Discussion Novels translated into languages other than english

Discussion in 'General Chat' started by bibi, May 20, 2018.

?

How is the scenario of translations of Asian Novels for your native language?

  1. Zero translations

    9 vote(s)
    16.1%
  2. There is almost no translation, only a few

    6 vote(s)
    10.7%
  3. There are few translations

    8 vote(s)
    14.3%
  4. There are many translations

    6 vote(s)
    10.7%
  5. I never looked for translations of novels in my language

    18 vote(s)
    32.1%
  6. My native language is English, and I want to vote in this poll!

    9 vote(s)
    16.1%
  1. bibi

    bibi Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2017
    Messages:
    489
    Likes Received:
    573
    Reading List:
    Link
    This is a topic for people whose native language is Not English, either by being born in a country where it isn't the official language, or by not having learned English as a first language.
    I did a few hours ago a topic suggesting that the NU also index the translation of Asian novels into other languages, not just in english, since translations of novels in several languages exist.
    I know that some translations here are retranslated to other languages, and that they are even somewhat popular (or at last have translations in large quantity) in certain languages.
    So, do you know how the novels translation scenario is in your native language?
    If you have translators, if they are good translators, if the novels you follow are being translated? If it have many readers, if people are interested in novels? Would you read a novel in English (your second language) and also in your native language afterwards? And what kind of novels are usually translated into your language?

    *And I know everyone who will read this topic knows English, but it's more about the reach of novel readers. Not everyone can speak English...
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2018
    bbctheory84 likes this.
  2. juniorjawz

    juniorjawz Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2016
    Messages:
    6,895
    Likes Received:
    8,231
    Reading List:
    Link
    Just get to the local bookshop.

    Lot's of translated stuff, 5-ish usual languages available in my case.
     
  3. Lewisking50

    Lewisking50 Voidseeker, King of literally nothing

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2015
    Messages:
    584
    Likes Received:
    481
    Reading List:
    Link
    Very good question actually, but I never bothered to look for german translations so I can't really tell...
     
  4. Rakiin

    Rakiin Pokemon Slave Trader

    Joined:
    Jan 23, 2016
    Messages:
    272
    Likes Received:
    2,553
    Reading List:
    Link
    I've been reading english translations since chinese novels translations started.
    English is my third language and still I wouldn't really read novels in my main language.. I just got used to english translations reading them would be weird for me, still would try one, are there any german/russian translations?

    I think it the same with anime who among us watches eng(or other) dubs instead of original japanese voices?
     
  5. Drake888

    Drake888 That one guy. You know, the one over there.

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2017
    Messages:
    438
    Likes Received:
    414
    Reading List:
    Link
    Woohoo! English is stunning the poll!
     
  6. TheBunanna

    TheBunanna Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2017
    Messages:
    32
    Likes Received:
    36
    Reading List:
    Link
    Well, Japanese is really similar to Korean so there are more Korean translations than English translations...Rather, the machine translation from Japanese to Korean is quite accurate so there's a plethora of translations just floating around
     
  7. Drake888

    Drake888 That one guy. You know, the one over there.

    Joined:
    Feb 10, 2017
    Messages:
    438
    Likes Received:
    414
    Reading List:
    Link

    I certainly prefer subs to dubs when it comes to anime. The problem was originally bad voice-acting but as demand has increased, quality has improved. Now it's a problem of material. Shounen stories have a lot of cringe-inducing dialogue, especially during battles, and I can tolerate reading it but not listening to it.
     
    Meloman, qwertzuiop and Rakiin like this.
  8. Elawn

    Elawn 『Binge Reader』

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2016
    Messages:
    781
    Likes Received:
    1,142
    Reading List:
    Link
    There are many French translations but I only read in English.
     
  9. bibi

    bibi Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2017
    Messages:
    489
    Likes Received:
    573
    Reading List:
    Link
    I think there are a lot of novels that are retranslated into German. And I think Russian also has enough, I've seen many links to the VK.
     
    Rakiin likes this.
  10. Emperor avalon

    Emperor avalon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2017
    Messages:
    43
    Likes Received:
    33
    Reading List:
    Link
    Well seeing the popularity of manga in France, they ought to be an already good number of light novel and perhaps Chinese novel translated in French, but it would just feel too strange for me to read them in everything else but English. And knowing how the world of translation work in France for the mangas, there is no point in even trying. Save for the most popular ones, French translation is generally always a step behind, so why even bother ?
     
    Meloman likes this.
  11. Meloman

    Meloman My dog is lazier than me

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2018
    Messages:
    1,355
    Likes Received:
    1,092
    Reading List:
    Link
    I prefer to read in English, however one time I was too impatient for an update of a certain novel and googled the novel in my mother tongue. Turned out it does exist, and even quite a few other Asian novels were translated as well, but there were more chapters in English for the novel I was interested in so I did not bother with that site anymore.

    Another thing with translation in different languages is the names. Errr ok Chinese/Japanese etc into English is already straineous , but when you take those badly translated names and re-translate them into yet another language....

    Basically I’d read another language only if the updates to the novels I’m interested in are faster, otherwise I’d stick with English.
     
    bbctheory84 and Emperor avalon like this.
  12. Lswarmruler

    Lswarmruler 『Anya, The Cutest Esper Loli』《Spy x Family Manga》

    Joined:
    Oct 8, 2016
    Messages:
    940
    Likes Received:
    671
    Reading List:
    Link
    i never read any indonesian translated webnovel as i am pretty fluent in english, but yeah i know there are some website that do the translation into bahasa indonesia such as dbnovel and idqidian
     
  13. Emperor avalon

    Emperor avalon Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2017
    Messages:
    43
    Likes Received:
    33
    Reading List:
    Link
    You're so right with this. Your message just made me think of the idea of reading the names of the characters and even worse the techniques in French :sick::sick::sick: ultimate cringe :censored:
     
  14. Jigoku Shounen

    Jigoku Shounen An Envoy From Hell

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2016
    Messages:
    4,446
    Likes Received:
    4,287
    Reading List:
    Link
    I think I would like to read English translated rather than my native language for those neutral pronouns, cause there are way too many pronouns in my language and I would rather just translated it to my own liking from the English translation. And then there are other issues that only fan translation would truly understand, rather than a publisher that did it.
     
  15. chucke

    chucke Going towards the glorious future

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2016
    Messages:
    908
    Likes Received:
    443
    Reading List:
    Link
    I read in English (though some stuff in Russian because it is translated sometimes further) mainly because there are more titles.
    I used to read manga only in Russian in the past, but then switched to English simply because it has more translated titles.
     
  16. Meloman

    Meloman My dog is lazier than me

    Joined:
    Feb 19, 2018
    Messages:
    1,355
    Likes Received:
    1,092
    Reading List:
    Link
    Well I speak some French as well, and when someone talks about a movie or a book or even a song they liked - I just stand there looking clueless due to differences in naming sometimes. When actually I’ve read/seen/heard that a long time ago in English.

    The names are an issue even in books like Harry Potter, which is an official translation. On the other hand, let’s say I finish writing a book in English and then my parents are very unlikely to read it, hehe
     
  17. Yama_Kitsune

    Yama_Kitsune Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2015
    Messages:
    48
    Likes Received:
    17
    Reading List:
    Link
    I've never bothered to look for any spanish/Portuguese translations so i dont know how the scene looking over there. (English is my second language)
     
  18. Zackarov

    Zackarov ~ Cheese Bear ~

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2015
    Messages:
    228
    Likes Received:
    174
    Reading List:
    Link
    I prefer reading in English since I felt cringy reading in my native language.
     
  19. Sakuraid

    Sakuraid Writer, translator and editor

    Joined:
    May 1, 2017
    Messages:
    157
    Likes Received:
    79
    Reading List:
    Link
    I have never really looked for them but there probably are some translated to Swedish.
     
  20. AliceShiki

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

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2016
    Messages:
    24,647
    Likes Received:
    98,366
    Reading List:
    Link
    I only read stuff I paid for in my native language, I prefer reading in English whenever possible.

    So... I didn't even bother with searching, it wouldn't surprise me if there was a decent amount of translations though, anime community over here isn't that weak.