• WolfLink@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    What’s the difference between the “Hollow Knight” and “Silksong” versions mentioned above? Clearly the Silksong Chinese text is longer. Also the retranslated English text is missing the core points from the original English text.

    • bitofarambler@crazypeople.online
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      2 days ago

      I’m not sure what that screenshot is supposed to be directly comparing, you’ll have to ask that commenter.

      The difference in the Chinese characters and words themselves is that the Silksong words are more complex, like using “无”(without) rather than the simple negative “no”, even “台”(platform) has a dozen different meanings depending on the context. The HK characters more concretely refer to single or limited actions and objects, while the Silksong characters are more complex and dynamically significant, depending on a lot of context to discern any specificity.

      If all of Silksong is translated like that, it indicates the Chinese translators have focused on translating the overall shadowy, legendary, poetic atmosphere of the game throughout the descriptions and dialogue linguistically, which is contrary to the brief, down-to-earth descriptions and dialogue of much of the English source text. It seems like an artistic choice by the translators, but apparently not one that is resonating with some of the Chinese-speaking audience.

      • furry toaster@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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        2 days ago

        the so called “artistic choice” by the translators clearly diverges from the original writer’s artistic choices in a way that audiences perceive it as negative

        • bitofarambler@crazypeople.online
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          2 days ago

          Could be!

          Lofty, broad poetry is the HK games bread and butter, but now I’m looking forward to playing the Chinese version after I finish my English game, or at least directly comparing the texts.