It is only for the English team. (The Spanish team uses it too). But, exactly because of that, you learn many useful things there that can help with your own translation. I also ask any questions I have, when the English is not clear, and people are very helpful most of the time. So i think it’s good to lurk there.
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German Moderators work with their own google doc, and very often the Kakaotalk App, but I still tell my team to visit from time to time Team Notes, it can help when a name appears to be misspelled in a segment and a quick check in TN can help.
The other times for example Team of Legend Of Condor Heroes is using mostly the TDiscussion board (even with the google doc where they can read the rules and OST) for the progress since it’s not timely and they work on their own time… TD is very helpful for the progress and depending on CM who wants to know about progress in other languages as well.
Now in other cases I use TD when asking Kor/Eng subbers whether some people in drama have changed their formal/informal addressing as I can’t tell it well or when we encounter funny English sentences that don’t make sense, perhaps a word is wrong or missing. There is also communication going on about changes like from Unni to Unnie and that sort and the announcement when episodes are released (it’s faster than waiting for that email).
But the majority of communication is by the Eng and Spanish Teams.
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Anyone who knows me knows the TD is my main hangout. The Unni or Unnie topic is because there’s KRS and Mc-somebody spellings. I was taught to rely on the KRS spellings because it’s closer to the actual sounds. So I constantly have to look things up. But the TD is good for explaining why you went crazy in the edit box. Most times I use it to encourage the team and cheer them on. Also since I make more mistakes using PMs (No Edit Button), I use the TD for updating the team’s progress. I would encourage everyone to make friends with my favorite tool.
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I would absolutely volunteer to be an editor! I can’t translate any languages that would be any good here but I often see subtitles that I know could be better worded and my fingers itch to do it. Needless to say it does interrupt my viewing and distract me.
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I just added your info to the English Editors thread.
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Since this came up, I just added it to this thread from this one
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Sounds almost like bulk translation at work.
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Hmm… Actually I’m only a beginner in Korean. The sort of level when you know five ways to say “I love you” but wouldn’t know how to ask for directions on the street.
I do understand many basic sentences and expressions, a lot of verbs and all the different politeness forms and have acquired quite a large vocabulary, but I still couldn’t watch a drama without subs.
But… That’s what the T.E. is for, right? The T. E. may not know perfect English, but she ensures that the meaning is correct. Then, trusting that the meaning is correct, I come and fix the English, the consistency of flashbacks, job titles, spelling and other things, I put the cultural notes (learned a lot that way), turn the sentences around to make them sound human… and while doing this I have a dozen or more questions on how something doesn’t sound right and can’t be right according to the context, but I am not sure because I don’t know enough Korean: then cgwm808 comes and answers all my questions, also does editing of her own because she knows excellent Korean.
At first I had misgivings because I thought that all editors must know excellent Korean. But then I understood that sometimes knowing the source language can be a handicap instead of a help. There must be someone in the editing team who knows it, surely. It is essential! But it’s useful when there is one who doesn’t know it. Because the one who knows, understands the English output no matter how weird, because they translate back in their minds into the source language. Understands and sometimes may let pass something really awkward. You may have seen that sentence circulating on the Internet, where all words are wrong but only the starting and ending letter is correct, and yet you understand everything because the human brain fills in the gaps.
But a person with a virgin ear/eye can tell if a sentence sounds like… Martian, because the subber translated word by word keeping the Korean sentence order, Konglish meanings etc., resulting in monstrosities such as
A long, long time ago, a man called Legendary Go Nan Gil lived.
sub 1: Among these bamboo, mountain and water, portrait, birds and animals, or flowers and greenery
sub 2: you must draw two of them and submit it within the time limit.Sub 1: In order to sell the fabric,
Sub 2: if I have to study it with as much effort as Han Seok Yool has put into studying it …
Sub 3: I will just sell it together with Han Seok Yool.
(Uh?)
Koreans (and those who understand Korean well) don’t have a problem understanding this sort of sentence, but all the others would scratch their heads. Especially those from Other Languages who then have to translate this “English”.
So, little by little, I became convinced that what I considered my handicap could actually be of use. I hope I won’t lose that “virgin eye” when I will have become better in the Korean language. Anyway, it won’t be tomorrow, so let’s worry about that when it happens.
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Exactly my point!
A long, long time ago, a man called Legendary Go Nan Gil lived. --> A long, long time ago, there was a man called ‘Legendary Go Nan Gil’.
Among these bamboo, mountain and water, portrait, birds and animals, or flowers and greenery, you must draw two of them and submit it within the time limit.
—> You must draw two paintings, choosing among bamboo, mountain and water, portrait, birds and animals or flowers and greenery. Then submit them within the time limit.
In order to sell the fabric, if I have to study it with as much effort as Han Seok Yool has put into studying it, I will just sell it together with Han Seok Yool. --> If, in order to sell fabric, I have to study as hard as Han Seok did, then I prefer to just sell it together with Han Seok Yool.
If you want to keep the verb at the end, you have to add another one at the beginning, to give structure to the first sentence. For instance:
“You said you wanted to go to eat. Let’s do it”.
(depending on context, of course it could be “you wanted” or “you suggested” or “we said we were going to eat” or whatever is more suitable)
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I would be great for that position. I catch errors in what I am watching all the time I have asked a few times in help if I could forward someone the info on spelling errors or wording but never really got a answer other than join the boards and Ninja Academy to help out as a segmenter since I only know one language.
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I don’t know who was the person who answered you but it’s not the right answer!
The right answer is to write the English chief editor or, if not available, the English moderator. Usually they’ll be happy to correct anything that went unnoticed when editing.
If you want to be an Editor, try some unpopular old dramas that nobody wants. You could even start with captioning - there are quite a few older shows which have hard subs and need to be captioned. Of course captioning also means editing, because these hard subs are not that good.
Once you’ve proved yourself in a couple of those, and your “resume” is not completely empty, and you’ll also get the 3000 subs that will allow you, as a Qualified Contributor, to access many otherwise restricted shows, then it will be more easier to find a place in a more exciting project.
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I wholeheartedly agree. Idiomatic English is very different. Usage of flowery language doesn’t always make the sentence good or correct in English.
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Hi there. I’m a new TA and was invited to join the team for a Chinese law drama. I’m enjoying it but I do agree that editing a 10-12 minute section takes up quite a bit of my time. This is because being a law drama, there are court cases and the proper law terms need to be used. Being able to speak Chinese helps with the editing but even then, it can be tricky especially when Chinese proverbs or idioms are used. Anyway, just wanted to say that for me, being a TA is satisfying despite the hard work. I’m also happy to help should anyone need help with English/Chinese/Malay 
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I 100% agree! Not only is it an important job, but it also provides a job to someone who is good in the English language but can’t speak another language. This would be someone like me, I can speak a tiny bit of Korean and Spanish, but I’m nowhere near fluent. I would love to be able to correct grammar, spelling, punctuation and formatting issues on Viki, but I don’t know where to start. Since I am not fluent in another language, but I still want to volunteer, I hope being an English Editor on Viki will become a thing.
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I’m not sure, but maybe I can help here. I’m very, very interested in learning Mandarin Chinese, but I’m still really new. This will be my fourth language to learn but I’m not even fluent in Spanish and German the two I’ve studied in school. In college I was an English major, but that was years ago. I have found mistakes in the subbing that made me think that there might be a problem when things get translated into English and then into other languages.
I just want to say that I think you all are doing a fantastic job, compared to Netflix and YouTube. I’m grateful I found this community. I am really interested in knowing some native Mandarin Chinese speakers who are working on their English to help them as best I can and to also ask questions of in turn. I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest nearly all my life, but I have many friends from all over the place so I know various accents. Right now I’m not into thrillers or anything dark. I have a low tolerance for scary stuff, but I will happily watch Ashes of Love, Eternal Love-Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, Love O2O and anything along that line.
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I personally would like to see this as a potential position as well. I would love to contribute and I have experience being a proofreader for a manga translation team. I’ve been learning Korean for nearly 2 years, but I am no where near being fluent. I’ve seen so many subtitles that have bad grammar or formatting and I really think it should be addressed. This is something that I would LOVE to volunteer to do.
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I agree but I’d like to add that I love seeing the word for word translation when it comes to idioms. I want to learn more about Chinese idioms and their roots.
On the greater part of the shows I’m on have an English proofreader: Memory, Pied Piper, Goodbye Mr. Black, Jackpot, Reply 1988, Marriage Contract, and The Merchant: Gaekju 2015.
They stand firm on the footing of English proofreader. Some can really peruse the Korean.
Some of the time they’re proficient editors in the field, different times they’re simply standard English speakers like you and me with a decent hold on language. Now and again I carry on like the English manager for specific subbers since it appears to be legit when you read the English with my Korean mind on. However complete wth… in the event that you read the English with my English cerebrum.
They are astounding and extremely valuable for the group. I generally gain tons of useful knowledge since I probably won’t have the foggiest idea about certain terms that are more normal since I’m very new to “adulting.”
It additionally gives an alternate point of view. One advantage could be better harmony between exacting interpretation versus what appears to be more normal in English.
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Very true, a good English editor is basically the backbone of the team, especially when the drama is going to be translated from English to another language. As a translator from English to Spanish I have found myself on multiple occasions trying to decipher the English translation. Sometimes they look like something out of Google Translate. Having a good English editor does not only make it easier for other language translators but also makes it easier for the viewers.
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Agreed and can I say love the profile pic