I never even mentioned your argument against the use of “badger” in my post. I was specifically discussing the first part of your post where you corrected this sentence: “Don’t you say you don’t like me anymore?” to this sentence: “Didn’t you said that you don’t like me anymore?” And, yes, including “that” in the sentence is debatable, but that’s missing my main point about the fact that “said” should be “say” - like this “Didn’t you say that you don’t like me anymore?” This is not debatable. Saying “Didn’t you said…” is not grammatically correct.
1 Like
That is debatable too since the girl said [that] to the guy a long time before, and he was arguing to her about it because he was confused (it pays to know how the scene was played), but I won’t mention anything else/nor minute/nor title of drama.
He should have really asked her; DIDN’T YOU SAID TO ME THAT YOU DON’T LIKE ME ANYMORE?
Get it now, sweetie? We can only know what was entirely missing in the subtitle when we see the scenes in the drama, and we can notice how much more is missing in that specific subtitle.
PS. You know you gave me like 
before I finished writing/that’s weird.
I’m sorry, but you’re wrong. Even though it was said in the past, by using the word “did”, the main verb that “Did” (or “Didn’t” as the case may be) is ‘helping’ should always be in its base form.
Right: Didn’t she go to work yesterday?
Wrong: Didn’t she went to work yesterday?
Right: Didn’t you hear me when I called your name?
Wrong: Didn’t you heard me when I called your name?
Right: Didn’t he run faster than Joe?
Wrong: Didn’t he ran faster than Joe?
It is a fact that we do not use the past tense of the main verb when combining it with Did or Didn’t.
1 Like
Thanks for that additional information. I hope it blesses all who reads it, and enjoy our input/information here.
YOU WON because like I SAID before; I don’t debate since that’s not the main purpose of this thread. It’s sad that it rubbed you the wrong way.
I am so glad that this site has made GREAT changes, and all the dramas/movies/shows will soon all come pre-subbed, and there won’t be anything more annoying to me/myself and I, to talk/write about.
I also hope the HIGHER UP’S/The investors that pay and manage this place/site, make sure that NO ONE EVER take total control in here like they let it happen in the past. That is one of the best thing they have done in here. They are working on the Quality issue, and I know they will resolve whatever it needs to be done because that is why they are the owners because they are the REAL EXPERTS.
I clearly told @my_happy_place that I was mainly writing these things for the Spanish native/speaker/writer/reader that is not [TOO] proficient in the English language, and I only stopped debating/ explaining because I didn’t want to continue [that] with someone who chose not to understand/respect what me/myself and I, was doing here; without any malice or ‘‘competition’’ of who knows more than who. I was just TRYING to help.
There is a saying in SPANISH; ‘‘EL QUE CALLA; OTORGA.’’
This means that if I stay ‘‘quiet’’ is because the other person is/was right.
To prove my point [that] I was really addressing my examples to the Spanish native speaker, who is not too proficient in the English language, and I was offering some tips [that] might help them out look below the examples. In fact, I have actually seen some of my tips/examples help some ppl…, but I don’t like to ‘‘brag.’’
[Don’t and say] makes it in Spanish, a statement made at that same moment, and he was talking about something she had said way (many episodes) before…
English
Don’t you say that you don’t love me anymore?
Spanish
¿No dices que ya no me amas?
The sentence written in English made it in Spanish a statement made in the present/ not in the past like the character was saying it.
Written in English with [DIDN’T] and [SAID] made the sentence in Spanish [DIJISTE] in the past which was what the character was talking about in that particular scene.
English - detected
Didn’t you said that you don’t love me anymore?
SPANISH
¿No dijiste que ya no me amas?
NOT using a question mark in the sentence also AFFECTS the sentence structure/ translation from ENGLISH into SPANISH so I hope my Spanish subbers make sure to add the question mark when it’s needed there (even though it was not added in the English sentence/subtitle they should not feel afraid to added/put it at the beginning and end of the sentence) ¿Quien dijo que no? ¿Quién se atreve a decirte que no?
I think it’s great that you offer tips and help to people in your language. And you are 100% correct that the original English sentence that you quoted is incorrect, which will subsequently affect all other languages. If the English is wrong, it’s no wonder if OLs get it wrong or confused as well.
However, I thought it was important to point out how the English sentence itself should be structured so as not to confuse anyone else from any other language who might see it. Getting the English right is just as important.
Or maybe I am misunderstanding, and the English sentence you provided was a translation of the Spanish that was present and not the original English subtitle.
2 Likes
my_happy_placeRegularI’m sorry, but you’re wrong. Even though it was said in the past, by using the word “did”, the main verb that “Did” (or “Didn’t” as the case may be) is ‘helping’ should always be in its base form.Right: Didn’t she go to work yesterday?Wrong: Didn’t she went to work yesterday?Right: Didn’t you hear me when I called your name?
Wrong: Didn’t you heard me when I called your name?Right: Didn’t he run faster than Joe?Wrong: Didn’t he ran faster than Joe?It is a fact that we do not use the past tense of the main verb when combining it with Did or Didn’t.
LOOK what you did here you decided to start arguing about me.myself and I. being wrong by using the word DIDN’T [ONLY] although we are talking about a sentence as a WHOLE.
SINCE I don’t know the CHINESE language there’s no way for me to KNOW if the sentence they wrote in ENGLISH was 100% accurate, but I DO know that the way it was written in English will somehow affect the SPANISH translation, and that is the reason I added those suggestions.
Let me tell you [that] like you, there are a ‘‘handful’’ of people [that] want to act all offended if you point out some things or offer links to suggest better translations, but now because the new SPANISH TEAM VOLUNTEERS are very sweet, and encourage us volunteers to give any input if we see a word that was translated wrong etc.we communicate better and BETTER QUALITY SPANISH SUBTITLES will be available in those dramas/movies/shows/etc.
They have a spreadsheet where you are ENCOURAGED to add the information, and if they agree with your/mine/others suggestion, they will change it, and SINCERELY/HONESTLY will THANK YOU so much for doing [that] and being part of a team [that] WORKS TOGETHER.
[THAT] is to me/myself and I, what teams are for; TO WORK TOGETHER not ‘‘hog’’ projects or close doors to people/volunteers that have a skill in any given language, and can provide good quality subtitles. FOR YEARS here now, we have people/volunteers that ‘‘hogged’’ the on air dramas, and move from on air dramas to the other and the other, without given others a chance. [THAT] is the main reason we saw an increase of so called: abusers. These abusers made possible for the higher up’s. to take attention and work towards breaking the sick pattern we had here for years and years (at times affecting the site and making customers unsatisfied and cancelling their subscription).
They even had in the past, the audacity to add in their teams volunteers to translate from English to Spanish that are non native speaker/reader/writer over one that not only knows the language, but the grammar of that language. If they had taken the time to check the Spanish in the profile of most of this volunteers they would see they were not proficient enough to write subtitles in Spanish.
For ‘‘everyone’s’’ information you DON’T put a comma in a Spanish sentence/subtitle where the ENGLISH team added the comma, but some moderators in the past had the audacity to say you need to add the comma the same way the English team is doing it. WHY? EVERY LANGUAGE in this world have different grammar rules to be followed in order to make a good quality subtitle/sentence.
On my end, I translate the sentence into Spanish from ENGLISH, and once and I hope, the Chinese/Korean/Thai etc [original translation] was done correctly, I add my commas or write the sentence in Spanish using the correct sentence structure in SPANISH.
AFTER ALL, my Spanish subtitles is for the Spanish speaking, reader/viewer, and making [that] translation sound as natural as possible should be what we all as volunteer should do, in ANY specific language. OF COURSE, as long as we respect the original language translation Chinese/Korean etc., without ‘‘making up the sentence.’’
I UNDERSTAND there is no perfect WORLD, no perfect translation, but as long as we make sure we don’t sound to viewers/readers like we have a learning disability, we have done our work as a volunteer for RAKUTENVIKI with QUALITY and QUANTITY included because it doesn’t take much to add a comma, question mark etc. in the right places.
In my opinion, we can give both, only if we work as a team, and not competing against each other (which happened a lot in the past), but now with the OWNERS/CEO making sure no one controls this site to the point [that] they take over it, like they own it… I know things will improve, and with time will become one of the most popular and praised site with an increase in satisfied paying subscribers.
PS. I believe I clearly wrote somewhere that I believe the translators from this drama/movie, although they are native Spanish speakers/readers/writers, they also know the Chinese language, and they also did the Chinese to English to Spanish translation. I have worked in the past at other sites with them, and I’m familiar with the pattern they follow when they write subtitles.
my_happy_place Or maybe I am misunderstanding, and the English sentence you provided was a translation of the Spanish that was present and not the original English subtitle.
I’m guessing you don’t know Spanish, and this is where your confusion is making this subject such an unnecessary debate. On my part, is over.
I really don’t mind those kind of mistakes. Most of them (not all-some are WAY OFF) you’re able to understand what they mean.
On many dramas, I have a major problem with the texting/signs/memos not being translated. Several of the shows I’ve watched in the last year have had a great many text messages which are rarely translated. Sometimes you’re able to get the gist of the message based on what happens in the next few minutes other times not.
I remember one show having a sign out front of an establishment. They walk in and there’s total chaos. The sign out front explained what they might be walking into and I was clueless.
It won’t stop me from watching them, but if you want to do an “EXCEPTIONAL JOB” instead of an “okay” or “good job” it would make a huge difference.
1 Like
arkbaseholder_252 It won’t stop me from watching them, but if you want to do an “EXCEPTIONAL JOB” instead of an “okay” or “good job” it would make a huge difference.
I’m glad you are still viewing dramas here, and giving this site, the RakutenViki.com owners, and all staff members a chance since they are working on improvements to provide both; QUALITY and QUANTITY (signs in my opinion fall into the quantity category).
They have the HELP CENTER that you can address this specific issue you feel needs improvement. I know that certain issues might take longer to be looked into, but they can’t do anything, if they don’t know about them. That’s why I suggest you make a ticket request, and hopefully it will be resolved for you.
I think that compared to many years back, there has been here at this site, a lot of improvements made in general (J/K/C/etc. dramas/movies) But like everything in life, some things do have to be sacrificed, and maybe the sign and texting translations are one of them. I have experienced wanting to know what the text was about, but like you mentioned here, as you keep reading the subtitles, you will know what the text was all about. In regards to the sign I have never come across to something like you mention here especially in Chinese dramas/movies they do a great job in translating those.
Thanks for your input in this thread, and I sincerely hope they work out something for you. Please, don’t forget to contact the Help center.
G2G - Got to go
BB - be back
ILY - I love you
When my kids got their first cell phones some 20 to 15 years ago… they showed me the abbreviated texting but it wasn’t helping the English language department… kids in general got used to this language… that’s because then the screen was much smaller and there wasn’t a full sized keyboard, if you remember the small flip phones one key for like abc, so that’s why typing in shortcuts was faster.
Now the trend is using emojis since they often express what we want to say and can be customized as well 
, and since we are so busy everything must go fast… chop chop…
1 Like
I decided to make some notes as to why bad/incorrect English subtitles ‘‘annoy me,’’ and it’s simply because it will affect the Spanish translation, and that is something I dislike to see in my native language. A language I’m very proud of, and hold to the highest esteem. The Bilingual program in NYC schools were designed for those of us who came to live in USA, and would be faced with an ALL ENGLISH class, teachers, students etc. We had no way to communicate, but with sign language, and we had to endure the humiliation of their loud laughter in class if we pronounce a word wrong or simply said: ''I no speaky Inglish.-- ‘’
Their laughter created such insecurity in us that we would practically become mute until we could finally conquer the language barrier that was suffocating/killing us. These things no longer continues to happen in US because the Bilingual Program has been added to all elementary schools (I’m talking about English/Spanish only). When I’m annoyed about a subtitle, I’m not annoyed about the incorrect English, but about how this will affect the volunteer’s that are not too proficient in the English language (or worse yet, might be using a tool translator to do their sentence/subtitles in any drama/movies/shows). This situation is still going on here since we continue to have those controlling groups of people in the Spanish teams, that are greedy for contribution count, and resort to do things that are unethical and even damaging to this site since it affects the Quality in the Spanish subtitles (which it seems they don’t care at all as long as they get their contribution count to be getting higher and higher). I really wish they eliminate the contribution count (QC) and find a way to reward the volunteers not by NUMBERS (contributions in number amount), but in Quality of work done by them.
4:56
No she had me born (have no clue what was this about) No ella me hizo nacer. The Spanish sentence makes contradicting statements when they started the sentence with the word; NO.
5:08
You saw the flowers. (no question mark at end and it should have been)… Did you see the flowers? According to the scene they were asking if the person had seen the flowers. '‘You saw the flowers’'´ makes it like there was no question in the person’s mind that they did see the flowers, when in reality the person wanted to know if the person had seen the same flowers they had seen when )(he person went to that same garden).
24:43
We’ve grown that much (instead of: WE HAVE GROWN SO MUCH).
Hemos crecido ese tanto. (does not sound right in Spanish)
Hemos crecido tanto. (true statement/mature so much/ grown in height/ etc.)
50:35
The unstoppable feeling (instead of; This never ending feeling). These two translated in Spanish will be similar in meaning, but we must not forget the correct way of saying that phrase in English. The unstoppable feeling was obviously a GT sentence (I found it there exactly the same way).
34:24
And then she probably forgave (incomplete sentence) Incomplete sentence that made no sense in the scene whether written in English or Spanish.
Elderly lady dies sentence is as follow…Señora mayor muere y el subtítulo es el siguiente.
23:53
Ah, you didn’t know? SHE KICKED THE BUCKET. What was so hard to write she passed away or even she died. Kick the bucket…?.lol If we translate [she kicked the bucket] we would write: Ella pateó el balde/cubo. If the person is not too proficient in English or the saying [kicked the bucket] (means dying) the translation in Spanish would be so wrong. No matter what saying we may know, a person died and using this sentence [kicked the bucket] is insensitive and sooooo outdated (dates back to the 1800’s).
If you look through the history of this saying is more related to people dying by the means of suicide (they hanged themselves with the help of a bucket). It is advisable that unless the character really said such a sentence we never use it to inform others[that] someone has died.
minute 5:12:
There’s a CRACK in the ankle bone ( EGGS CRACK BONES FRACTURE)
Hay una raja/abertura/grieta en el hueso del tobillo (This would be an insult to a Doctor since bones fracture/break, not crack) Los huesos se fracturan o rompen, no son rajados o una grieta. I believe this was another Translation tool like GT sentence/subtitle since on GT break and crack are translated in Spanish as [romper] which means [break]. This is obviously a non proficiency English subber/translator since anyone proficient enough would have used the correct word in the English sentence also.
Drives me to the conclusion person doing the English translation was not proficient enough in the English language. This is the main cause of the domino effect that will affect every OL translating this sentence (saw it here in a Chinese drama).
That concludes my explanation in more details as to why some subtitles do annoy me, and I don’t want any misunderstanding I did it mainly as a criticism since that was never the purpose of this thread.
It seems Original language (K/C) to English translations are making a lot more mistakes lately, and I’m hoping the CEO/higher up’s are aware of these things going on here lately, and get to the bottom/source of this issue/problem going on now as soon as possible. Like I always say; a disease caught on time can be cured. Left untreated can destroy and even kill[end] us.
There seems to be an epidemic of people using contraction, and when using them they are making the subtitle/sentence incorrect.
I mustn’t written as musn’t
Mustn’t is a contraction of the words must not. Although when contracted the T is not pronounced in modern English, it remains part of the word. Since the is no such word as mus, there is no contraction written as musn’t. It has to be written as mustn’t.
They are using contractions that some are not too familiar with like; For example, I’d can be used as I would or I had. I have actually seen the contraction I’d used incorrectly in a sentence in several dramas on different sites, and I wonder if there is a possibility this subber is the same person making that same mistake all over the place.
Subtitles/Sentence hard to understand because of the use of wrong contraction.
I hoped that I’d never even remember you.
I’d be able to forget your name and your face.
So when I’d run into you somewhere, I’d wonder.
My brain is too small can’t fit most things.
We are doesn’t fit.
Rumors that Greeks won’t blink. Especially for a woman.
Can’t miss of other man.
The price is 25 meters?
We’re still in run-in period. (I can’t make sense of this sentence as hard as I try).
My card is defrosted. (credit card was likely [frozen] [not defrosted] so it could not be used).
Unspeakable situation instead of Tragic situation.
Where will he go instead of Where did he go?
Are you going partying on Friday? Instead of Are you going to the party on Friday?
(This subtitle is here at RViki)
Not at all. It’s on my way, anyways.
In Spanish saw several here too
Asi se mira?
Puede que no lo acabo de escuchar.
Revuelve el alma, cierto? I believe they should have written: Conmueve el alma, cierto?
Aren’t you too unworried? [Chinese drama]
The past few days I came across this very interesting situation that I feel it needs mention here since it’s related to when we are doing subtitles, and we need to work our magic when doing a bit of research work.
So I was doing my English to Spanish Translation/Subtitles/Sentence in a drama, and I came across a sentence that the FL said: ''If I don’t understand, I’ll just think as myself as a wallflower. (Chinese drama).
In Spanish I wrote; wallflower as her not been invited to the meeting because in Spanish saying ‘‘wallflower’’ it’s like saying: ‘‘QUE ESTOY PINTADA EN LA PARED.’’ which in reality means that ‘‘act like …she’s not even there’’ so the saying depends on the context of the conversation: Therefore according to the scene I saw it as… ''that since she wasn’t even invited there, for them to act like she’s not there at all,and it was fine with her.
SPANISH SENTENCE:
Si no los puedo entender, sólo me consideraré como una ‘‘flor de pared’’ (dicho que significa no fue invitada).
Now, in the Spanish speaking sense of the word, ‘‘pintada en la pared’’ is the same thing as since I wasn’t invited, act like I’m not even here or I don’t exist.
Cuando hay dichos o como se llaman en Inglés ‘‘idioms’’ se torna más complejo simplemente por que los dichos en diferentes países, se escriben de diferentes maneras. Me alegro mucho que pasé por esta experiencia porque tuve tiempo de analizar más las cosas.
Por ejemplo cuando busqué el sinónimo de ‘‘wallflower’’ encontré un detalle muy particular que me dejó un poco confundida hasta que hice mi ‘‘bosquejo’’ ‘‘research’’ en Inglés.
wallflower meaning from https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/another-word-for/wallflower.html
introvert-shy person-shy thing.
synonym of wallflower# 0 results for wallflower (Thesaurus.com)
So basically we have to work with what we know ourselves, in order to be able to work around the word used in that drama: the word ‘‘wallflower’’
I feel is very important for OL translators to try to use common words since it makes the life of the translator much easier, and they will make less mistakes in their translation.
I believe this is a pre-subbed drama with little to no editing since another sentence was impossible for me to translate since the English translation made no sense nor the words used matched up with what the character was trying to convey in the meeting.,
I have also seen pre-subs that the comma hasn’t been removed by the editor, and that kept the subtitle in an awkward translation mode, that made no sense to the subber-reader-viewer.
1 Like
Funnily German has about the same word known as Mauerblümchen which is the literal translation if wallflower. However, in German it can refer to the meaning mentioned above, but it usually refers to a plain woman that doesn’t attract others (has to stand at the wall because nobody wants to dance with her).
2 Likes
Es mejor que usan los idiomas cuando es possible. Una persona dicho que todavia usando las palabras simples porque es fácil para comprender.
Creo que es mejor si usarían los modismos cuando es posible. Una persona me dijo que siempre usa palabras simples porque son más fáciles para comprender.
Personally think any language will lose its beauty if you try to just simplify it just so someone can understand.
2 Likes
@xylune
Thank you so much for mentioning this. Is interesting to know how OL translate ‘‘sayings’’ or idioms.
That’s what I discovered while working in the drama, that wallflower has so many different meaning in different countries/regions/Island etc… So I was thinking that when I gave the translation in Spanish I totally changed the meaning that probably the Chinese idiom might have. Although ‘‘pintada en la pared’’ literal translation is ‘‘painted in the wall’’ means basically the same thing as the poor girl who no ones ask her to dance or the actress in the drama that was ignored and not invited to the meeting on purpose.
Yes, I did just that, but I mentioned it here because I love to share things I discover through my work as a subber. I love to get input from others too when it comes to idioms since it’s a bit complex when in OL might not mean the same thing, but in my case in this drama I got close enough.
Thank you so much for your input, I appreciate it so much!
ESTA ES MI VERSIÓN DE TRADUCCIÓN DE INGLÉS A ESPAÑOL
En los pasados días me encontré con esta situación muy interesante que siento necesita debe ser mencionada aquí, ya que está relacionada cuando hacemos subtítulos y necesitamos trabajar con la magia de hacer un poco de investigación.
ESTA ES LA TRADUCCIÓN DE GOOGLE TRANSLATE
.En los últimos días me encontré con esta situación muy interesante que creo que debe mencionarse aquí, ya que está relacionada con cuando estamos haciendo subtítulos, y necesitamos trabajar nuestra magia al hacer un poco de trabajo de investigación.
Is not my purpose to offend you in any way shape or form, but as a responsible person when it comes to Eng/Span translations; I wanted to mention that your Spanish sentence made very little sense. But knowing the subject in question, I more or less knew what you was trying to convey in your sentence. It would be irresponsible on my part, if I don’t make you aware of this happening, and I hope you appreciate my concern.
This is Your Sentence…
Es mejor que usan los idiomas cuando es possible. Una persona dicho que todavia usando las palabras simples porque es fácil para comprender.
Your sentence using Google translate in English
It is better that they use the languages when possible. One person idiom (gt wrote still instead of idiom) using the simple words because is easy to understand.
NOTE: ‘‘using the simple words because is easy to understand.’’ [This sentence is categorized as an incomplete sentence]. Basically, some words were missing that would have made the sentence in Spanish more comprehensible by the Spanish reader.
I am very happy that you are practicing your Spanish. I believe your native language is Portuguese? Correct me if I’m wrong.
Your English sentence: (missing words that are essential for better understanding)
Personally think any language will lose its beauty if you try to just simplify it just so someone can understand.
My English sentence adding essential missing words for better understanding.
Personally, I think any idiom (don’t know why you wrote language) will lose its beauty if you just try to simplify it, just so that someone can understand it.
If ANYONE wants to get offended, it’s on you because all I’m doing here is; trying to help others, so that this mistakes are corrected for the improvement of ANY given language. Especially when OL (German/Italian translations are also involved, and will be affected too).
PEACE AND LOVE for ALL…
Es mejor que usan los idiomas cuando es possible. Una persona dicho que todavia usando las palabras simples porque es fácil para comprender.
Intended the meaning to be: It’s better that they use idioms whenever possible. A person told me that they always use simple words because its easy to understand. I should have used modismos instead of the miscognate idiomas. Usaría instead of usando as well. Would have been better, had I checked machine translation before posting.
I’m out of touch with Spanish. Also, I speak awkwardly regardless of language.
Creo que es mejor si usarían los modismos cuando es posible. Una persona me dijo que siempre usa palabras simples porque son más fáciles para comprender.
Feel free to correct me, it’s a learning experience.
I believe your native language is Portuguese?
No.
1 Like