Lost in Translation...

I've always been curious to know what was changed when Ted Woosly translated this game. Squenix didn't bother giving it a new translation when it was re-released in Anthology. I don't know if it will get a new translation when it comes out on the GBA.

I just wanted to know what was changed besides the obvious spells and items. I know that most of the summons were renamed (Midgard Zolom = Terrato, Jihad = Crusader, and so on)

I don't think the plot was really changed, just poorly translated at some points but nothing was really changed. At least from what I've heard.

Anyone wish to spread their wisdom and knowledge on the subject?

I thought the translation was fine. Some people say Kefka swore a lot and they edited that, but oh well.

Kefka's swearing words was changed and you can find some other badly translated things. Also Kefka actually is Cefka. ;)

The Spelling of Cefka is a bit confusing to me, as I don't know exactly how to convert symbols to letters, but don't spell it how its pronounced? If so wouldn't it be whatever the translator said it was?

It sounds cooler without the swears though, as Kefka says someAwsome things.

BtW: Kefka > Cefka

It's pronounced with a K sound so either spelling is acceptable.

Let's see, what can I remember... Doomgaze was Deathgaze, Elaine and Owain had Japanese names, Kefka swore like a drunken sailor, the "Book of Secrets" was porn, Blitzes were called... I don't remember. Something else. Oh, and every character had a job under their name in the status screen. There's more, but that's all that's jumping into my head.

Just about any names or lines that were changed in Woolsey's translation can be attributed to one or more of the following reasons.

• Space restrictions (Phoenix Down to Fenix Down, Thundaga to Bolt3, etc.)
• Nintendo's censorship policies (Holy to Pearl, Death to Doom, "damn it" to "I hate you," Celes's attempted suicide, etc.)
• The difference between appealing to a Japanese audience and an American one (Shun to Owain, Sabotender to Cactrot, Relm referring to herself in the first person, etc.)
• The opportunity to spruce up dull spots in the script. (Just about all of Kefka's memorable lines, etc.)

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Originally Posted by Roto13

It's pronounced with a K sound so either spelling is acceptable.

Let's see, what can I remember... Doomgaze was Deathgaze, Elaine and Owain had Japanese names, Kefka swore like a drunken sailor, the "Book of Secrets" was porn, Blitzes were called... I don't remember. Something else. Oh, and every character had a job under their name in the status screen. There's more, but that's all that's jumping into my head.

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Like a drunken Kefka sailor with a rabite pirate hat?

?

But yeah, the only times I've seen Kefka with a C is on Piano Collections sheet music, Art Books, and then when I loaded my Grand Finale Cd into my computer it said Cefka. :razz:

He's Cefca to the Japanese. But since that would be pronounced "sef-ka" in accordance with basic English pronounciation rules, and because "Kefca" looks dumb, it was changed to Kefka.

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Originally Posted by Kawaii Ryûkishi

[*]The difference between appealing to a Japanese audience and an American one (Relm referring to herself in the first person, etc.)

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God, I'm so glad they changed that. That was really annoying in the SkyRender translation. >_<

Kefka swore a lot originally? I'm so behind the times in all the FFVI knowledge, yeesh. Does that mean his lines like "Son of a submariner" were something else? Because call me a Debbie Downer, but I like that much better than him going all Barret about it.

Oh, Kefka is a LOT better in the American version. "Son of a submariner" was "Son of a bitch" in the Japanese version. Boo and hiss!

Not exactly, but you've got the right idea.

Sky Render made a complete list of the differences between the American version and the Japanese version, but his own translation is debatable, at times, and sometimes just mistaken.

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Originally Posted by KoShiatar

Sky Render made a complete list of the differences between the American version and the Japanese version, but his own translation is debatable, at times, and sometimes just mistaken.

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You translated the whole thing yourself, didn't you? What did Sky Render get wrong?

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Originally Posted by Roto13

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Originally Posted by KoShiatar

Sky Render made a complete list of the differences between the American version and the Japanese version, but his own translation is debatable, at times, and sometimes just mistaken.

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You translated the whole thing yourself, didn't you? What did Sky Render get wrong?

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Uh, lots of minor stuff, mostly related to Japanese grammar or interpretation (hence the "debatable"). No one of these mistakes changed heavily the meaning of a scene, but some sentences just mean something else.

There's also the name changes to the other characters.
Tina became Terra
Mash became Sabin
Biggs became Vicks

I know that Cyan's name was shortened. Cayenne, I believe was the original spelling. Since it's still pronounced the same way, it's not a big deal. I know Cait Sith was one of the espers but I can't remember his english translation. In fact, I believe the magic and espers had the greatest change but Walter pretty much explained why.

I never felt like they really changed Celes' suicide attempt. What was changed?

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Originally Posted by Walter

Just about any names or lines that were changed in Woolsey's translation can be attributed to one or more of the following reasons.

[*]Space restrictions (Phoenix Down to Fenix Down, Thundaga to Bolt3, etc.)

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"Phoenix Down" can actually fit, strangely.

I know that the SkyRender translation may have some minor grammar issues that KoShiatar talked about, but is there anything they added in that isn't really canonical (like the Barbariccia/Cain romance nonsense in the J2e translation of FFIV, for example)? Otherwise, is it a straightforward translation?

I haven't had the time to play through the entire thing, you see. Just curious.

There wasn't anything that was completely ridiculous.

Oh, that's good to know.

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"Oh...you're Cefca aren't you? Are you in good health?"

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xD It seems they're a bit literal, here.

And it seems that Blitz is called 'Deathblow' in this, Roto.

Ah! Yes, that's right. I couldn't remember. It was starting to bug me. And I couldn't be assed to just play the rom. :P

Both examples given are faithful to the original Japanese.
Blitzes were originally called "deathblows" and in the line of dialogue quoted the Imperial soldiers really ask Kefca about his health, as a formality (they were talking crap behind his back when he showed up).
There are no storyline alterations or non-canon things. Actually, their translation tried to be very canon, from what I saw.

I remember hearing that the river Lethe was translated into Lete river to avoid references to Hades.

The average person doesn't even know what Lethe is. I think it's much more likely that Woolsey just didn't pick up on the reference.

Like in Ultros / Orthros? (Incidentally, I found Ultros funnier, but that's just me.)

Yes, and Chupon/Typhon, for that matter.

I've always wondered, at the mountain where the espers gather, in Woolsey's FFIII you have the line, "Ahh, you can paint Uncle Ulty's picture" or something like that. What is that line in the Japanese version, since he's not Ultros?

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Originally Posted by Kawaii Ryûkishi

Just about any names or lines that were changed in Woolsey's translation can be attributed to one or more of the following reasons.

• Space restrictions (Phoenix Down to Fenix Down, Thundaga to Bolt3, etc.)

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i thought bolt was the normal name for lightning spells in the series, until FF8? i thought the idea of fire, fira, firaga rather than fire, fire2, fire3 was all brought in with FF8.

The Japanese versions have always had -a -aga spells. Thundaga won't fit in the four character limit for FFI, and Nintendo wanted to keep it consistent.

oic. i prefer the old way to be honest, but i'd rather it be all consistently one thing or the other rather than changing for each game. it's good that the GBA ports are making all the spell names consistent.

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Originally Posted by Flying Mullet

I've always wondered, at the mountain where the espers gather, in Woolsey's FFIII you have the line, "Ahh, you can paint Uncle Ulty's picture" or something like that. What is that line in the Japanese version, since he's not Ultros?

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In the Japanese version, Uncle Ulty is Or-chan. "Or" is an abbreviation of Orthros, and "chan" is a childish term of endearment, so the meaning is about the same.

I think Chupon is much better than Typhon. I mean, "Mr. Typhon"? Come on.