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kyuhu · 7 months

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back to dirt

#blood tw #does it need something else?#ment to fit one of these spooky prompts but it turned out so different from what I imagined so idk #I wanted this to be all wilted roses in a sepia and dusty pink palette but it didn't happen #I drifted back to my usual palette and now it looks like everything else I ever drew :'D #feliks be like aw boo I thought this would be more romantic #no idk what the context is here #maybe they just beat eachother up idk idk

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teanshan · 9 months

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Partners.

#tianshan #my tianshan fanart #he tian #mo guan shan #19 days #no context #idk whats going on here

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lurkingteapot · 11 months

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Every now and then I think about how subtitles (or dubs), and thus translation choices, shape our perception of the media we consume. It's so interesting. I'd wager anyone who speaks two (or more) languages knows the feeling of "yeah, that's what it literally translates to, but that's not what it means" or has answered a question like "how do you say _____ in (language)?" with "you don't, it's just … not a thing, we don't say that."

I've had my fair share of "[SHIP] are [married/soulmates/fated/FANCY TERM], it's text!" "[CHARACTER A] calls [CHARACTER B] [ENDEARMENT/NICKNAME], it's text!" and every time. Every time I'm just like. Do they though. Is it though. And a lot of the time, this means seeking out alternative translations, or translation meta from fluent or native speakers, or sometimes from language learners of the language the piece of media is originally in.

Why does it matter? Maybe it doesn't. To lots of people, it doesn't. People have different interests and priorities in fiction and the way they interact with it. It's great. It matters to me because back in the early 2000s, I had dial-up internet. Video or audio media that wasn't available through my local library very much wasn't available, but fanfiction was. So I started to read English language Gundam Wing fanfic before I ever had a chance to watch the show. When I did get around to watching Gundam Wing, it was the original Japanese dub. Some of the characters were almost unrecognisable to me, and first I doubted my Japanese language ability, then, after checking some bits with friends, I wondered why even my favourite writers, writers I knew to be consistent in other things, had made these characters seem so different … until I had the chance to watch the US-English dub a few years later. Going by that adaptation, the characterisation from all those stories suddenly made a lot more sense. And the thing is, that interpretation is also valid! They just took it a direction that was a larger leap for me to make.

Loose adaptations and very free translations have become less frequent since, or maybe my taste just hasn't led me their way, but the issue at the core is still a thing: Supernatural fandom got different nuances of endings for their show depending on the language they watched it in. CQL and MDZS fandom and the never-ending discussions about 知己 vs soulmate vs Other Options. A subset of VLD fans looking at a specific clip in all the different languages to see what was being said/implied in which dub, and how different translators interpreted the same English original line. The list is pretty much endless.

And that's … idk if it's fine, but it's what happens! A lot of the time, concepts -- expressed in language -- don't translate 1:1. The larger the cultural gap, the larger the gaps between the way concepts are expressed or understood also tend to be. Other times, there is a literal translation that works but isn't very idiomatic because there's a register mismatch or worse. And that's even before cultural assumptions come in. It's normal to have those. It's also important to remember that things like "thanks I hate it" as a sentiment of praise/affection, while the words translate literally quite easily, emphatically isn't easy to translate in the sense anglophone internet users the phrase.

Every translation is, at some level, a transformative work. Sometimes expressions or concepts or even single words simply don't have an exact equivalent in the target language and need to be interpreted at the translator's discretion, especially when going from a high-context/listener-responsible source language to a low-context/speaker-responsible target language (where high-context/listener responsible roughly means a large amount of contextual information can be omitted by the speaker because it's the listener's responsibility to infer it and ask for clarification if needed, and low-context/speaker-responsible roughly means a lot of information needs to be codified in speech, i.e. the speaker is responsible for providing sufficiently explicit context and will be blamed if it's lacking).

Is this a mouse or a rat? Guess based on context clues! High-context languages can and frequently do omit entire parts of speech that lower-context/speaker-responsible languages like English regard as essential, such as the grammatical subject of a sentence: the equivalent of "Go?" - "Go." does largely the same amount of heavy lifting as "is he/she/it/are you/they/we going?" - "yes, I am/he/she/it is/we/you/they are" in several listener-responsible languages, but tends to seem clumsy or incomplete in more speaker-responsible ones. This does NOT mean the listener-responsible language is clumsy. It's arguably more efficient! And reversely, saying "Are you going?" - "I am (going)" might seem unnecessarily convoluted and clumsy in a listener-responsible language. All depending on context.

This gets tricky both when the ambiguity of the missing subject of the sentence is clearly important (is speaker A asking "are you going" or "is she going"? wait until next chapter and find out!) AND when it's important that the translator assign an explicit subject in order for the sentence to make sense in the target language. For our example, depending on context, something like "are we all going?" - "yes" or "they going, too?" might work. Context!

As a consequence of this, sometimes, translation adds things – we gain things in translation, so to speak. Sometimes, it's because the target language needs the extra information (like the subject in the examples above), sometimes it's because the target language actually differentiates between mouse and rat even though the source language doesn't. However, because in most cases translators don't have access to the original authors, or even the original authors' agencies to ask for clarification (and in most cases wouldn't get paid for the time to put in this extra work even if they did), this kind of addition is almost always an interpretation. Sometimes made with a lot of certainty, sometimes it's more of a "fuck it, I've got to put something and hope it doesn't get proven wrong next episode/chapter/ten seasons down" (especially fun when you're working on a series that's in progress).

For the vast majority of cases, several translations are valid. Some may be more far-fetched than others, and there'll always be subjectivity to whether something was translated effectively, what "effectively" even means …

ANYWAY. I think my point is … how interesting, how cool is it that engaging with media in multiple languages will always yield multiple, often equally valid but just sliiiiightly different versions of that piece of media? And that I'd love more conversations about how, the second we (as folks who don't speak the material's original language) start picking the subtitle or dub wording apart for meta, we're basically working from a secondary source, and if we're doing due diligence, to which extent do we need to check there's nothing substantial being (literally) lost -- or added! -- in translation?

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anistarrose · 1 month

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The thing about the "fridged" trope is that obviously you can't have a female love interest dying as a defining moment for a male character because that's not feminist, but you also can't have a male love interest dying as a defining moment for a female character because then she's just going to have an arc revolving around her relationship with a man and that's also not feminist, and you also can't kill off a love interest from a gay relationship or a relationship involving a nonbinary person because that's burying your queers, which is at least as bad as misogyny if not even worse, and now suddenly you can't kill off romantic partners at all in stories because no matter the demographics, it's going to be problematic somehow, which is... a pretty ridiculous limitation to impose on storytelling.

And, like, it would be satisfying to have a solution other than "it depends on context if not straight-up vibes, and it's usually very reasonable for audience members to have a range of opinions on the execution of one specific instance," but. Yeah, you do kind of have to just vibe check it in a deeply subjective manner sometimes.

#thinking about a few things and characters here... but especially about amelia infinity train #when i watched book 1 the first time i was like “...hey wait her motivation all revolves around this One Man? idk about this”#but then watching book 3 and noticing the whole unwanted child allegory #plus a very good video essay about the historical feminist context #i've come around on it completely now. sometimes men do die and it fucks women up #and amelia's story is handled with care that gives her agency; plus traits outside her husband-centric trauma.#it works in my personal subjective and constantly evolving opinion is what i'm saying

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grogumaximus · 4 months

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Christian: 5 gin and tonics later.. you know Max really does need to go to bed now.

#idk what's the context here but thats just not a usual thing to say to your employee..#max loled 😁 n then serioused 😐#hornstappen #max verstappen #christian horner #sergio perez

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anintroverteddarling · 4 months

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TW; SLIGHTLY SUGGESTIVE(???), Im not sure but it feels like I've done smth illegal ASKDJNADSFKJADNFS

I tried to draw smth cute again but ended up looking... uh...

but then I added in

Overall, intrusive thoughts won that night help--

#slightly suggestive #I actually cant tell since in context they just kissed here but just to be safe #I don't know how to draw an actual kiss drawing so have the aftermath of them having a kiss #But somehow it came out a bit sus especially with a bit of saliva(how else would you know this is like the after kiss? asdkfjnadskfjnad)#I know this would never happened canonically so lets pretend in another life they try romance and manon still survives #dead plate #dead plate game #dead plate fanart #rody lamoree #vince charbonneau #rody x vincent #just found out rody is canonically bi and biphobic which makes sense because of the era this was set in #still ship them tho idk why help ADSLKJFNADSFKJANDSFJDF #I swear it was supposed to be an oc drawing but I ended drawing these mfers again what the hell #the next one will deffo be a manon-related one if I have time

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redbowkid-27 · 23 days

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Flirt or be flirted

#c'mon guys dont take it seriously #adult frisk be wildin bru #papyrus looking adorable tho #sans undertale #papyrus undertale #frisk undertale #skelebros #idk whats the context here lol #sorry but not sorry #forgot to color paps leg mb bru

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crepegosette · 1 year

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does

does anyone remember cardverse

#with some creative liberties because i find ivan's canon outfit kinda ugly tbh #also i don't know how to draw kisses so #roll with what we have #hetalia #hetalia world stars #aph america #aph russia #hws america #hws russia #hetalia america #hetalia russia #rusame #amerus #cardverse #hetalia fanart #my art #the context here: idk they're probably forbidden lovers or something #since their kingdoms r probably in clash #feel free to make your own interpretation tho im bad with ideas

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puddingcatbeans · 19 days

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guy who keeps being cursed into a timeloop but accidentally solves it on first try every time so he just never notices

#idk what this is #beanstalks #can u tell i'm bored out of my mind at work #i'm literally the only one left what am i doing here #hey boss i'm clocking out early because i'm starting to make stupid no context shitposts again

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emry-stars-art · 8 months

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Wips and sketches from the insta live this morning 💕 sharkdrew and pirate Neil, fisherman Andrew, and possible design squid Jean

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sideblogdotjpeg · 13 days

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another little thing for this au by @stone-stars (and me!)

#naddpod #ba2mia #ba2umia #solum bufo #calliope petrichor #calder kilde #albin pembroke #posts by me dot com #idk if this makes any sense without context ummmm #but essentially calder stolen by mothership #and goes to launchpad becomes a synth knight #callie also a synth knight. and sols just here in ezry to find his daddyself #unrelated but sol is so funny he looks like a gargoyle #what is the aesthetic intersection of crick/dragon/monk

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girlmetalsonic · 2 months

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something that is like the baseline of amys entire character to me is that shes lonely. shes clingy and physically affectionate in a way none of her friends really are, shes always getting pushed aside and left behind. yeah, she helps out people she doesnt know because shes a nice person, but also, she sees part of herself in them. she wont leave someone else behind because she knows the feeling —and more importantly, hates the feeling. if she doesnt have somebody to stand by her and be there for her, then shes going to be that person for everybody else. something something her obsession with sonic is really just like a manifestation of that desire for closeness with someone, and she thinks that romance is the only way to get that. idk... this hedgehog can have so many abandonment issues.

#me posts #amy rose #sth #sonic the hedgehog #and this is not to say at all that romance is the only way to have 'real' love or anything #just that yknow part of her breaking free of that would also be realizing that she just wants closeness with someone and it doesnt-#-have to be romantic #aroace amy could fit this i suppose and she just doesnt know it yknow. thats not my hc but i support their beliefs if that makes sense #she wants to be loved and she wants to love and she doesnt really get a big outlet for that so she shares it with everyone she sees #also i didnt wanna jam up the post but GAMMA!! this is partially abt gamma she helps him find out how to love and how to find joy in it-#-bc its what she wants for herself. she sees him and sees how completely alone he is and she wants to help him. idk idk something something #-when she was locked in the cell she saw part of herself staring back at her #gamma parallels to amy is SLEPT ON i stg i could make a whole other post about it #idk.. whenever im writing amy or just thinking abt how shed interact with others its always from the lens that she craves closeness with-#-others. she wants people to just stay for once.#does this make any sense. idk man im rambling here #my worst nightmare is characterizing her wrong its such a fine line and sometimes the words do not come out of my brain right #btw this is NOT me dissing amy i love amy. she is like top three favorite character.#important context: im typing this with amy firefox theme rn ok. ok im an amy fan.#she points at the minimize button like shes telling me to log off #jesus christ i just scrolled back up i love to put a whole other post in the notes dont i

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adhd-merlin · 11 months

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ao3 author: so they have to take part in this ancient pagan ritual. merlin is wearing bottoms made of fur and a pair of ram's horns. arthur chases him as he runs away and tackles him to the groun—

me: horns?

ao3 author: part of the ritual

me: of course

ao3 author: he tackles him to the ground. they are both drugged out of their minds, btw

me: yeah, go on

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cozylittleartblog · 10 months

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trying out some new ideas

#genderqueer #perfect for me thanks #lgbt #gender #pride month #dat me #art #doodles #love how vague that is. like yeah idk whats going on here but its Non Standard #genderqueer. agender. nonbinary. any of them. sure 👍#i am formally adopting They into my pronouns. still keeping She but now i have Two (2)#they i have always appreciated you and now i claim you as my own #perhaps my preferred gender identity will change. i enjoy the vagueness of Queer in any context #but that's ok. right now i think it suits me #fridge magnets :) you can always change them later #so that's a (checks watch) 13 year long dilemma I can finally put... not quite a lid on. but a piece of foil. yeah

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estrellami-1 · 1 month

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Someone help because I don’t have nearly the legal jargon knowledge to turn this into the fic it could be.

“Nancy,” Eddie gasps into the receiver as soon as she answers. “I need a huge favor. Like, huge.”

Nancy hums. “What’s up?”

“I need you to expose the Harrington Firm.”

“For?”

“Uh. Fraud? Extortion?”

“Ah.” She chuckles lightly and says the one thing he’s never heard her say before. “No can do, Eddie, sorry.”

“What?” His brain helpfully supplies, you kick Miette? He ignores his brain.

“I can’t expose what’s not there, Eddie. Listen, I’ve gotta go, Robin just came in with an urgent look on her face, but I’ll call you later, okay? We’ll do lunch sometime!”

And without another word, she hangs up, leaving Eddie’s brain buzzing along with the dial tone in his ear.

Can’t expose what’s not there, she said. Which means-

Oh, no.

She doesn’t know.

Eddie rolls his shoulders and nods decisively to himself. She won’t do it? Fine. He’ll do it himself.

#stranger things #steve harrington #eddie munson #nancy wheeler #robin buckley #eventual steddie #possibly #eventual ronance #Nancy is a journalist #Eddie isn’t. idk what he does #Steve is a lawyer in his dad’s company #Eddie overheard him planning to expose his dad #except Eddie has like 0 context #listen the ideas are here. execution is lacking though

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skitskatdacat63 · 7 months

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I would commit murder to see the interview these pictures are from

#im feeling very monza 2011 today i guess!!!#nah but seriously PLEASE I WANT TO WATCH THIS SO BAD #I NEED CONTEXT FOR THEIR INCREDIBLY AWKWARD HUG #let me describe these photos for you bcs they are all just peak vettonso:#the first one where theyre smiling and looking at each other 🥰🥰🥰#and the second where theyre both smiling at the interviewer(?)#third and fourth i describe as: twink about to pounce #like seriously seb what is he talking about that is making you look at him like you want to eat him #fifth is sending me like ITS SO AWKWARD AND I LOVE IT #just my fav thing about 2010s vettonso where seb is so excitable and touchy and etc #and nando is like: i dont want to be here rn get him off me DJKFLGL #stop it Fernando. i know you want to.#and then last one idk i really like it. you guys know how i feel abour chairs.#i guess to me theres something about how differently they're sitting #like seb is more open and relaxed and Fernando is a lot more curled up and small #ANYWAYS WHERE IS THE VIDEO OF THIS 😭😭😭😭 I NEED IT #this actually adds to my bafflement abt their dynamic at this gp #bcs this is how the race wknd starts off and isnt it truly wonderful? that fernando then says 3 days later: fuck u my boy #f1 #formula 1 #sebastian vettel #fernando alonso #vettonso #2011 italian gp #we do a little bit of f1

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