skymandr wrote:Blaw- wrote:https://twitter.com/phoenix_rie
Seems to be her.
I asked her (it is her), and got a reply, though not the one I was expecting, nor the one I was hoping for. My question was: "How would you write Daaku Farusu in English?" [0], to which she replied "I believe it should be written Dark Falz". [1] The wording she used, however, was the polite and cautious way of expressing ones opinion, which may either just be politeness or may mean that she really just means it as an plausible alternative.
Since Twitter doesn't give you much chance at being elaborate (even in Japanese, where you can fit twice as long sentences due to the writing system) my questions was a little too vague (I really regret not giving Dark Force and Dark Falz as options!!! ), and the answer also, for me to be entirely satisfied. Therefore I asked for a clarification: "Does this mean that, in your opinion, Dark Force is a mistranslation." [2] Unfortunately, I've not received a reply to this, and since some time has passed I guess I will not. I may try again, or if anyone else wants to, please go ahead -- she seems to appreciate fan-contact.
As I've said above, I've also tried contacting the person who wrote the article in the Magazine, but so far no luck there.
So, back to square one..?
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Original Japanese:
[0]: My first question: すみません@phoenix_rie先生!私はスエーデンPhantasyStar-fanです。翻訳の質問があります:ダークファルスは英語でどのように書きますか?[Excuse me Kodama-sensei! I am a Swedish fan of Phantasy Star. I have a translation question: How is Daaku Farusu written in English?]
[1]: Kodama-sensei's reply: こんにちわ!Dark Falz だと思います!よろしくお願いします![Good day! Dark Falz I believe! Pleasure to make your axquaintance!]
[2]: My request for clarification: よろしくお願いします!お答有難うございます!その場合、@phoenix_rie 先生の見解で Dark Force は誤訳と思いますか? [My pleasure! Thank you very much for your answer! In that case, is it your opinion that Dark Force is a mistranslation?]
Well, we can't expect Phoenix Rie to say "Phallus" in her Tweeter Account or on an interview for western audiences =)
Judging by the two contradictory answers from her I suppose Rie always tells the translations that SoA gave until now. If someone asks La Sheik‘s Romanization I’m pretty sure the given answer would be ”Lassic”, like they did on track 15 and 37 of WM-091~4 PS album… they don’t try to Romanize from the original Japanese any more, they try to adapt what the overseas already have/know.
I can't say we went back to square one by her reply, because while she was the director she is not PS Staff as a whole (PS team is not a single entity, they are various people so she is not the entire team). For instance, I remember that Yoshibon (also director) wanted Nei in PSIV, but the rest of the team didn't agree, the same way the staff didn't agree with his Rui's story although drew it anyway. It was his idea and he is the director, but it can't be considered official, because one party member is not the entire PS Team and the statements has to be given through officially media.
As stated ダークファルス (Dākufarusu) could either be "Dark Phallus", "Falz", "Farse" (this last one was never used). The problem is because it sounds awkward to us westerns we want avoid "phallus", although it might actually be the official Romanization, because so far it was the only one given through official media (see the official PS Character Setting Collection book) and even reached the PSIV US ver. through dark forces enemies like “Pro[to]phallus” or “Siam Shizulabrum” (shizu=silent / labrum=genitalia).