Localization Team Appreciation Thread

[Lemur]

Let's hear it for the incredible work the English localization team (and maybe other languages!) did with this game. All the olde vocabulary they used, such as forsooth, vouchsafe, perfidy (not to mention all the thous thys and theretofores) kept me completely immersed in the setting, and lent the game a level of verisimilitude that's often missing in historical fantasy. The dialogue is also brilliantly quotable, especially from our party members, and I imagine we'll be seeing lines from this game echoed for years to come.

I know these localizers get a lot of undue crap because of our ridiculous political climate, so I wanted to throw a petal of positivity back into the wind: thank you for your careful localization and translation of this game, and I hope to see you guys in Persona 6.

[ReborN]

It's pretty bad, and changes the context of a lot of critical dialog.

[keep.it.professional]

I can't think of any examples offhand, but there have been a couple of times where the translators obviously intruded their politics into the work, which is lame and a pity.

But on the whole I really want to agree with you, because I do love the way people talk in this game. I'm a sucker for archaic speech when it's done well, and the translators really nailed it.

[Steve]

Here here!

Great jobs all round!

[Clown Reemus]

Western localisation can only be classified as a "pile of litter", if we go by their objective quality. This one is no exception - I have to consciously avoid reading subtitles and just focus on the Japanese voiceover instead. Because if I were to go with subtitles, I'd have a dumbed down, anachronistic narrative with 1/3 of original content changed.

You... you want to commend that? That old vocabulary they used has no place in the game - the original Japanese script doesn't use "ye old'e English" equivalents in 9/10 cases where the same is done in English localization. They are talking normally, there is almost nothing extravagant in the original Japanese script (thankfully). The localization is fooling the complacent who don't understand the original. This is nothing a self-respecting customer can commend.

[Clown Reemus]

Originally posted by ReborN:

It's pretty bad, and changes the context of a lot of critical dialog.

It's a pity how ignorant the masses are in the U.S. They are given a subpar product worked on by underpaid, undereducated corporate slaves who only seek to meet the quota, with no regard to the quality of their work what-so-ever.

Truly, the culture will soon divide into two global halves - the opaque world of the U.S., and the rest of the planet.

[DrkCntry]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Western localisation can only be classified as a "pile of litter", if we go by their objective quality. This one is no exception - I have to consciously avoid reading subtitles and just focus on the Japanese voiceover instead. Because if I were to go with subtitles, I'd have a dumbed down, anachronistic narrative with 1/3 of original content changed.

You... you want to commend that? That old vocabulary they used has no place in the game - the original Japanese script doesn't use "ye old'e English" equivalents in 9/10 cases where the same is done in English localization. They are talking normally, there is almost nothing extravagant in the original Japanese script (thankfully). The localization is fooling the complacent who don't understand the original. This is nothing a self-respecting customer can commend.

Oh look, another person who doesn't know the difference between localization and translation getting up in arms over period-specific vocal stylistic words that don't exist in Japanese.

While simultaneously calling the output bad... you just cannot make this stuff up.

[Clown Reemus]

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Western localisation can only be classified as a "pile of litter", if we go by their objective quality. This one is no exception - I have to consciously avoid reading subtitles and just focus on the Japanese voiceover instead. Because if I were to go with subtitles, I'd have a dumbed down, anachronistic narrative with 1/3 of original content changed.

You... you want to commend that? That old vocabulary they used has no place in the game - the original Japanese script doesn't use "ye old'e English" equivalents in 9/10 cases where the same is done in English localization. They are talking normally, there is almost nothing extravagant in the original Japanese script (thankfully). The localization is fooling the complacent who don't understand the original. This is nothing a self-respecting customer can commend.

Oh look, another person who doesn't know the difference between localization and translation getting up in arms over period-specific vocal stylistic words that don't exist in Japanese.

While simultaneously calling the output bad... you just cannot make this stuff up.

Translation is direct translation, localisation is a culturally appropriated version of the original work that is more easily processed (read: fed to the dumb masses) within a given lingo-cultural background.

Now, tell everyone what does this game have - a translation or localisation. Then we'll decide if I accept your apology or just ignore you out of pity.

But merit is due: you are right. A phrase by a noble:"this guy is also A-game", when talking about a monstrous boss in a dungeon, most certainly, doesn't have any conceivable equivalent in any period of Japanese language.

[DrkCntry]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

Oh look, another person who doesn't know the difference between localization and translation getting up in arms over period-specific vocal stylistic words that don't exist in Japanese.

While simultaneously calling the output bad... you just cannot make this stuff up.

Translation is direct translation, localisation is a culturally appropriated version of the original work that is more easily processed (read: fed to the dumb masses) within a given lingo-cultural background.

Now, tell everyone what does this game have - a translation or localisation. Then we'll decide if I accept your apology or just ignore you out of pity.

I mean, it's obviously a localization, what isn't so obvious is that you seem to want a direct 1:1 translation despite the fact that 99% of the dialog would make no sense without native context of the language.

Here's the funny thing, you think that localization is "fed to the dumb masses", when in reality it is a necessity to correctly understand. Every language has nuance baked into it via context, everything from formal use to slang use, and in Japanese a lot of the language is interchangeable that without context clues becomes impossible to determine what is the proper usage.

It's not about 'dumbing down', it's about correctly imparting tone and context that localization achieves. Allowing non-native speakers to understand when and where something is being used in a way that is natural to their native tongue.

[Clown Reemus]

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Translation is direct translation, localisation is a culturally appropriated version of the original work that is more easily processed (read: fed to the dumb masses) within a given lingo-cultural background.

Now, tell everyone what does this game have - a translation or localisation. Then we'll decide if I accept your apology or just ignore you out of pity.

I mean, it's obviously a localization, what isn't so obvious is that you seem to want a direct 1:1 translation despite the fact that 99% of the dialog would make no sense without native context of the language.

Here's the funny thing, you think that localization is "fed to the dumb masses", when in reality it is a necessity to correctly understand. Every language has nuance baked into it via context, everything from formal use to slang use, and in Japanese a lot of the language is interchangeable that without context clues becomes impossible to determine what is the proper usage.

It's not about 'dumbing down', it's about correctly imparting tone and context that localization achieves. Allowing non-native speakers to understand when and where something is being used in a way that is natural to their native tongue.

This gets into a long debate over whether it's better to put some effort into learning the cultural context, or be left with a dumbed down version which has virtually nothing in common with the original meaning (half the time here, at least). Should be pretty obvious which side of the debate I'm on. But let's leave it at that, the important things have been said.

[DrkCntry]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

I mean, it's obviously a localization, what isn't so obvious is that you seem to want a direct 1:1 translation despite the fact that 99% of the dialog would make no sense without native context of the language.

Here's the funny thing, you think that localization is "fed to the dumb masses", when in reality it is a necessity to correctly understand. Every language has nuance baked into it via context, everything from formal use to slang use, and in Japanese a lot of the language is interchangeable that without context clues becomes impossible to determine what is the proper usage.

It's not about 'dumbing down', it's about correctly imparting tone and context that localization achieves. Allowing non-native speakers to understand when and where something is being used in a way that is natural to their native tongue.

This gets into a long debate over whether it's better to put some effort into learning the cultural context, or be left with a dumbed down version which has virtually nothing in common with the original meaning (half the time here, at least). Should be pretty obvious which side of the debate I'm on. But let's leave it at that, the important things have been said.

Yes, the important thing that you don't understand the purpose of localization and would rather demonize it when it's a necessity.

Sure, learning a language is great, but reality doesn't always allow that to happen.

[Rogue]

I think Metaphor is fantastic and the story is great. I personally love the little anachronisms sprinkled throughout the game, like how some people dress like they look like high fashion models in a medieval setting. The fact that some people, especially Gallica occasionally use more modern speech, while others use the flowery "olde English" speech is really cool. Seems totally in line with the Persona games.

I don't understand the hate for localization though. If Atlus just ran the script through Google translate, we would undoubtedly get situations that don't translate well from Japanese to whatever the translated language would be.

For example, according to this article from Lionbridge.com, いただきます (Itadakimasu) "literally translates to 'I humbly receive' and goes beyond 'bon apetit'". If I was playing Metaphor and every time they sat down for a meal and shouted "I humbly receive!", it would sound very strange because we don't say that in English.

https://www.lionbridge.com/blog/translation-localization/10-japanese-words-phrases-that-dont-translate-into-english/

If you want a 1:1 translated game full of weird, stilted speech that doesn't make sense in some places, fine, but that doesn't mean the translation is bad.

[Lysamus]

I think the English localization is well done. At no point do I feel like I'm taken out of the narrative or that a character says something "foreign."

I also echo the sentiment that it makes no sense to request a literal translation, and some localization will always be required to convey meaning and context across a language barrier. The Japanese honorifics (or their absence) alone would be meaningless to anyone who isn't a student of that culture.

All translation is localization. I'm glad this game's localization is engaging and natural to an English speaker.

[Fuhrer]

I at least appreciate that we're branching out a little and trying different bait threads now.

[Hearts™]

Atlus usually nails the localization. Great English dub too.

[Jeffer'son Airship]

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

[
Yes, the important thing that you don't understand the purpose of localization and would rather demonize it when it's a necessity.

Sure, learning a language is great, but reality doesn't always allow that to happen.

I mean, Japan has to rewrite this significantly when translating the other way too and yet it doesn't start these culture wars.