Off the anime topic for a second. But I was watching LastSamurai the other day with the commentary. And realized that yes, what they said in japanese wasn't exactly what they posted as a subbed translation. The guy behind the movie said, "We thought a literal translation would take part of the beauty and feeling out of the language, so we did a relative translation instead"

Now back to anime again. I realized that some subbers - specially the pirate variety - will split between literal and relative language translations. Then there's this third variety of subbers that will just guess - but screw them, they suck. Damn... speedsubbers.

Anyway, what do you think anime subbed under? Literal language translations or relative ones.

Literal - being what they actually say for word word in dictionary translation

Relative - what they say in a relative worded sentance. Not exactly what they say, but just there abouts.

FullMetal Alchemist is a good example of this. Some subbers did literal, some did relative. Issue (was it issue? I think, could've been ranc, but I Believe it was Issue) told me over an IM about how he didn't like Spoon as much as S&S because Spoon did more literal translating opposed to relative translating.


But really, what's more important? That they get the subbing right word for word, or that they take their time making the subbing 'almost right' but with more emotion behind it?

Feel free to talk.

Translating Japanese literaly produced crappy text. The language says as much with its words as with its timing and what is left unsaid. I support the relative translation of anime! Hell... I can listen for the literal stuff behind the subtitles.