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Contents
Part two
In part one, we examined how the mechanical differences between English and Japanese complicate video game translators’ work, particularly in the 1980s and ‘90s when Japanese game companies like Nintendo became a powerful industry presence. But structural and grammatical distinctions only tell half the story. In part two, we’ll examine how differing cultural sensitivities and sensibilities weighed upon past game localization efforts and how linguists overcame the resulting challenges.
Localization: Communicating across cultures
The politeness and formality of Japanese society are fundamentally integrated into the Japanese language, and the humble pronoun provides an unexpected window into that linguistic distinction. Where English pronouns are entirely dependent on the subject, Japanese pronouns also take into consideration social context, such as hierarchy, intimacy, age and gender. Various levels of formality apply to Japanese; close friends will likely use very informal pronouns with each other, whereas an individual giving due respect to a superior may opt for highly formal language. That’s the kind of social intuition that only years of experience can provide, and that’s why a qualified Japanese translator probably has years of immersion in the country’s social structure and etiquette.
Atlus’ popular Persona series demonstrates why formality can sometimes present tricky localization choices. A spinoff of Atlus’ Shin Megami Tensai universe, modern Persona titles typically focus on a group of Japanese students who maintain their day-to-day scholastic, work, and social lives while facing down supernatural threats in dreamlike spirit worlds.
Because each game’s main character is a silent protagonist named by the player, supporting characters will often address him in voiced dialogue with honorifics like “senpai” — a term of respect for an upperclassman or professional senior. The localization choice to retain these honorifics is sometimes controversial among the fanbase, but it also imbues the series’ English translation with a distinct style and preserves its close connection to Japanese youth culture.
Lifestyle differences between countries also play a role. The same dynamic goes when translating from Japanese to English. For instance, when Japanese video game developers broke into the American market in the 1980s and 1990s, they were deeply worried about offending American religious sensibilities. Nintendo of America outright banned the display of religious imagery for many years, while other companies like Squaresoft (now Square Enix) walked on eggshells when translating games with religious themes like Xenogears for PlayStation.
The Persona series’ debut 1996 entry contains another translation beloved for its quirkiness: “Mark dances crazy.” The reason for that awkward phrasing? The original Japanese contained a cultural reference that would be lost on Western audiences. In a 2009 interview for GameSetWatch about retranslating the game for its PlayStation Portable release, linguist Scott Strichart explained how such problems are both a challenge and opportunity.
“When ‘Mark dances crazy,’ many of the demons insult him by comparing his dance to a traditional Japanese loach scooping dance,” he explained. “Unless you’re steeped in Japanese culture, you aren’t going to know what the heck that is, or why it’s an insult. In these situations, we have to keep the spirit of the line, but make the insult make sense to a player in this region. This is where we get to flex our creativity a little.”
Professionalism: The value of experienced translators
When considering localizing a product, creative work, or commodity for a different country and culture, the language barrier is only the first obstacle. Indeed, it’s often the simplest one. Knowing how to reach hearts and minds across oceans is another matter entirely.
That’s why the importance of hiring qualified professionals to oversee an international localization effort cannot be overstated. Qualified translation and localization professionals are invaluable partners in not only making a product accessible, but also in helping you avoid regulatory missteps or unintended offense that could hurt your brand or your company.
True wisdom lies in knowing where one’s expertise ends and another’s begins. Recognizing the need for consultation and support from a team of localization experts is the first step toward entering a new market and making a place for your business there. When in doubt, reach out!
