Collaborative translation: 蠟筆小新 Page #1 (Translated, more pages to come)

[necroflux]

Welcome to the first of what I hope will be many attempts to translate an entire Chinese comic book as a group. Why comic books? Because in addition to having very usable and common language, they have drawings which can serve to offer additional context that helps the human mind absorb the meaning of the language.

For the first book I have chosen a random volume of "蠟筆小新", or la4bi3 xiao3 xin1. If any of you have your own texts please feel free to begin your own thread - Roddy has given us a green light and if this proves to be popular at all we might get our own subforum.

As a preliminary format, I'm going to keep all of the updated material here in the first post of this thread. Any input that you can offer should be submitted as a new reply; I will constantly add and change translated text as necessary here. Each image will comprise an entire page; the quality could be better (and I'm sure will be as I get the hang of this) so please bear with me. The images are very large (1000 pixels wide), any smaller and I found even more characters were difficult to read.

I will mark all of my translations as "Preliminary" until I get a confirmation or a request to change them.

In any case, let's get started!

Page 1 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

我是幼稚園的超級小英雄. (Wǒ shì yòu zhì yuán de chāojí xiǎo yīng xióng.)

I am the Super Kindergarten Child. (-Mugi)

幼稚園 yòu zhì yuán: Kindergarten

超級 chāojí: super

英雄 yīngxióng: hero

迷路記(mí lù jì.)

A Tale of Being Lost (-gougou + Quest)

迷路 mí lù - To be lost

記 jì - A tale

站前 派出所(zhàn qián pàichūsuǒ)

In front of the train station. (-Roddy)

站 zhàn: In front of (-Roddy)

前 qián: station (-Roddy)

派出所 pàichūsuǒ: Police Station

Mugi: I've also just recognized that the 站前 is a direct translation of the Japanese 駅前 (eki mae) - is this usage normal in Chinese?

對不起, 請問.. OO[某某]醫院在哪裏?(Duìbuqǐ, qǐngwèn.. mǒumǒu yī yuàn zài nǎ lǐ?)

Excuse me, where is XX hospital? (-Mugi)

醫院 yī yuàn: hospital

這條路 直直走下去, 在 盡頭右轉. (zhè tiáo lù, zhí zhí zǒu xià qù, zài jìn tóu yòu zhuǎn.)

Keep going straight down this road, and turn right at the end. (-Roddy)

這條路 zhè tiáo lù: This road

直直走 zhí zhí zǒu Keep going straight (-gougou)

盡頭 jìn tóu: At the end (-Roddy)

右轉 yòu zhuǎn: right turn (-Roddy)

什麼事, 小弟弟? (shénme shì, xiǎo dìdi?)

Hey kid, what's the matter? (-Mugi)

小弟弟 xiǎo dìdi: kid (lit. "little brother") (-Mugi)

動感幼稚在哪裏? (dònggǎn yòuzhì zài nǎlǐ?)

Where is Donggan Kindergarten? (-Quest)

這條路一直走 – 下去的左邊. (zhè tiáo lù yī zhí zǒu – xià qù de zuǒ biān.)

Continue down this road, down there on the left. (-Quest)

zuǒ biān: left side

叮咚 (dīng dōng)

Ding ding! (As in the sound that results from a game show winner.) (-Quest + Mugi)

太棒了. (tài bàng le.)

That's great!

我不是猜謎王啦,剛才的人也只是跟我問個路而已. (wǒ bú shì cāimí wáng lā, gāngcái de rén yě zhǐ shì gēn wǒ wèn ge lù éryǐ.)

I am not the king of solving riddles, the previous person only asked me for directions. (-Quest)

猜謎cāimí: solve riddle

王wáng: King

剛才gāngcái: Recently

問個路 wèn ge lù: Asked me for directions (-Mugi)

弟弟沒事的話, 就趕快回家. (dìdi méi shì de huà, jiù gǎn kuài huí jiā)

If you (lit. "little brother") haven't got anything else to say, just go home. (-Roddy)

Alternate: Well kid, if that's all, then you'd better head of home. (-Mugi)

沒事的話 méi shì de huà: Haven't got anything else to say (-Roddy)

趕快 gǎn kuài: Immediately

回家 huí jiā: Return home

我迷路了. (wǒ mí lù le.)

I'm lost. (-Mugi)

沒見過迷路還能這麼悠哉的... (méi jiànguò mí lù hái néng zhème yōuzāi de...)

I've never come across anyone who's lost and still has so much time on their hands. Quest has offered a different translation, both valid? (-Mugi)

沒見過 méi jiànguò: Haven't ever seen

悠哉 yōuzāi: Calm, relaxed, unworried (-Quest)

Commentary on entire page: Mugi-That's right, the police thought 小新 was asking for directions to the kindergarten, but 小新 was actually quizzing him, so the police 汗ed and said "I am not a 猜谜王, I was helping a lost guy". Then 小新 said "okay then, I am lost". (police more 汗ed). He's just an annoying kid...

Pinyin transcriptions are coming soon for the following pages. If you have a few minutes of spare time, please take any unfinished page and convert it to digital character/pinyin form. You can PM me the text or post it to a reply. If you don't have the ability to show tones, a simple number 1-4 after the pinyin, no spaces, will work. E.g. "shi4", "yuan2". Other than that, I'll take care of the formatting - just show each sentence in both character and pinyin form.

Page 2 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 3 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 4 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 5 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 6 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 7 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 8 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 9 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 10 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 11 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 12 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 13 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 14 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 15 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 16 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 17 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 18 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 19 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

Page 20 of 蠟筆小新 (click for image)

[gougou]

Hey, just had a quick look at it. Won't be following, as it's in traditional, but here are a few things I came across:

迷路 means to be lost (literally to lose the road), 記 is as in 史記 (Records of the Historian), so it should be something like "The story of Being Lost"

Also, make sure to distinguish between 真 and 直. 一直走 means go straight.

弟弟沒事的話... - if you (lit. younger brother) are alright...

的話 means the same as 如果. They often are used together: 弟弟如果沒事的話。

[roddy]

Cool stuff, good luck with this

站前 I would guess is 'In front of the train station' - 火车站前面.

盡頭 - 尽头 - at the end -

右轉 -右转 - right turn -

so that sentence is 'Keep going down this road, and turn right at the end'.

動感幼稚在哪裏? - you've missed a character there, but basically he's asking where the 動感 kindergarten is. 動感 will be the name of the kindergarten.

(Prelim.) This road is to the left. - perhaps 'Keep going down this road, and it's on the left'?

Also, the police man is saying ' If you haven't got anything else to do / say, just go home', rather than threatening the kid

Roddy

[Quest]

迷路記(mí lù jì.)

(Prelim.) A Tale of Being Lost

站前 派出所(zhàn qián pàichūsuǒ) This [train] station's police station

這條路 直直走下去, 在 盡頭右轉. (zhè tiáo lù, zhēn zhēn zǒu xià qù, zài jìn tóu yòu zhuǎn.)

(Prelim.) Straight down this road, at the end turn right.

盡頭 jìn tóu: the end

右轉 yòu zhuǎn: turn right

什麼事, 小弟弟? (shénme shì, xiǎo dìdi?)

(Prelim.) What's the matter, kid?

動感幼稚在哪裏? (dònggǎn yòuzhì zài nǎlǐ?)

(Prelim.) Where is Donggan(Dynamic/Energetic/Exciting[a name]) Kindergarten?

這條路一真走 – 下去的左邊. (zhè tiáo lù yī zhēn – xià qù de zuǒ biān.)

(Prelim.) Continue down this road, down there on the left.

叮咚- ? (dīngdong)

(Prelim): Sound of a bell/doorbell

我不是猜謎王啦,剛才的人也只是跟我問個路而已. (wǒ bu shì cāimí wáng lā, gāngcái de rén yě zhǐ shì gēn wǒ wèn gè lù éryǐ.)

(Prelim): I am not the king of solving riddles, the previous person only asked me for directions.

弟弟沒事的話, 就趕快回家. (dìdi méi shì de huà, jiù gǎn kuài huí jiā)

(Prelim.) If kid(you) have no further business here, just go home.

我迷路了. (wǒ mí lù le.)

(Prelim.) I am lost.

沒見過迷路還能這麼悠哉的... (méi jiànguò mí lù hái néng zhème yōuzāi de...)

(Prelim.) have never seen anyone who's lost who could remain so calm.

悠哉 yōuzāi: calm/relaxed/unworried

[Mugi]

This looks like a Chinese translation of the longstanding Japanese comic strip (& TV animation) "Crayon Shinchan".

http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/shinchan/

One small word of warning - treat any "English" you might find on the above page as "Japanese" in disguise. E.g., I wouldn't opt for "Super Kindergarten Child" for the English translation myself - maybe "Super Kindergartener" or "Super Kindergarten Kid"?

Do you want corrections to your pinyin? If so, 英雄 should be yīngxióng.

對不起, 請問.. 醫院在哪裏?(Duìbuqǐ, qǐngwèn.. yī yuàn zài nǎ lǐ?)

(Prelim.) Excuse me, may I ask.. where is the hospital?

This should be:

對不起, 請問, OO[某某]醫院在哪裏? (Duìbuqǐ, qǐngwèn, Mǒumǒu Yīyuàn zài nǎli?)

Excuse me, where is XX Hospital?

For 小弟弟, I'd go for something like "(Hey) kid". Or if you want something a little more polite, "(Hey) little boy".

叮咚 = dīng dōng

Onomatapoeia, but I don't really understand its usage here...

Also, the police man is saying ' If you haven't got anything else to do / say, just go home', rather than threatening the kid

Exactly. Perhaps, "Well kid, if that's all, then you'd better head of home."

我不是猜謎王啦,剛才的人也只是跟我問個路而已. (wǒ bu shì cāimí wáng lā, gāngcái de rén yě zhǐ shì gēn wǒ wèn gè lù éryǐ.)

(Prelim): I am not the king of solving riddles, there was just someone who also asked me.. (rest uknown)

不 bú

wèn ge lù = asked (me) for directions

而已 means "that's all." In spoken Mandarin in mainland China it's more commonly ...罷了 bà le

我迷路了. (wǒ mí lù le.)

I'm lost. (I've lost my way)

沒見過迷路還能這麼悠哉的... (méi jiànguo mí lù hái néng zhème yōuzāi de...)

I've never come across anyone who's lost and still so unhurried/still has so much time on their hands... ??

Finally, just took a quick look at page 2. His name, 野原新之助, is Shinnosuke Nohara.

Keep up the good work - I've never got into comics before, but this looks like a good excuse to start!

[roddy]

叮咚 = dīng dōng

Onomatapoeia, but I don't really understand its usage here...

I couldn't figure that out either. I reckon it must be a bell ringing to signify his correct answer, like on a TV quiz show.

[Quest]

I couldn't figure that out either. I reckon it must be a bell ringing to signify his correct answer, like on a TV quiz show.

That's right, the police thought 小新 was asking for directions to the kindergarten, but 小新 was actually quizzing him, so the police 汗ed and said "I am not a 猜谜王, I was helping a lost guy". Then 小新 said "okay then, I am lost". (police more 汗ed). He's just an annoying kid...

[Mugi]

Roddy, that'll be it!

Now I actually get the 我不是猜謎王啦 bit.

It's a direct translation of the Japanese ピンポン (pin-pon).

Japanese often use this in speech to signify the correct answer to a quiz type question.

Question though - how natural is this in Chinese? It looks like a sloppy translation to me. I've never heard people say ding-dong in reply to a correct answer. But then again, I've never spent a singnificant amount of time in Taiwan where this comes from...

I would have expected a more natural translation to have been 對! or 完全正確! or 回答正確! or 一點沒錯! etc. I wonder whether the translator actually understood the original text?

I've also just recognized that the 站前 is a direct translation of the Japanese 駅前 (eki mae) - is this usage normal in Chinese?

[necroflux]

Wow, what an incredible response!! For just two hours, haha. And I am learning a TON, I can already tell this is going to be an amazing exercise.

Won't be following, as it's in traditional, but here are a few things I came across:

I'd hate to lose the simplified learners when it's such an easy problem to circumvent! Just use the firefox web browser in conjunction with this tool: http://tongwen.mozdev.org. With one click you can convert every character on the Web page to simplified (and of course back to traditional). The images won't be as helpful to you but the drawings should still be helpful.

Do you want corrections to your pinyin? If so, 英雄 should be yīngxióng.

Yes of course, correct anything and everything.

Oh hey if you guys have a little 50x50 pixel icon, I will happily put it next to your name for every item you translate (for a more visually obvious indication of work you put in, hehe). Just put it in a post and I'll take care of the rest.

[Mugi]

Haha, yep Mugi you were right, once I realized what was going on I removed that part of my post.

Guess I was too quick of the bat to reply!

[necroflux]

Haha, yep Mugi you were right, once I realized what was going on I removed that part of my post.

[roddy]

Wow, what an incredible response!! For just two hours, haha. And I am learning a TON, I can already tell this is going to be an amazing exercise.

Definitely off to a good start. I don't think you need to be so concientious about crediting all the little translations - it's easy enough to see who said what by reading the topic, and you might as well keep things simple for yourself.

Is the first page finished then? Where's the transcript for page two? Come on, we're waiting

Roddy

[necroflux]

Roddy,

Bad news - looks like I already reached my limit for text in one post. Would it be possible for us to have our own subforum, where I will make a new post for every new page? Otherwise I would imagine a single thread with this much information could get rather cumbersome.

[roddy]

Awww, and you did so much work too

Why not make new posts for the next page or two, and I'll set up a sub-forum and move the posts in there in the nearish future. Might be better to have separate topics for each page anyway, as it could get confusing if they overlap.

[necroflux]

Lol I know, it's really not a problem. I'll go ahead with the new posts in this subforum. Thanks Roddy.

PS did you get my PM about my avatar issues?

[roddy]

Yes. I'm ignoring it until real life gets boring. Off out now, play nice

Roddy

[Mugi]

Can't speak for anyone else, but don't bother attributing any translations to me. I suggest you keep doing what you have done so far - do as much as you can yourself, then post the questions/blanks on the forum. Then act as editor-in-chief as it were and incorporate the replies you get back as you see fit.

To be honest, I'm interested in the thread more because of the content (Chinese rendering of a Japanese comic strip) than in the actual translation or learning value. And I'm not sure how much I can contribute on a day-to-day basis - depends on my workload.

As for the 悠哉 yōuzāi query, Quest's definitions are accurate. When it comes to actual translation, I think you should try and come up with a natural phrase in English - that may mean getting a little removed from strict meaning of the Chinese. One trick of the trade is to replace the words in question with a bunch of Xs (xxx xxx). Then read through the relevant preceeding text and treat the missing gap as a "fill in the missing word(s)" type test. What would you expect to be there? So long as your "answer" pretty much matches the strict definition of the word(s), you can't go too far wrong.

If you want to come up with a smooth reading and natural translation, it's important that one person make all the final editorial decisions. Every person has their own style - consistency is the important thing. I don't think there is much real difference between my suggestion and Quest's, so at the end of the day it's up to you which you prefer.

[atitarev]

Great stuff, Netroflux and all who help to translate! I am just waiting for transcripts/translations here. Got stuck with much simpler and sillier short stories, like 他带着五星红旗 from 他带着五星红旗上天空 but they are much simpler and have pinyin next to the text - saves me a lot of time when looking up characters. Unfortunately I can't read comics with my level of Chinese.

--

Has anyone got a soft copy of "子夜" by 茅盾? I've got a reader book with some Chinese-English vocabulary and audio recording on tape but it's much harder/longer for me to look up characters from a book.

Sorry for the offtopic, I might as well move this post.

[gougou]

Probably shouldn't be supporting off-topic posts, but here you go: 子夜

Try this page when looking for more or less famous authors of the last 100 years.

[atitarev]

Thanks, Gougou! Great site.