The "OMG WHAT DOES THIS MEAN" Translation Help Thread.

[HiroPon]

@caotimundi

I think the kanji in question is 死根. It is quite common in Japanese to use kanji to replace hiragana, in this case ね (often referred to as 当て字). It's also appropriate here since it implies that the character is tired to the roots. So your interpretation of "good as dead" fits in perfectly, in my opinion. Hope my input helped.

[Milky]

@caotimundi

It looks like 死相 to me.
The shadow of the death.

[HiroPon]

@coatimundi

Good call! I totally missed that. That actually makes much more sense. My apologies for the confusion.

[coatimundi]

Thank you Milky! Wow, that's obvious when I look at it now. Funny how the eye works.

[jhitchin]

I'm trying to make sense of あおり文句 right now. The sentance is "rental video no aori monku kagaetari." I don't think it can be translated literally as "starting complaints" or "instigating complaints" doesn't make any sense in this context. Is this a colloquialism I'm just not familiar with or something?

Jeff

[jhitchin]

I'm a goober. The whole sentence, done correctly, is "レンタルビデオあおり文句とか考えたり"

Sorry for the confusion.

Jeff

[HiroPon]

@Jeff

I need more detail to help you out. Shoot me an e-mail at dmgproduction@digitalmangaguild, including the title of the manga you're working on and page #. I think then I'll be able to provide you with some advice.

[Milky]

@jhitchin

あおり文句 (煽り文句) is not a "complaint". It is "catchphrase".

[Milky]

one more thing... あおり文句 (煽り文句) usually means "catchphrase"..., でも人の感情を逆なでる為に用いられる言葉も「煽り文句」と言うらしいです。

[momotarou]

Hello,
I am having a hard time translating a "spell" (like ritual spell, magical spell...)in manga. I wonder how other translators translate "spell" , which contains old and difficult Japanese, that even hard to understand the meaning. Well, it is a spell, so you are not really supposed to understand the meaning of the sentence, but you need to when you translate.
So, I need your help! How would you translate following sentences?

現つ陽の魂の御神（あつきひのつちくれのみかみ/atsuki hino tsutikure no mikami）
気高し斎いに百代の（けたかしいわいにはくたいの/ketakashi iwaini hakutai no)
たまかる誓言かく献ず（たかまるせいごんかくけんず/takamaruseigonkakukenzu)
天に悠揚なるのじを(あまにゆうようなるのじを/amaniyuuyounarunojiwo)
心に適えと実に祈ま（こころにかなえとみにのまん/kokoronikanaetomininoman)

This is a spell from a ritual in manga. A ritual which supposed to give them more water in the country.It is like a poem, but it is hard to understand the meaning of it too

Please let me know your ideas!
Thank you in advance!