#especially if a query was sent from the ENG localization team to the top brass on the tone Zelda is using

[kafkaoftherubbles]

As a fellow Language Alchemist [IPA: trænˈsleɪtər (US); trænzˈleɪtə (UK)], this is something I wanna emphasize when it comes to judging the result of a translated/localized work.

Especially in the context of the "grace to fidelity" spectrum, which I rambled about before.

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Personal hot take:

I generally dislike purists shrieking about translation and localization efforts.

Many of them take for granted the fluidity and natural affectation (“grace”) of a translated work until it concerns their favorite character(s). Particularly when it's tangibly related to their favored aspects of the character's profile, including the formation of their personal headcanons regarding this character(s). And suddenly, localization ITSELF becomes this sin that somehow changes the “essence” of a fictional character.

Again, I do find merits in high-fidelity translations... attached to a copious number of footnotes explaining the cultural differences between these two languages... all that nerdy stuff.

But this is useful and important only to y'all. Y'all, the ones who love these characters, or this specific part of the lore and/or plot, to bits. These lectures are useful and important to all of you but—

Other people do not need the lectures.

Just like you don't, too, when the work/story isn't talking about your faves at the moment. You automatically value the grace of the translation more than rigid fidelity. You want to get the gist of the tone, the ambiance, the plot, the attitude of the character... in a way that comes directly from the language you're familiar with.

If you want to ask a localization team member—or other translator/ native speaker familiar with the original language—to give you the high-fidelity version of a specific section in that entire work, go ahead and ask. If they've got the time, I'm sure they'd give you a whole-ass lecture.

In fact, I'd actually not just ask for the hi-fidelity TL, I'd ask for the rationale behind the localization team's choice. Because it gives them the chance to voice out their thought process. What they understood or believed is being conveyed by the original creator/author. You can better judge the quality of their work after you learn of their rationale, don't you think?

At the end of the day, though, please don't use a lecture like THAT as ammunition against the localization team's collective effort.

They are balancing a lot of things on their shoulders as they work; what they need to juggle may even be beyond the "grace vs. fidelity" spectrum (time crunch is one; their knowledge of whatever obscure references and myths being used in the OG work by the Author is another). And at the end of the day, they are going for a translation that works for the most number of people. Because they are building a bridge between two worlds, and they are trying to make it as accessible to many people as can be. Whether you think it works for you... 见仁见智吧 (your mileage may vary, I guess)。

Don't pit translators (or native speakers) against translators.

localization for media is one hell of a job.

do a quick exercise with me if you don't believe me. here are 5 JP words and phrases real quick

ヨハン = yohan = Johan

良い = ii (read as ee in reed) good, positive, nice

人 = hito = person

は = ha = is

ですよね = desuyone = an ending syntax to end a question. often used as "isn't that right?" to the prior topic.

now here's my challenge phrase. ヨハンは良い人ですよね? how would you translate this? your first pass will probably be:

Johan is a good person, isn't he?

which is... technically correct, but if this phrase is used in the presence of Johan himself, then this is a wrong translation. the speaker is also saying this in response to Johan helping them out with something. if thats the context, then this would be translated as

Johan, you're a good person, aren't you?

but... reading this phrase out loud, it sounds... wrong. clumsy. awkward. odd. if you put this in a 1st party nintendo video game, it just straight up doesn't work. a voice actor might look at this and raise an eyebrow and ask, "yo, is this a draft?"

so localization parses this, and probably looks at the bigger context of things. they may or may not be able to ask the original writer directly for any additional info like intention and hidden contexts, and may even have mandates passed down from the company to ensure that certain sensitive things are avoided. but either way, the end result is to always deliver something tonally accurate and smooth/engaging in english, since the audience is fluent in english.

and factoring that the speaker is a bit of a flirt, ヨハンは良い人ですよね? might become...

Well, aren't you just sweet, Johan?

and so, despite sounding nothing like the original first parse, this end result is actually correct and ultimately more serviceable. based on additional overall context, the line may end up extra flirty or be toned down depending. sometimes the original writers may even have a hand in localization. just because they may be say japanese doesn't mean they don't understand english enough to want things to be portrayed in a certain way

thanks for reading, peace