Re: Profanity in anime/translations question

On Tue, 04 Apr 2006 14:10:34 -0400, Aaron R. Schnuth wrote:

I know from watching the digi-subs of Beck they have no problem using
English swear words. I figured this was probably because they are in
English, and aren't offensive to a Japanese audience. Am I correct on this
assumption? You also see the word *** thrown around quite a bit too in
some translations.

If the character, in Japanese, is using English swear words, you would be
correct. There's a hilarious send up this in Abenobashi Shopping Arcarde
with the Quentin Tarenteno hommage.

Also I can find info on Japanese censorship concerning sex and
nudity,
but not much concerning violence and language. For instance Berserk and
Gantz both aired on TV in Japan, but were they edited at all for content
or just shown late at night?

ELL covered the basics. It's visual images that get censored. Generally
speaking, there are no taboo words in Japanese; just taboo subjects and
language inappropriate for young children (e.g., Japanese parents don't
want to hear their kids calling them "teme"). But even the latter
restriction is regularly violated on the most popular children's TV shows
like _One Piece_.

The English translations usually use swearing to convey just how
angry/contemptous/rude someone is being to another person. For example,
don't ever use "kisama" or "temae" on someone unless you want a fight.

Another reason English translators use swearing is to convey
"uncouthness". Especially with rough characters who speak a swaggering
form of Japanese. You know, like gangsters, bikers and Great Teacher
Onizuka. :-)

--
"People who believe tend to be deathly afraid of people who think."

-- David Watson


.

Loading