Real translation names?

[Zak Something]

I've been playing the translation patch, reading a guide, and looking at the tcg gallery, and I can't help but wonder...

Are Dierdre, Fury, Aideen, Tinny, Fee, and Midir the actual translations of their names?

[Thor Odinson]

I think it's just a phonetic translation coming from the katakana.

Since IS released something else with their transliterations. (e.g. Dierdre=Diadora, Midir=Midayle, etc)

Both work, really. Sometimes I use the translation patch version, sometimes I use the official version.

[Ansem]

I believe its Ferry instead of Fury. Idk its how people depict it.

[DomDaDude]

The same thing happens to Gaiden. Like i say may the best translation win

[Celice]

Well best translation is subjective. Personally if things are just being randomly made up I don't call it a translation. I call it random junk. It can be good junk. But it's not a translation.

Now, there is a little license in translation to "make things up" when context allows. For instance, cultural jokes or insights that are not able to cross cultures are usually open to random garble. Personally, I would prefer a similar cultural reference, but that's because I don't think anyone should have their work altered without asking the original author--I don't like the idea of a writer making his words and having them thrown out simply because a new group of people can't understand it, of their own mindset. A better example would be, in one of the Breath of Fire games, there's a puzzle or joke that's dependent on Japanese language to get its pun or whatever across. It was literally translated or something for American audiences. The joke makes absolutely no sense. In that case, find another joke to replace it, in my opinion, so that you conserve the original intent without skewing it too much with your rebranding. I find that "fairness."

The issue comes with translation because of subjectivity. Especially in matters of names. I don't like random name changes because a group of select individuals decide they believe they can't adequately convey the original meaning, so they make things up. This pops up a lot with Fire Emblem. The issue is that a small group of people's beliefs end up being spread around to everyone. And because people are naturally gullible creatures, the differences aren't normally regarded, but accepted.

"May the best translation win" is more accurately rendered as "the most publicized." As we see by these translation patches in the FE fandom. A group of us called her Eden, and others Adan, Ayra, because those were the names of the time. Newer individuals were more largely introduced to them as whatever the new translation patch calls them. Aideen or whatever. That is not to say that Aideen and Eden are not one better than the other--until one is just making things up regardless or in addition to the literal translation.

Or something.

[Zak Something]

Ah. Thank you all for the input.

I guess I should just call the characters whatever sounds right to me.

[SuperTroll Maxim Lapierre]

Japanese uses a kana system to depict sounds. Only thing is, when they use katakana for Western words, the romanization of the kana do not always correspond to actual words meant to be depicted. Case in point, Diadora/Deirdre. Diadora is the romanization of the katakana, while Deirdre is [highly likely] the actual name used as the creators took the names straight from Norse mythology. I'm not sure myself if whether the j2e translation got all of the names down correctly, but Sigurd and Deirdre are "correct" spellings the names in English. Other names probably can allow for some variation in their English spelling, such as Celice.

Really, it's a matter of noticing whether the word is a transliteration, which tries to represent the sounds in one language into another language and also match the original script as closely as possible , versus a translation, which focuses just on conveying the meaning.

Edited August 7, 2010 by Voltaire

[Tetragrammaton]

Sigurd

I think you can easily find Siglud on Nintendo's site

[SuperTroll Maxim Lapierre]

I think you can easily find Siglud on Nintendo's site

It may be legitimate alternative. But google "Sigurd norse" vs. "siglud norse", and the former comes with plenty more results.

[Tetragrammaton]

and don't forget the Barhara/Valhala translation

Nintendo did that on purpose

[Celice]

When purpose is available, one should take it into consideration, of course.

I think you can easily find Siglud on Nintendo's site

U.S. Nintendo Power also decided the name was Zigludo or something like that. Was it Serlis too? Manly Serlis ~_~

Really, it's a matter of noticing whether the word is a transliteration, which tries to represent the sounds in one language into another language and also match the original script as closely as possible , versus a translation, which focuses just on conveying the meaning.

Sometimes those the translation, such as Norse, suffers the same problem as Dierdre/Diadora... hum :(

I don't remember anything about a Midir, but if there isn't, one should always remember there's a huge difference between feeling like a name is meant to sound like something, and knowing it is :/ (just a random comment on my part)

[deleted35362]

Tiltyu sounds better than Tailto. Just sayin.

[Charpig]

Maybe so, but Tailto is easier to pronounce.

The Fire Emblem Wiki has these translations:

Levin -> Levn

Fury -> Ferry

Fee -> Phee

Sigurd -> Siglud

Tiltyu -> Tailto

Tinny -> Teeny

I've seen more translations use Midir than Midayle. And this site uses Yurius and Yuria while others use Julius and Julia. Really, I don't care too much about subtle changes in translation names, it's just interesting to see how different people translate stuff. For example, Fee and Phee are the same name, just different spelling. Makes me wonder what names will be used when Fire Emblem 4 ever does come to North America....

What issue of U.S. Nintendo Power talked about Fire Emblem 4? I'd love to see that.

EDIT:

I forgot Lachesis -> Rackesis on the Fire Emblem Wiki site.

Edited August 14, 2010 by Charpig

[Astelaine]

For anyone who is curious, here are the romanizations of the characters' names. They are not the actual names as we would write them in English - they're just the sounds Japanese speakers make when pronouncing the names. This is why there are so many variants of naming in FE4. Anyone translating them from the Japanese katakana script into English has to figure out which English name (and according English spellings) the sounds are referring to. As a result, they are open to interpretation, to some degree. For example, Tiltyu's son's name is pronounced "Aasaa," according to the way it is written in Japanese. But listening to the name, we can tell it's supposed to be "Arthur."

As Rufus mentioned above, the name "Deirdre," from Irish myth, is the likely inspiration for Sigurd's wife's name. But for Japanese speakers to pronounce it, it has to be converted into their sound system, so it becomes "Diadora," and is written in katakana as ディアドラ. Anyone then trying to translate the name into English has to take the literal sound of "Diadora" and guess what it is referencing, or at least turn it into a spelling that wouldn't be difficult for an English speaker to read or use. In this way, "Diadora" works just fine, though it's probably more accurate to use Deirdre, since it's pretty clearly taken from the myth.

In any case, I'm just a dabbler who knows very little Japanese, so if anyone finds any errors below, please correct me! :)

Key:

Japanese spelling

Romanization

English names commonly found in the translation patches, artbooks, trading cards, etc. (Having seen the romanization, you can now decide for yourself if you think the English names the translators chose were the best.)

シグルド

Shigurudo

Sigurd, Siglud, Sigld

ディアドラ

Diadora

Diadora, Diadra, Deirdre

オイフェ

Oife

Oifaye, Oifey, Oiphe

アレク

Areku

Alec

ノイッシュ

Noisshu

Noish, Noishe

アーダン

Ādan

Ardan, Arden, Adan

レックス

Rekkusu

Lex, Rex

キュアン

Kyuan

Cuan

エスリン

Esurin

Ethlin, Ethrin, Eslin

フィン

Fin

Fin

ホリン

Horin

Holin, Holyn

エーディン

Ēdin

Adean, Edin, Erdin

アゼル

Azeru

Azel

ミデェール

Midyēru

Midir, Midayle, Mideel

ヂャムカ

Jamuka

Jamuka, Jamka, Jamca

アイラ

Aira

Aira, Ayra, Ira

フュリー

Fyurī

Fury, Ferry

レヴィン

Revin

Levin, Levn

シルヴィア

Shiruvia

Sylvia, Silvia

ブリギッド

Burigiddo

Briggid

デュー

Dyū

Dew, Deu, Due

ラケシス

Rakeshisu

Lachesis, Rakesis

ベオウルフ

Beourufu

Beowolf, Beowulf

ティルテュ

Tirutyu

Tiltyu, Tailto

クロード

Kurōdo

Claude, Claud

エルトシャン

Erutoshan

Eltshan, Eltoshan, Eltosian

アルヴス

Aruvisu

Alvis

Second generation. I won't bother with the substitute characters or minor villains unless someone wants to see them.

セリス

Serisu

Celice, Selis

ユリウス

Yuriusu

Yurius, Julius

ユリア

Yuria

Yuria, Julia

シャナン

Shanan

Shanan

リーフ

Rīfu

Leaf, Leif

アレス

Aresu

Ares, Aless

アリオーン

Ariōn

Arion, Areone

アルテナ

Arutena

Altenna

ハンニバル

Han'nibaru

Hannibal

ヨハン

Yohan

Yohan, Johan

ヨハル ヴァ

Joharuva

Yohalva, Johalva

スカサハ

Sukasaha

Skasaher, Skasaha

ラクチェ

Rakuche

Lakche, Rakche

レスター

Resutā

Lester

ラナ

Rana

Rana, Lana

デルムッド

Derumuddo

Delmudd, Delmud

ナンナ

Nan'na

Nanna

セティ

Seti

Seti, Sety

フィー

Fī

Fee, Phee

アーサー

Āsā

Arthur

ティニー

Tinī

Teeny, Tinny

ファバル

Fabaru

Faval

パティ

Pati

Patty

リーン

Rīn

Leen, Lin, Lyn

コープル

Kōpuru

Corpul, Corple

To Charpig: According to Wikipedia, it was Nintendo Power #87 that had the FE4 article. I actually have this laying around the house somewhere... I'll see if I can find and scan it. :)

Edited August 21, 2010 by Sirius

[Dr. Tarrasque]

Just use spoiler tags when a post looks too long.

[Balcerzak]

As Rufus mentioned above, the name "Deirdre," from Irish myth, is the likely inspiration for Sigurd's wife's name. But for Japanese speakers to pronounce it, it has to be converted into their sound system, so it becomes "Diadora," and is written in katakana as ディアドラ. Anyone then trying to translate the name into English has to take the literal sound of "Diadora" and guess what it is referencing, or at least turn it into a spelling that wouldn't be difficult for an English speaker to read or use. In this way, "Diadora" works just fine, though it's probably more accurate to use Deirdre, since it's pretty clearly taken from the myth.

Wouldn't the better way to get "Dierdre" be ディルドリ or something? Diadora seems an awful stretch. Then again, I'm clueless about said referenced Irish myth.

[Rewjeo]

I don't get how Fyurii becomes Ferry. If it was supposed to be Ferry, then Feri would make a lot more since. I mean, seeing as Fyurii is pronounced almost identically to Fury and Feri almost identically to Ferry...

[Celice]

I don't get how Soanevalcke becomes Stefan either.

:/

[Tetragrammaton]

ティルテュ

Tirutyu

Tiltyu, Tailto

i just don't get it why some English speakers can pronounce ティルテュ as Tailto

[Astelaine]

i just don't get it why some English speakers can pronounce ティルテュ as Tailto

Interestingly enough, "Tailto" is what you see on the Fire Emblem trading cards. So presumably that was made/translated into English by someone Japanese! Some of the weirder sounding variants come from the Japanese source materials. I mean, go check out the official character art for Holy War in the gallery here on Serenes. "Bligit," lol. I guess it all comes down to how familiar a translator is with the native sounds of the languages in question.

I don't get how Soanevalcke becomes Stefan either.

While no one but the localization team can say for sure, I imagine this is a case where the translators erred on the side of readability and ease of use, rather than trueness to the original name/sound. While "Soanevalcke" is awesome, it's also a little burdensome. It also seems to stick out among the other names in Path of Radiance, because it is so long. Compare it to Ike, Mia, Bastian, Greil. With complicated-sounding names there's always a tradeoff when deciding an English equivalent, so I sure can't blame them for just changing it to Stefan.

Wouldn't the better way to get "Dierdre" be ディルドリ or something? Diadora seems an awful stretch. Then again, I'm clueless about said referenced Irish myth.

That sure makes more sense to me, too. Then again, I'm not sure how the name would be pronounced in Gaelic. And we really have no idea what Diadora's creator over at Intelligent intended her name to be like. Did they intentionally take liberty with the name, even if her concept is drawn from the myth? All we know is that there are some clear analogues between the two figures, story-wise - a woman prophecied to have men shed blood over her, who grew up in seclusion, and who loses one lover to find herself with another.

Actually, an interesting project would be to look up some Japanese translations or writings about the myths and locations that inspire the names in FE4. Say, for example, that a collection of Irish myths, written in Japanese, writes the name "Dierdre" a certain way. Or what about "Sigurd," in a Japanese copy of the Volsunga Saga? Would they match the way the names are written in Japanese FE4? It would help in checking the validity of some of our English translations. Unfortunately, that's a project way beyond my own ability, but it sure would be neat.

Edit: I'm dumb, I could just try Japanese wikipedia! Durrrrrrr-

And Sirius, thank you for fixing that list with the spoiler tags! You win the internet.

Edited August 22, 2010 by Astelaine

[Celice]

While no one but the localization team can say for sure, I imagine this is a case where the translators erred on the side of readability and ease of use, rather than trueness to the original name/sound. While "Soanevalcke" is awesome, it's also a little burdensome. It also seems to stick out among the other names in Path of Radiance, because it is so long. Compare it to Ike, Mia, Bastian, Greil. With complicated-sounding names there's always a tradeoff when deciding an English equivalent, so I sure can't blame them for just changing it to Stefan.

It ultimately comes down to one's individual opinion for the rest of the masses. For complexity the counter would be Tauroneo stayed. Definition of complexity drifts also into the subjective individual. Objectively there's no reason for Soanevalcke to have been removed, as it's a reference to Soan, and the letter amount wouldn't have spilled outside borders, if memory serves.

It's just a boring thing. But the reason it was brought up was the same for why Eddie to Edward, Noyce to Nolan, Chap to Brom, and numerous others. It's a context that's relative, which once a decision is made, everyone's exposed to it. Just a small thing which actually matters a lot, just no one cares about it in this context.

Good points for brainwashing though, the technique, that is.

[irtikliwT]

It's not deerdree-style Deirdre, it's

Deirdre.

Have a google on the two.

There are quite a number of ways which I've seen it translated into kana actually.