問題はその後です。森村訳は"I admit I came very near to melting"のmeltのイメージをそのまま用いて「心がとろけそうだった」と訳しています。問題は日本語の「心とろける」に決意が鈍るとか感情が和らぐという意味があまりなく、うっとりする、恍惚とするようなイメージが強いことです。つまり、岩永・小山訳では善人（ぶっている）ジーヴスが想像できる一方、森村訳では大好きなウースター様の絶望した顔を見てうっとりするサディストのジーヴスが想像可能だということです。翻訳って面白いですね。

あなたはどちらの訳が好きですか？

大好きなウースター様への調教を躊躇する優しいジーヴス

ウースター様が好きなので絶望顔をうっとり眺めるジーヴス

なお、どちらも調教は予定通り行います

[transtranslations]

Nobody Expects The Japanese Jooster: Some Fun Translation Notes

Hey, guys. Are y'all aware that in the Japanese translation of "Bertie Changes His Mind", the line where Jeeves says "I'm fond of Mr. Wooster" is translated as 「私はウースター様が好きでございます」 (or, "watakushi wa Wooster-sama ga suki de gozaimasu")? Because I'm sure not normal about this.

Tl;dr: this line now reads like a love confession. (If an amusingly keigo-ridden love confession, because even in his internal dialogue Jeeves is physically incapable of not sounding aggressively polite.) More under the cut.

Now, please note that I am not fluent in Japanese, so take all my words with a grain of salt. But I have, at the very least studied it for several years, am currently living in Japan, and have listened to a great number of Japanese love songs. And this is how I would like to share that if you "ga suki" a person, this can and very often does mean you are in love with them.

Technically, "suki" just means "like". If you like apples, you'd say "ringo ga suki". If say, tennis is your favorite sport, you'd say "tenisu wa watashi no ichiban suki na supootsu" - with "ichiban suki" literally meaning "number one like". "Daisuki", or "big like", is the one that is often used for love - but boy is just plain "suki" used a hell of a lot.

Take this translation of "Ano Yume o Nazotte" (or "Tracing That Dream"), for example. Here, the translator has written it literally as "I like you", but contextually the song makes it pretty probable that it's a confession of romantic love. Or have a look at the Project Diva translation of "Suki Kirai" ("Like-Dislike" or "Love-Hate"), which makes "suki"'s usage in romantic love quite clear. There's even a whole conversation about the subject of love confession and translation in The Great Ace Attorney - this links to a fan-translated Let's Play so the original Japanese dialogue is visible, but the conversation happens similarly in the official localized version, though it manifests a bit differently. Regardless, both versions discuss "suki" as used to confess feelings of love.

What I'm saying is, wow, holy shit, Tamaki Morimura made a rather strong choice when using "suki". Because no matter the intent, that potential implication is absolutely going to be present in a reader's mind. And if you're wondering why I know this in the first place, it's because this line is used (in very slightly altered form, as "Wooster-sama" is exchanged for "the young master") in the manga, Please, Jeeves, which in large part uses Morimura's translation for its text, and... well. Let's just say our good pal Bun Katsuta seems to rather leaned into that with the expression.

Yeah.

And this goes in tandem with other aspects of the manga, like an added line that, to my knowledge, is not present anywhere in the original text (certainly not in the story that chapter adapts, "Jeeves in the Springtime"), in which Jeeves says that Bertie's shortcomings do not prevent him from being "beloved as a person". Not to mention the other choices the manga makes, such as having Jeeves wink at Bertie incessantly, or occasionally having hearts float around Bertie when he talks about Jeeves, or the panel at the end of "Without the Option where I swear to God it looks like Jeeves is trying to reach for Bertie's hand.

So, between the official translation and the manga adaptation, I'm not saying we have a Spanish Destiel situation on our hands... but I'm certainly implying it.

(My final note is that this is one of the favorite book series of Empress Emeritus Michiko. Which, with this added context, is very funny to me. I wish she had an open email address so I could ask her if she thinks they're in love.)

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Translation of top-right text: The mannerisms of a beautiful girl.

Tr…

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(The caption notes say there are spoilers below the cut. The rest is just noting that Ryunosuke, Asogi, and Van Zieks appear in the image.)

DGS　龍ノ介、亜双義、バンジークス

以下、1枚ネタバレです

Keep reading

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a succinct explanation of my blog name

translator? uhm.. im actually trans right now

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An English translation of the comic!

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Barobens from TGAA (by Taniya_Aruka)

While the translation was done by me, the text was hand-written in by my dear friend @barschter000, who has my endless thanks for having infinitely better handwriting than I could ever dream of. (He's also the source of the font in a number of my translation edits!)

As always, make sure to go ahead to the original link up top and give the original artist some retweets and likes! There's another very cute picture in the set that you absolutely ought to see.

Thank you for reading!

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Caption: Joint reasoning!

共同推理！

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Caption: That's honey, is it not?

それは蜂蜜だろうね？

#切り絵 #holmes #papercut https://www.instagram.com/p/BsVb8jqgOzN/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1r62pcij3ux6g

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Empty by 小梅むすび (Koumemusubi)

(continued from part 1 here)

Please go and make sure you give the original creator some likes and bookmarks at the link above!! They deserve it!

Thank you for reading!

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Empty by 小梅むすび (Koumemusubi)

Artist's Note: Happy birthday, Adachi-san.

(continued in part 2 here because there were too many images)

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Genklimt Collection from Twitter by ゆきち (yukichi)

If you haven't already, please be sure to head on over to the link at the top and give the original log some bookmarks and likes! I only translated the comics from this log, so there are a few pictures that didn't have text to translate, which you should definitely go and look at!

Thank you for reading!

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Caption: A disparate society.

格差社会

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The Not-So-Great Detective's Cicada Slam by イソノΩ (IsonoΩ)

Artist's Note: My last illustration received the "cicada slam" tag, but since it was the first time I'd seen it, I Googled it without knowing what it was. Upon seeing it, I said with satisfaction, "Ah, if it were Mr. Sholmes, I bet he'd do that." So I tried to draw it. (That's all lol)

Make sure to go ahead and give the original image some bookmarks and likes! (The onomatopoeia in it is much more artistically done and funny than the way I've edited it, so it's worth your time for sure.)

Thank you for reading!

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Great Ace Attorney Log 16 by 管理人R (Kanrinin R)

Make sure you go on over to the Pixiv link at the top and give the original artist's post some bookmarks and likes! After all, this is just one comic from a big log FULL of really great art. So go take a look!

Thank you for reading!