User blog comment:Kirimisakana/Translator's tips: how to say, "生存戦略しましょうか"/@comment-4142570-20111025233157

Most people only go word por word, sadly if they don't like, watch, or listen to the song, anime or whatever the case.

In my case, I read 生存戦略しましょうか when it comes to my head as the FF;

"Let's Start this Survival Planning"

It partly does not make sense, so I have to re-word it in english while keeping the meaning intact. Before I do that though, I have to see the reaction, emotion, action feeling etc. and use common words to make it sound sensible to an english user.

Depending on the demoghraphic I am aiming for, if my watchers are say, Non-Japanese and know nothing of the language, lifestyle what so ever i retranslate it as:

"Time to Have our Survuval Strategy!"

It might sound wrong, but knowng some people confuse Let's with the same effect as Now, it makes sense, of course, this will end up wrong to another person's educated experience.

If I my demographic is the usual"straight-forward person" or a person who knows a bit of Japanese and anime and music or j-POP etc., I'd say it as:

Begin Survival Strategy!

Most people word it according to the actions of the characters themselves, including emotions, so I translate it that way to make those fans understand it without thinking too much.

Of course, translations of Japanese Idiomatic expressions differ.

One idiomatic expression I love is: Even a Pig can fly if given wings.

Which means anything can happen if given the key item, term or action to help that action become a possibility.

I could compare that to the american idiomatic expression as: Anything is Possible if you persist.

Anything can be done if you continue doing it,.

How it sounds related is the american one is persistence. Continuing doing something worthwhile slowly gives you either 2 things: a Roundabout way to solve your goal, completing it in a different way while coming closer to the goal, or as time pass by you are given something to help complete your goal.

Sorry for the long post. Hope It was a good read for you, or am I mistaken in some places, do point out.