Here's a few new screenshots from the main dialog. They're from the beginning of the game. This isn't the whole conversation, though. Don't worry, it's spoiler-free.
Because Fei's family name is Chinese ("Wong"), I've reversed the name order and put his family name before his given name. Chinese names and Japanese names are localized differently. When we translate Japanese names, we usually switch the name order ([Surname] [Name] becomes [Name] [Surname]. e.g. Miyamoto Shigeru -> Shigeru Miyamoto). But when it's a Chinese name, the order remains the same as the original: first comes the family name (or surname/last name), then comes the given name (or first name). A famous example is Mao Zedong. Mao isn't his first name, but his last name (or family name).
And Elly's name's no longer "Elhaym", but "Elehaym". It's a bit more accurate with her name in katakana (エレハイム, Erehaimu). In the Japanese game manual and in Xenogears Perfect Works, her name's spelled with 2 y's ("Elehayym"), but I've dropped the second y on purpose. I have my reasons.
But Wong Fei-Fong doesn't roll off the tongue the same way as Fei-Fong Wong! lol.
ReplyDeleteSeriously though, I don't care much either way about that specific naming convention myself... But there will be people confused by it, especially if you don't revert the Japanese names to family name first.
I don't think it's a good idea to switch Citan Uzuki's name order, for example. If I do it, it'll sound weeaboo-ish and I don't want that. His name in Japanese was Shitan Uzuki (シタン・ウヅキ), in this order, with "Uzuki" being his family name. It's weird, all names were localized already, there was no need to reverse anything.
DeleteI forgot to mention that Fei's name is also a homage to a legendary Chinese martial artist, Wong Fei-hung. If you don't know who he is/was, I recommend you watch the movie Drunken Master, starring Jackie Chan as Wong Fei-hung. In katakana, the two names (Wong Fei-hung and Wong Fei-fong) are almost identical, the only difference being one sound (Wong Fei-hung is ウォン・フェイホン (Uon・Feihon) and Wong Fei-fong, Xenogears' protagonist, is ウォン・フェイフォン (Uon・Feifon). "Ho" became "Fo", basically). And Wong Fei-hung is rarely ever called "Fei-hung Wong". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wong_Fei-hung
DeleteOh wow, I never realized that was Jackie Chan in that movie... If he was able to use real drunken kung-fu in that movie, why the hell couldn't he use real drunken kung-fu in 1994's Legend of Drunken Master?
DeleteWhy repeating "(earthlings)" so many times? Specify it one time should be enough I think, it's just kinda repetitive. I can't wait to play the game again with your translation, you're amazing! Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteThat was how the original script was. Yeah, I found that a little annoying too. Don't worry, it won't be repetitive anymore.
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