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sid_guardian2019-10-21 09:55 pm
sakana17) wrote in sid_guardian2019-10-21 09:55 pm
Entry tags:
Minor episode 6 thought
When we (re)watched episode 6 this weekend, we got to the scene where there is a translator's note:
Weiwei's father used to mumble: "山河永镇，天南一方"
Translated as: "To guard mountains and rivers forever, look to the north."
Translator's note: "Nobody knows what the '天南一方' line is supposed to mean, even Chinese fans. They recommend not taking it too seriously. >_>"
[source: 2019.09.18 subtitles file, QC bysolo]
What caught my eye this time was the 南 (south) character. We discussed this and wondered if it could mean something like, "to guard the mountains and rivers forever [=the Mountain-River Awl], face the south." The idea is that with the Awl north of Dragon City, someone guarding it would face south, to watch for threats that come from the south. In real life, you'd want guards all around, but I can buy that Dragon City and/or the portals to Dixing (which are in/near Dragon City) were perceived as the biggest threats to anyone guarding the Awl.
In terms of telling where the Awl is, it's the same as the translation "look to the north," just less direct. Then I wondered if the translator's note still applies, or was left in the file from before the translation was refined. (It was translated differently when I watched this ep the first time.)
Weiwei's father used to mumble: "山河永镇，天南一方"
Translated as: "To guard mountains and rivers forever, look to the north."
Translator's note: "Nobody knows what the '天南一方' line is supposed to mean, even Chinese fans. They recommend not taking it too seriously. >_>"
[source: 2019.09.18 subtitles file, QC by
solo]What caught my eye this time was the 南 (south) character. We discussed this and wondered if it could mean something like, "to guard the mountains and rivers forever [=the Mountain-River Awl], face the south." The idea is that with the Awl north of Dragon City, someone guarding it would face south, to watch for threats that come from the south. In real life, you'd want guards all around, but I can buy that Dragon City and/or the portals to Dixing (which are in/near Dragon City) were perceived as the biggest threats to anyone guarding the Awl.
In terms of telling where the Awl is, it's the same as the translation "look to the north," just less direct. Then I wondered if the translator's note still applies, or was left in the file from before the translation was refined. (It was translated differently when I watched this ep the first time.)