Discussion Why translate certain novels?

So, I won't comment on certain novels that I find terrible, but on another question, why translate novels that have more than 4000 chapters releasing only 1 or 2 per day? It's totally unrealistic will be over and has so many good novels that have been canceled. It's sad.

 

Releasing one or two chapters a day is unrealistic. Translators have lives too. Also as to why translate 4000 chapter, I guess the same reason it was written? People like it and are willing to read it.

 

one man trash is another man treasure

 

For fun. To practice. To have something to do.

 

are u speaking of the qq farm whachamacallit novel?

 

Well I know when the translation community was just getting it started a lot of times the translators were translating to improve their language skills and it would often be a case of ooo that looks good

 

From what my translator friend, it's like spreading the joy of translated novels to other people, regardless of chapters. But, I truly believe that it's because it started out with only 300 or so chapters and then it suddenly exponentially increased and now the translators are too far into the novel and there's no way out of this downward or upward spiral, depending on the quality of the story telling

 

Lol @ complaining on multiple daily releases. Now the ones who release one or 2 per month on looooooong series confuse me though they will never finish those

 

1 or 2 chapters per day is the average for most novels.

What novel are you reading that the TL is killing himself that they put out more than that per day.

 

Even back in the day, most translators only translate novels of their fancy because of hobby, nothing more, nothing less.... Buuut as the translation scene blew up especially during the rise of CNs, the once hobby practice for some people(also spreading joy to others), become more commercialized. Almost all of them are doing commission based work in a disguise of "sponsor".

I wish some readers would appreciate those hobby translators tho, not scorn them. They're doing thankless work, and most of them can be reasoned with, especially on joint translation projects.

 

If a novel has more than 4k chapters, 1 or 2 chaps per day doesnt looks good, right? I'm not talking about a novel with 1k chap...

Well, most of the novels that I'm talking about can't be called popular... And 1 or 2 chaps per day is really good, but if a novel has more than 4k chaps, would be much better choosing another one, that's what I think.

 

If I could get a whole bunch of TL friends to work irl on translating a single novel, perhaps one day I'd be able to reach the end of Magi craft meister... Perhaps I should just read it raw?

 

Like what others have said, average release is about 1 or 2 chapters so just accept it. While its possible to increase daily releases with more translators on the same project, some reader may find it hard to read with different styles of translating in the same novel.
Those that pick up 4k chapters novels either they picked it up early when the raws were still releasing or really liked the novel to pick it up. Translators dun have control over the number of chapters the novel has too, they prob thought the novel wld end around 2k but the author kept releasing more chapters. Its a risk that comes with picking up ongoing novels.

With commercialization of translated series, some people may choose longer novels to build up a bigger fan base over time so that they can earn more money from translating longer series. Tho i dun think someone's passion for money can last him till the end of the novel.

 

Most of the novels I read are updated once every one to two weeks. So a daily update is amazing to me. What's wrong with the 4000+ novels? It is long but I've seen people drop a novel that had 10-20 chapters. It's really all about interest. If a translator is more interested in the 4000 Novel then the 10-20 chapter novel, the longer novel is more likely to be consistently released. It all really depends on the translator, number of chapters really has nothing to do with it. It kinda sounds like your being impatient. Novels get dropped and the picked up all the time. If the risk of a novel not updating enough or being dropped distresses you so much, just read novels that are completed. There is a filter for that.

 

That is the wrong measure to use. I'll give you an example of what you are asking for.
1) You have to travel half an hour to the store in your car. The store is 40km away. Therefore you need to travel 80km/h to get there in half an hour.
Logical right?

2) You have to travel from the East Coast (of the US) to the West Coast. 4050km. You expect to get there in half an hour? Your car will have to go 8100km/h to get your "half an hour" trip. Your car is going to break the sound barrier by up to 7 times. Faster than any aircraft known.

This is what you are asking for. To complete a 4,000 chapter translation the same time as a 1,000 chapter novel translation. The poor translator will have to work 4x above normal human speed just to meet your demands.

No. You will get what he can humanly dish out. You want more? You either get a whole group of people to translate or you outsource to Superman because no one human is going to be able to meet your demands. It's called an "unreasonable demand".

 

My problem is that I finished ALL good novels completed... So I kinda dislike watching good translators picking up jobs that I know won't be completed ...

I think y'll aren't getting my point, It's not about me wanting 5 chaps per day. It's just a waste of time getting a novel with so many chaps that you'll need more than FIVE years to finish while there are so many good novels more viable.

 

You dislike when translators pick up 4000+ novels, because you feel they wont finish them and it will be years before it's finished. I have a couple solution to your dilemma.

1: Start MTLing new series
2: Branch out into new genres.
3: put up pick up request on novelupdates, or your fav translator's site
4: Try reading or watching something else. I'm sure there are original novels in your country. There is also webtoons, manga, Manuwa, anime, dramas, and many other things to occupy your time.

So to answer your question: Translators pick up novels they want cause they find them interesting. Most don't look at the length and no translator picks up a novel expecting to not finish it. Like I've said I have some on my reading list that are 10 chapters long and only have a few chapters done before being dopped. I don't know what answer you were expecting, as you don't seem to like anyone's answers. It kinda sounds like you wanted to vent. Which is okay but yeah you won't find the answers you want.

 

Do some research and educate yourself.
How many chapters per day did the author release?
You are complaining about 1 to 2 chapters per day.
It is odd no matter how one looks at it.
I am sure even 4 chapters per day won't satisfy you.
After all, we have novels with 10,000 chapters.

You are simply asking for a slave my friend.
Even authors can't go above 1 to 2 chapters per day.
Apart from being untenable. It is also dangerous mentally.
I am talking about average length chapters.
Not those novels with 300 words in a chapter.

PS I can understand your frustration but these are equivalent to Sunday newspaper comics that go on for decades e.g. Garfield.
Also, look at Game of Thrones, translators are like authors. It can take decades to complete one story. It is not really a shocking event
Some novels won't get fully translated in 50 years.
So just use machine translation or get good (learn the language)

 

Finally a coherent answer. But anyway, I've tried it all, I'm not new to anime, let alone novels, but thanks.

 

Actually 4 chapters per day would satisfy me pretty well. But anyways, that was never the point here, looks like y'all just wanna see this.