Tutorials & Resources Reading MTL effectively

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by Quirkayla, Apr 15, 2021.

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  1. Quirkayla

    Quirkayla Well-Known Member

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    Hello! I am just an impatient reader who discovered some ways to understand pure MTL works better. Just want to share in case it helps~

    For reference: I mostly read CN novels on MTLnovel.com on my phone.

    You will need:
    1. Raws
    2. Google Translate
    3. Dictionary of your choice


    Raws: Idk about other sites, but MTLnovel allows you to turn on the raws (if you're logged in) so you can see the raw version of each sentence/paragraph above the translation. Just keep it on for reference.

    Google Translate: As I'm reading on my phone, I'm reliant on the Google Translate app. Install that and turn on the "Tap to translate" on the setting. With that on, just copy the sentence and the app to instantly give you a popup with the translation. Use this to translate the original raw sentence/paragraph when you encounter something unclear. Some MTL sites use their own translators so using GT can get you a better or at least different translation and help you understand better.

    If you're on a computer, you can use the GT extension on Chrome. Same principle, if I remember correctly. Just copy sentence and there's gonna be the popup with the translation.

    Dictionary: I use the app Pleco for dictionary. It's a really good and easy to use dictionary and been using it for years now. Having a dictionary app or website readily available is necessary for things that don't translate well like idioms and expressions. Really, Chinese novels use too many idioms that it can be quite a headache to translate. I feel for TL-ers now. Idioms are interesting to read and learn about but a pain to understand and translate.

    Example of smth GT can't translate:
    周黎当然也知道自己的理由很扯,从善如流道:“嗯,你说的有道理,但你不能否认这件事有疑点,对吧?”
    Of course, Zhou Li also knew that his reason was very ridiculous, and Cong Shanru said: "Well, what you said makes sense, but you can't deny that this matter is suspicious, right? (from Life-Saving Days)​

    If you don't put in the whole sentence and just 「周黎当然也知道自己的理由很扯,从善如流道」, the app doesn't even try to recognize the latter part anymore and completely does away with it. What the "Cong Shanru" part actually means is:
    从善如流 cóngshàn-rúliú --- readily following good advice (idiom); willing to accept other people's views​

    Just copy the raw sentence on the app to see word by word translation and it'll immediately show you if there's an idiom mixed in.

    If you're reading Japanese, a reliable and easy to use dictionary is Takoboto.

    Idk what's good for Korean, just that the NAVER Dictionary isn't pretty user friendly esp for those who doesn't know Korean at all. Maybe I just haven't gotten used to it tho.

    So basically yeah, that's it. It's a bit troublesome with all the extra effort but I got through a super headache inducing MTL this way and it's been helpful about 2 more MTL novels later. It's useful too for when you're learning the language or trying to do your own edited MTL. May this be useful for some of you. Happy reading! ♡
     
    Last edited: Apr 15, 2021
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  2. evanesco99211

    evanesco99211 Well-Known Member

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    Thanks! The Takoboto dictionary is nice!
     
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  3. otaku31

    otaku31 Well-Known Member

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    I know a faster, equally effective if somewhat more painful way:
    1. Sacrifice your English proficiency to GT
    2. Kill your braincells and offer them up to the MTL
    3. Kneel and knock your head three times on the ground in prayer, the harder the better; it will dislodge all the clogs in your brain, allowing for easier comprehension :blobpeek:
     
  4. lnv

    lnv ✪ Well-Known Hypocrite

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    Why would anyone want to get brain damage efficiently?


    Say no to Mental Trauma Literature
     
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  5. aShinyVaporeon

    aShinyVaporeon Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, that really helps. There was this one novel I mtl'd for so long I made a huge glossary for it with the raws. Other than google translate, I also use Ichacha and Yabla for verifying meanings (for Chinese, I mean). Maybe it's easier for me to read raws because I know some Chinese, but my level is still too low so I usually MTL it.

    On desktop if you use chrome, you can just right click, and in your right click menu there's an option for 'translate to english', where it auto-translates the entire page. Useful for if you're reading raws, although some official raws have measures to prevent theft, so GTL doesn't work because it can't read the page.

    Annoyingly, MTLnovel doesn't recognize some common phrases, like 回过神 (means to recover from a dazed state). It translates that as 'returned to God'. Also, they add some scorpions in there randomly? Like, even though the raw has no mention of scorpions, one will pop up in the MTL.

    Since Chinese and English have differences in sentence structure and idioms, it's inevitable that they'll be complications in MTL, at least until someone invents a better translator.
     
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  6. AliceShiki

    AliceShiki 『Ms. Tree』『Magical Girl of Love and Justice』

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    I prefer Jisho over Takoboto... I dunno, I just find Jisho to have a better layout~

    I use it a lot when I'm translating.
     
  7. Sutad Aatma

    Sutad Aatma Well-Known Member

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    This fellow here has summed up the plight of desperate readers lol XD
     
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  8. Liyus

    Liyus Laksha's Desu~ Cat

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    i was about to write the same....:blob_plusone:
     
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  9. Decimationalism

    Decimationalism Well-Known Member

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    I've been brute handling raws through GT and DeepL interchangeably.... and so far it works for the most part.... just have to sacrifice a bit of brain cells to replace a few words and duct tape some parts here and there. :blobuwu:
     
  10. prasantbagale

    prasantbagale Well-Known Member

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    I mostly use ComradeMao. They kill a little less brain cells compared to others.
     
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