Misc To translate or not to translate? - That is the question.

[JuanMena]

Do you like your games translated in your native language?

I personally hate games with Spanish translations because they're not even using the right Spanish to begin with.
Spanish translated games totally ruins the experience for me.

Although, playing Ocarina of Time and Star Fox 64 in French, helped me to learn that language a lot better!

 

[hippy dave]

Yes, because my native language is English and I don't speak Japanese.

 

[KleinesSinchen]

Having learned only English as a second language, I can only ask myself that question when the source material is English (which I guess is often true, even for Japanese games, if translations to different languages are based on the English localization).

Do I want to have English translated? It really depends on the quality of the translation. That is true not only for games, but for movies as well.

When hearing/reading bad translations from English, I find myself sometimes forced to translate what is said word-by-word back to English… in order to guess the meaning is. What is the point when I have to concentrate MORE hearing/reading German? That is just stressful and adds complexity on potential loss of information.

Spoiler

An example for mediocre – or better say: for very unstable – quality translation are The Simpsons and Futurama. When they make silicone out of silicon while talking about hypothetical life not based on carbon, but on element "14 Si", this is the point where I want to ask the translators to give back their salary. Similar when literally translating names – for example the famous chess computer "Deep Blue". That is a name. That must not be translated!

Sometimes translations can add some value. Link's Awakening for example. The guy responsible for the text placed some jokes in there (Nintendo wasn't happy with that and removed it from the DX version). A TV series that I would not want to hear the original is The Persuaders!

 

[YuukiNandesyouka]

I learnt japanese as my third language, and I almost only play Japanese games, so it's not a very big problem to me.
I hate English translation of Japanese game though, it's basically gave up all the subtle expressions of emotion, and replaced it with the English arrogant that I don't even want to know about. And that's why I forced myself to learn Japanese instead of playing English version of Japanese games.