Log in

View Full Version : I require assisstance interpreting the following statements



Saylee
09-05-2016, 02:41 PM
Here are several of the statements that I am trying to figure out, keep in mind that all of these statements have been translated from Japanese:

1.

Goku: “Your power’s fallen a whole lot. Cheh…I’m a little disappointed. This way, Gohan will be able to beat you even on his own…”

The issue that I am having with the statement above is that it seems to imply two different things, depending on how you read it. On the opposing side of the argument, they argue that Goku is suggesting that Gohan, and only Gohan, is strong enough to defeat Buu. However, when I look at this statement, I see that Goku is being condescending. Allow me to explain why I think this.

The Japanese word Cheh implies mockery, and the terminology even, which is an adverb within this statement, implies something surprising. So Goku is mocking Buu because of how weak he has grown, and he has become so weak in fact, that even Gohan can beat him now.



Can anybody here, preferably somebody more knowledgeable about grammar than myself, provide me with a well thought out reason as to why I’m either correct or not?

2.

Elder Kaioshin: “I hate to say it, but I don’t think you could win against this current Majin Boo even if the two of you went at him together…”

In the statement above, the opposing side of the argument suggests that Elder Kaioshin is simply saying that Goku and Gohan can’t defeat Majin Boo together. However, when I look at this statement, I see something completely different. Allow me to explain again.

Firstly, they terminology even is an adverb in this statement, which means that it is being used for comparisons. However, this simultaneously suggests that there are two different thoughts being connected here. The first is ‘I don’t think you could win against this current Majin Boo’. This tells us that Goku should be superior to every other version, excluding the current one. If this wasn’t the case, than including the terminology ‘current’ defeats the entire purpose of the statement. The second thought that occurs is ‘even’, which connects the two thoughts, ‘if the two of you went at him together.’ This second thought informs us, the reader, that even if Goku went with Gohan and fought against Buu, than the two of them would die regardless.

I feel that my analysis in this particular area is correct. However, can someone elaborate as to why I am or may not be correct?

3.

Gotenks: “Dehhehheh! So in other words, Majin Boo’s freaked out, huh!? That’s right! My strength ain’t half-assed! I’m the best in the universe!”

When Gotenks makes this statement, he grows a long nose. In Japanese lore, this suggests that he’s being self conceited. This tells me that when he calls himself ‘the best in the Universe’ he knows it isn’t true; hence the long nose. Conceit requires deceit. So he’s being deceptive and making a statement that he knows isn’t true.

Would my analysis above be the correct interpretation of the statement/artwork?

4.

Goku: “Wait! Even though Boo has returned to normal a whole lot, we’re still simply no match for his strength! If we go outside like this, we’ll definitely be done in…!”
Goku: “…But there is one way we can win!”
Vegeta: “You want to say Fusion, right? Well who cares about that?!”
Goku: “Huh? You know about it?”

In this statement, the opposing side takes it at face value and determines that Boo is simply stronger than Goku and Vegeta combined. However, I disagree. When I look at this statement, it seems that Goku stated that they were inferior as a means to try to convince Vegeta to try fusion. If you line up the quotes and read them in the order in which they appear, it really appears that way.

Would you say that I’m correct or not?

Anyways, hopefully somebody replies shortly, I look forward to the comments.

Danik 2016
09-05-2016, 09:59 PM
To help you the person has to know Japanese. I suggest you posts your questions on a translator forum that has the language pair Japanese-English. Also you will have to mention the source (book or game) of these statements.

OrphanPip
09-05-2016, 10:15 PM
I don't think I've ever seen someone take Dragonball so seriously prior to this. I don't think there's much ambiguity in any of these passages. You're pretty much right, though I'm not sure I would consider Goku to be condescending, more just observing Buu's weakness. Toriyama was obsessed with numbers and quantifying strength, partly out of narrative necessity since it was hard to express relative strength visually, but also because he just became lazy as the series went on and the quality seriously declines by the final story arc.

Dragonball is a weird clunky beast of a manga. The first part is an adventure story that reinvents elements of Journey to the West in inventive and silly ways. The latter part (after the revelation that Goku is an alien), starts to becomes an experiment in excess. Toriyama just kept making characters stronger and stronger, until it got to the point that everyone could easily destroy a planet on a whim. I guess he deserves some credit for merging kung-fu fantasy with sci-fi but I've never thought the mix really worked all that well.

Dreamwoven
09-06-2016, 05:19 AM
To help you the person has to know Japanese. I suggest you posts your questions on a translator forum that has the language pair Japanese-English. Also you will have to mention the source (book or game) of these statements.
I didn't know there are language-paired translator forums on LitNet. Can you provide a link to them, Danik?

Danik 2016
09-06-2016, 09:52 AM
Here you are DW. I usually check first if the forum has got the pair I´m interested in, and then if I have to create a login or can ask my question as a visitor to the forum:
https://www.google.com.br/search?q=language+translation+forums&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-b&gfe_rd=cr&ei=UcnOV6vXNcyU8QfY3Lxo
http://www.translatorscafe.com/cafe/MegaBBS/
http://www.proz.com/
I normally use Proz. It´s one of the biggest and maybe one of the oldest.

Dreamwoven
09-07-2016, 01:16 AM
Thanks, Danik.

Saylee
09-08-2016, 03:55 PM
Please stay on topic.

Can anybody find a reason to disagree with my analysis about each statement?

Calidore
09-08-2016, 07:36 PM
I think part of the problem is that you're quoting individual statements without full context.

Saylee
09-09-2016, 11:03 AM
I think part of the problem is that you're quoting individual statements without full context.
Please answer my question or don't respond, thank-you.

Pompey Bum
09-09-2016, 11:07 AM
Please answer my question or don't respond, thank-you.

And is "thank-you" something that you write "a-lot"?

El Entenado
09-09-2016, 01:11 PM
In the first sentence, even does not show any surprise. It means that before the drop in power, Gohan couldn't defeat Buu even with help from other people, but after the drop, Gohan can beat Buu on his own, which is just implying the drop of power has been big.

Also, "you're quoting individual statements without full context", and I find that a very good answer to your question. If I was a professor and someone were to give me that sentence as an answer to this question, I would give them full credit.