Nemo

Yesterday, I mentioned that the subtitles for "Spirited Away" were not always translatable. The same goes for the other direction, English to Japanese. The following dialogue from a clip from Disney's new movie "Finding Nemo" is a case in point. (People must think I have nothing better to do!)

English - - Japanese subtitles - - (translation of Japanese)

Marlin: Dory, do you see anything? 何か見える？(Can you see anything?)

Dory: I see a light.明かりが･･･ (A light…)

Marlin: A light? 明かり？ (A light?)

Dory: Yeah,over there. ホラあそこ (Look. Over there.)

Marlin: I, I see it, too. What is it? ホントだ.何だろう(Oh, yeah. What is it?)

Dory: It's so pretty. なんてキレイなの (How pretty)

Marlin: I, I'm feeling… happy… which is a big deal… for me. なんだろうこの感じ･･･シアワセ･･･とっても･･･気持ちイイ(What is this feeling… happiness… it feels… very nice.)

Dory: I want to touch it.触ってみたい (I want to touch it.)

Together: Oh! (no subtitles, duh!)

Marlin: Hey come back,come on back here.ホラこっちだよ さぁ、おいで (Hey, over here. Now, c'mon over)

Dory: I'm gonna getcha.捕まえちゃうゾ (I'm gonna getcha)

Marlin: I'm gonna get you.捕まえろ (Get it!)

Dory: I'm gonna getcha. も～っと近く (Little closer)

Marlin: I'm gonna swim with you.一緒に泳ごう (Let's swim together)

Dory: I'm gonna getcha.ホラおいで！(Hey, c'mon over.)

Marlin: I'm gonna be your best friend…. 友達になろう (Let's be friends) Good feeling's gone.あっヤバイ！ (Uh-oh, Not good!*)* ヤバイ is colloquial Japanese suggesting a situation is inconvenient, unpleasant or dangerous.

This is adequate, certainly, but some phrases specific to American culture just don't translate.

Marlin: I need to find my son. 息子を探さなきゃ (I have to find my son)

Dory: Your son, Chico?チコだっけ？ (Chico, right?)

Marlin: Nemo.ニモ (Nemo)

Dory: Right, got it. Let's ask somebody for directions.誰かに道を聞かなくちゃ (We have to ask somebody for directions)

Marlin: If you ask it directions, it could ingest us and spit out our bones.見知らぬ魚は危険だ。気を付けろ！(Unfamiliar fish are dangerous. Be careful!)

Dory: What is it with men and asking for directions?あんたのせいで迷子になったのに (And to think he got lost because of you...)

JA Stuff: I got a couple of interesting comments on my last entry--always a good thing, thanx sleetse and Masa--about Asian group co-mingling in the US. This is a conversation that we should keep going. I will add some stuff soon, but further comments from others is always welcome. The more opinions we share, the better awareness we have of each other. BTW, comments are not limited to JAs or AAs. Everyone is welcome to express a thought... just don't be a flame thrower, alright?