Looking for the right syntax in a .d file

[jastey]

21 minutes ago, Jazira said:

//Edited text

I know you chose an exaggerated ecample as an exampe, but I strongly advice against rewriting the mod's text like that. For an official translation, that is. Again, you can do for your personal use whatever you want.

Translators have some freedom to express the meaning of the original in a suitable way, if the "correct" translation wouldn't be something that is usually used in the context but something else - as long as the meaning stays the same.

Beyond that, it's not ok.

It was Gavin BG1 no less that had a - let's say - rather "free" German translation included in the BWP Textpack. The translation tried to be "funny", added half sentences where there were non in the original, etc. - This doesn't work. It's simply lacking respect to the mod author, and it also betrays players from the original mod experience as it is intended by the author.

 

[Jazira]

Yeah, my example is intended to be really borderline. But I've made enough proofreads to know that's a thing, unfortunately.

Ironically, I once received a PM of someone complaining that the translation of a mod I've proofread have heavily changed, especially the tone. It was translated 15 years ago... and it contained a lot of that kind of arbitrary changes. So I've been trash talked for fixing someone else mistake.

16 minutes ago, jastey said:

Translators have some freedom to express the meaning of the original in a suitable way, if the "correct" translation wouldn't be something that is usually used in the context but something else - as long as the meaning stays the same.

This.

16 minutes ago, jastey said:

It's simply lacking respect to the mod author, and it also betrays players from the original mod experience as it is intended by the author.

And this.

Anyway, the "tutoiements" and "vouvoiements" of the French language is a plague for us, poor translators.

[jastey]

1 minute ago, Jazira said:

So I've been trash talked for fixing someone else mistake.

That's bad. If it is any consolation, I'd prefer your translation any time.

2 minutes ago, Jazira said:

the "tutoiements" and "vouvoiements" of the French language is a plague for us, poor translators.

In German we are "lucky" that the game is kind of a medieval setting where Germans didn't talk in Sie/Du but a polite "Ihr", even from children to their parents. I'm not trying to trigger linguists so it could be that this is not really medieval, but it suits the medievallish-fantasy setting of Baldur's Gate quite nicely.

[Jazira]

6 minutes ago, jastey said:

That's bad. If it is any consolation, I'd prefer your translation any time.

I don't know, imagine having done 10-20 runs of the same game, with the same mods over and over. And suddenly one of your favorite mod got completely changed because one guy, with the intent of just fixing typos at the start, changes everything you like about your favorite mods, for the sake of fidelity of the intended content.

It's like playing a class you like on a MMO/MOBA or whatever, and the next patch rework every capacity...

I kind of understand him, in a way.

[jastey]

@Jazira Hmmm... But in the end, that's like "because the mod author couldn't proofread the translation when it was done, now we have a right to this translation that is not very true to the original". I don't know...

I would be rather shocked if I discover after 15 years that Ajantis BG1NPC romance is so liked because Ajantis is making so good jokes... as an exaggerated example. And I wouldn't really care that people got used to this interpretation, tbh.

But this discussion is more of hypthetical kind I think, at least my example was exaggerated. In the end, I know what you mean. It's not an easy situation. I wasn't happy with the mentioned Gavin BG1 translation though, I can tell you.