18th April 2005, 2:02 PM
Woah OB1, you assume too much. When did I ever say I prefer it when my entertainment uses stuff as close to America as possible? I enjoy looking at a lot of what other cultures believe and such. It interests me.
And oh yes ABF, my point was more that Julius Caeser was a play that may as well have been written in the language of the culture it was based on. Julius Caeser, even in Shakespear's time, wasn't exactly a current event you know. It's not like all past events occured at the same time, "in the past". He actually chose to do the play in english.
The point is they really shouldn't be expected to use such an incredible amount of time and resources on something so minor just for mood. With a LOT of work, they could get a mostly right translation (though humor would be the first thing lost in translation), but it's not WORTH it. It's just something minor really. Not a big deal. I see your point about it being a part of their culture though. There are things that are hard to translate. But, a translation of an English script into Chinese really wouldn't do it proper justice anyway, so why bother?
Listen, when writers make these choices, it's not some huge ethical thing as you think. It all just comes down to resources and whether the end payoff is worth it or if it's just a waste of time that only a few will appreciate. In this case, it's the latter. Writers do try to tell their stories to an audience after all. They have to make it something they can relate to, and part of that is language. Writers through history have known this for a long time, this isn't some new thing.
I won't go on beyond that. I understand your point of view. For you, any sort of change when someone is attempting to present a culture is harmful, demeaning it somewhat. (Notice the very Japanese looking Death's Hand guy?) But, for me, I really can't expect 100% accuracy, nor do I truly desire it. I suppose it's all a matter of how important it is to you. At any rate, I don't think our Chinese friends are going to be offended by it.
And oh yes ABF, my point was more that Julius Caeser was a play that may as well have been written in the language of the culture it was based on. Julius Caeser, even in Shakespear's time, wasn't exactly a current event you know. It's not like all past events occured at the same time, "in the past". He actually chose to do the play in english.
The point is they really shouldn't be expected to use such an incredible amount of time and resources on something so minor just for mood. With a LOT of work, they could get a mostly right translation (though humor would be the first thing lost in translation), but it's not WORTH it. It's just something minor really. Not a big deal. I see your point about it being a part of their culture though. There are things that are hard to translate. But, a translation of an English script into Chinese really wouldn't do it proper justice anyway, so why bother?
Listen, when writers make these choices, it's not some huge ethical thing as you think. It all just comes down to resources and whether the end payoff is worth it or if it's just a waste of time that only a few will appreciate. In this case, it's the latter. Writers do try to tell their stories to an audience after all. They have to make it something they can relate to, and part of that is language. Writers through history have known this for a long time, this isn't some new thing.
I won't go on beyond that. I understand your point of view. For you, any sort of change when someone is attempting to present a culture is harmful, demeaning it somewhat. (Notice the very Japanese looking Death's Hand guy?) But, for me, I really can't expect 100% accuracy, nor do I truly desire it. I suppose it's all a matter of how important it is to you. At any rate, I don't think our Chinese friends are going to be offended by it.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)