Question Help, I kinda get it, but I don't. [JP]

Discussion in 'Translator's Corner' started by Gandire Alea, Feb 9, 2020.

  1. Gandire Alea

    Gandire Alea [Wicked Awesome Translator]

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    These are sentence fragments describing how good swordsmen are. They are examples of what master class swordsmen are capable of. I kinda understand what they say, but I'm pretty sure the details are going over my head.

    金属を断ち切る剣撃など、彼らにとってはまだ序の口だ。
    For them, something like cutting metal is only the beginning.

    腕の長さと剣の長さに縛られぬ広すぎる間合い。
    -Striking those beyond the reach of the arm and sword.

    俗に縮地法と字名される神速の歩法。
    -The common method of shrinking land known as God’s Swift Step.

    あまねく敵を上から下へと真っ二つに断つ雷神の咆哮。
    -Severing enemies in half far and wide from top to bottom with the roar of a thunder god.

    斬意と気により対象を切り裂きひき潰す斬撃波。
    -Determining their enemies by their thoughts and feelings and killing them with a swing of the sword.

    体勢と歩法を制御し天地上下を飛行する移動術。
    -Refining their postures and gaits in order to move without hindrance from the heavens and Earth.

    霊気神通調伏によって敵を凍てつかせる呪法剣。
    -Freezing their enemies in place with Reiki Jinzuu curse, sword magic.

    暗影を渡り歩き敵をあやまたず撃ち抜く無音の絶刀。
    -Diving across the shadows to soundlessly slice their enemies.

    世の剣の伝説にあるあらゆる妖術幻を再現する幻影。
    -Recreating the world’s legendary swords through magical illusions.

    Can anyone help me with these??
     
  2. nachte

    nachte Well-Known Member

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    Is this all one paragraph? If it is, and you would like to have a similar cadence in your translation, I might suggest something like this:

    For them, attacks like cutting metal are only the beginning. There are the strikes that extend beyond the reach of the arm and sword. There is the swiftstep, also commonly known as the space traversal method. The roar of a thunder god that severs enemies far and wide into two, splitting them from top to bottom. The slash of a sword that shreds their targets to pieces through thought and intent. Traversal techniques to fly freely though the heavens and Earth with the control of body and movements. Sword magic that freezes enemies into place with chants and curses invoking the gods and spirits. Deadly techniques that slip through the shadows to soundlessly take down enemies. Magical illusions that bring the dark magic of the world's legendary swords to life.​

    I would say that I'm most uncertain about 霊気神通調伏. And for 縮地法, I kind of want to put instant space transversal method since it's more apt to describe something that shrinks distances for instant travel. Anyway, parallel structure with -ing forms is fine, but this is how my brain decided to parse this excerpt on a first pass.
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2020
  3. Gandire Alea

    Gandire Alea [Wicked Awesome Translator]

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    Thank you
     
    SquadCammander354 and nachte like this.