Better Word Than 'Clone' [Spoilers]

[BG-57]

I've noticed a lot of people take exception to the term 'clone' to describe what happened to Cloud and the villagers of Neibelheim, since cloning implies an exact duplicate of the original, down to the genes (barring minor mutations).

If what really happened to them was the introduction of Jenova cells to somehow mix or combine with their cells, then there should be a better term for the process. I've thought of two, from my background in biology:

1) Xenografting is introducing tissue from a different species (like say a baboon heart into a human body). I like this term and I think it fits if we assume the Jenova cells are separate from the host cells.

2) Chimeras (or hybridomas) are when cells of two different species are combined into single cells, incorperating the genetic information of both. This term would apply if Jenova cells physically merged with host cells.

What do you think?

[Kakashi509]

why don't be just call them mutant freaks or genetic freaks it's much wittier than 'clone'

[Shoden]

Cloud isn't a clone and we know that A: Tifa, B: Barret C: True memories that have nothing to do with Tifa and sephiroth

[Squall of SeeD]

Sure "Xenograft" or "Chimaera" would have been a more accurate term in the sense of context, but at this point it's best to just accept the translators' usage of the term and point out the meaning of the word in the context of the game.

It's far too late in the tale to introduce "Xenograft" or "Chimaera" to people. Many tend to get confused enough as it is to be honest.

[Kakashi509]

yea and with the chimera and Xenograft thing, half the people here might not even know what that is

[Levian]

Vegetables

[-N-]

Translation errors.

[Shoeberto]

Transration errors.

[Christmas]

yea and with the Chimaera and Xenograft thing, half the people here might not even know what that is

Pretty true.....

Chimeras

Random player A:"Chimeras? What's that buddy?"

Random player b :"The three headed monster with a lion body. Didn't
read about Greek legends, do ya?"

Random player A:"You are a genius, buddy"

Random player b:"Ya, I know"


Xenograft

Random player A:"Look buddy, Xenograft, what's that?"

Random player b:"XENOGEARS, my dear friend. Not only the translation,
but the spelling too, my dear friend. Square sometimes just screwed up in almost everything."

Random player A:"Wow, so we have Xenogears' characters in FF7?
Cool. How can I do without you, buddy.

Random player b:"Ya, I know"

[Kakashi509]

bless my bad spelling skills anyways clone is what they picked for some stupid reason, the games been released so they can't change it now

[Wishkah]

As there were, what, 13 others, it's only reasonable.

[Cless]

Is this error maybe an artistic license taken by Squaresoft, as they may have seen "clone" to be a better sounding varient on the technically correct examples you gave? And how could they explain this? Well one could could say, as Final Fantasy VII isn't set in the real world, it also doesn't have to adhere to the real world's system of scientific classification.

Though it's an interesting observation, none the less. :)

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Sony translated FFVII, not Square. That's why we have these Aerith/Aeris, Barett/Barret, Lockhart/Lockheart discrepancies.

[GooeyToast]

Yes, I think they were just looking for a more general term.


~Keep it gooey~

[Shoden]

~thing~

[BG-57]

Maybe then transfusion would be an better way to explain what happened since most people are familiar with what that term means. The game does mention Jenova cells being injected, making it sound like a suspension of cells in fluid, like blood.

[Shoden]

photocopy!