クロトリ getting the literal “Blackbird” treatment is a good example of how impossible direct localization is. It’s why I appreciate–and support–injecting similar vibes elsewhere in scripts that may not have literal connections to the original Japanese. I think Woolsey got there in this particular case with Flea, Slash, and Ozzie. Not so much with the gurus.
I think, though, the answer to “why did we end up with this Woolsey-ism?” is no more complicated than him sitting bleary-eyed with a spreadsheet at 2am because of insanely short deadlines, and getting zero feedback. I’ve always figured that’s how we ended up with phoenix down.
Yeah, I suspect when it first appeared it was a short form of 尾羽. I’m not sure the exact kana limits they had, but I could see the extra two in おばね being too far.
クロトリ getting the literal “Blackbird” treatment is a good example of how impossible direct localization is. It’s why I appreciate–and support–injecting similar vibes elsewhere in scripts that may not have literal connections to the original Japanese. I think Woolsey got there in this particular case with Flea, Slash, and Ozzie. Not so much with the gurus.
I think, though, the answer to “why did we end up with this Woolsey-ism?” is no more complicated than him sitting bleary-eyed with a spreadsheet at 2am because of insanely short deadlines, and getting zero feedback. I’ve always figured that’s how we ended up with phoenix down.
What’s a better translation for Phoenix Down? And what’s a direct translation of the original name?
It’s フェニックスの尾. Technically, it’s the “tail” of a phoenix, but it’s clearly depicted as the “tail feather”.
Yeah, I suspect when it first appeared it was a short form of 尾羽. I’m not sure the exact kana limits they had, but I could see the extra two in おばね being too far.
I was in my 30s when I realized phoenix down was, like, the down feathers from a phoenix. Like goose down. And not “PHOENIX DOWN!”
I see why that would be confusing 😂. The German translation has always been Phönixfeder, which translates to Phoenix Feather.
Which results in a WTF moment when you start playing the games in English
I understood from context that down in this case means Daune, not runter :D
https://youtu.be/JS6CXgloFUg
Phoenix Quill? Down feathers are the small, soft feathers close to a bird’s body. The long flight feathers are called quills.