Weeby inflections in writing

[TotallyHuman]

I don't know why, but despite totally being chill with the weeby inflections in translated novels (things like - san, - sama, etc), I can't stand them in not originally Japanese ones.
How do you feel about them?

 

[BlackKnightX]

Totally cool with it. I don’t care who wrote them, if I like the story, then there’s no problem at all.

 

[Lloyd]

It's a good way to make yourself look like a massive sperg. Even more so if you give your characters Japanese names.

 

[killwrites]

I don't mind it, but I find it redundant outside of characters' dialogues and formal introductions.

 

[dvelasquez]

I don't quite understand the reason to put -san, -sama, -chan, etc, in a setting that doesn't happen in Japan. I mean, I understand if the setting is Japanese, just like using "oppa" or "hyung" in a Korean setting. But outside of it? Unless you explain that your world somehow has the same etiquette rules than Japan, it's just a bothersome way to write, at least in my opinion. If ye like yer weeb stuff, ye can put yer weeb stuff.

 

[bananapink]

Is the character Japanese? If not then, NO. I can't. It feels off somehow.

 

[Cipiteca396]

When you said inflections, I thought you were going for a more subtle type of thing, like using English translations of Japanese phrases.

Honorifics are... probably only good as satire. And even then, it hurts to read. There are so many English titles and honorifics you can use instead, so if you're writing in English, use English. If you're writing in Japanese though, go right ahead.

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

Is the setting and language that of Japan/something similar? If not then it's just straight up awkward. This even applies if you're translating something from Japanese literature. Imagine being in some sort of grimdark medieval European setting and they call the villain lich-sama or something, breaks immersion.

It can also work if the character/narrator is a weeb and intentionally adds it to their speech, I know there's one novel that did that.

 

[Akivien]

Watashi wa tsuntsun desu, o chinchin datebayo! Haaaaaaaaaaaa fighttooooooo

 

[LordJoyde]

If you're writing an Isekai that's in a 'traditional' medieval European setting, then using -san, -sama, -kun etc with any character at all is just bruh levels of cringe. And if they're being used since everyone in this fantasy Europe is descendent from Japanese heroes, also why do they all use the word 'Braves' instead?!; then why aren't they also using Japanese architecture.

But I gotta say, the thing that irritates me the most is when an Isekai hero's primary goal isn't to defeat some great evil but introduce superior Japanese culture into this barbarian land of Europe lol. Hey, let me tell you the secrets of sake, folding metal and hot springs lol!

Never mind that Europeans preferred wine, a simple longsword will always wreck any katana and Finland existing in general.

 

[MR.DANTE]

I totally agree, using the onorifica is anoying to read, Im not a fan even in japanese originals but they might write it like that and the translator deciding to maintain it has a reason but having them in non japanese series just don't fit

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

If you're writing an Isekai that's in a 'traditional' medieval European setting, then using -san, -sama, -kun etc with any character at all is just bruh levels of cringe. And if they're being used since everyone in this fantasy Europe is descendent from Japanese heroes, also why do they all use the word 'Braves' instead?!; then why aren't they also using Japanese architecture.

But I gotta say, the thing that irritates me the most is when an Isekai hero's primary goal isn't to defeat some great evil but introduce superior Japanese culture into this barbarian land of Europe lol. Hey, let me tell you the secrets of sake, folding metal and hot springs lol!

Never mind that Europeans preferred wine, a simple longsword will always wreck any katana and Finland existing in general.

The priority of any Isekai protagonist aside from their harem is always R I C E.

Ok, about the last part if you have magic metal just cast it into the shape of a katana, would be as good as any magic sword. The quality of the metal comes first, art is second. Well, that's before you factor in LitRPG bullshit.

 

[tounokenja]

If you are writing in the style of a japanese light novel, with a japanese protagonist, then it's fine even if the author is western. Actually, I'd be more pissed if I had to read shit like 'Elder sister' over Onee-chan. Much like Korea, Japanese honorifics are necessary to the immersion, and as someone who translated light novels, I simply find the sheer lack of proper honorifics in English to be unsuitable most of the time.

Conveying the subtle nuance of honorifics like -sama and -chan, being able to understand why it's important that gender-neutral words like yatsu to refer to someone instead of He/She/Taco allows for misunderstandings to properly occur, as that is a huge thing in japanese culture, especially when you can omit topics and lead to problems when eavesdropping on something you don't know the entirety of.

Also, you simply can't translate the nuance of atashi/boku/ore with ease into English without destroying countless setups, especially when being used by an opposing gender. Just go look at google translate when trying to read ahead. How many females get labled as 'Mr.' because of -san just being the arbitrary blanket translation?

Do you wanna read about Mr. Anna?

Well knowing the people here, and their love for gender bender, probably so.

As for matters of other cultures in Isekai conversing in japanese with honorifics despite it not being cultural for them... isn't most of the time there some magic in play that allows the main character to communicate with them? I can only imagine that god's version of live google-translate is a hell of a lot better than what's available with the technology we have now.

I don't say any of this lightly or without weight. I have about 34 years of experience in japanese with a JLPT2 cert, and a minor in English which I obtained without even needing to bring out the tentacles in order to seduce my professor to back this up.

But just as there are weebs who want that immersion, there are of course English speaking/reading purists who are the same people that will never do a single risky or adventurous thing in their whole life and somehow find their sterile world to be acceptable, and that's just how it is.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

I don't know why, but despite totally being chill with the weeby inflections in translated novels (things like - san, - sama, etc), I can't stand them in not originally Japanese ones.
How do you feel about them?

i mean, im fine if its in the setting itself. But for example, if the person is transported to a fantasy world and that fantasy world is also using japanes words, then that's just weird. Like yeah, with anime its dubbed in Japanese but you don't have to have them say "san". The word "Onii" is fine, because that's just the word for brother and its dubbed in Japanese. But don't add the honorifics, that's just kinda dumb. Because how would they have these specific honorifics? Its almost never the case that Japanese people from earth came to that world years prior and spread the culture. Im okay if the main character, who is from Japan, were to use the honorifics, but that's about it. And i'd like the fact they use the honorifics pointed out, too. LIke, "what's this "Kun" word you keep saying? It's weird." Just to let everyone be aware of the fact its a different world and they find his or her way of speaking odd

Anyeay, as for non-asian writers writing stories set in japan, I'm fine with that. Cuz then it makes sense. I mean even I'm writing a story set in japan, with a Japanese MC.

And to be entirely honest, you'd probably never notice the difference between mine and a real Japanese written story other than the fact that mine is simply written better.

And no, that's not a flex and i don't feel any ego boost or arrogance. The fact of the matter is that its mainly a difference in style. A lot of japanese stories are much more dialogue heavy and more bare bones description-wise. I always point this out. Me, my stories aren't like that. I do provide a certain level of quality, and i believe that the format used by Western writers is a lot better in many aspects. Which is why i tend to write my stories with their writing styles in mind.

So other than that, my story being more filled out in terms of inner monologue and descriptive writing, i doubt anyone who didn't already know before hand would notice that its not something translated from Japanese.

 

[TotallyHuman]

Do you wanna read about Mr. Anna?

Well, actually *raises finger in preparation to speak*

Well knowing the people here, and their love for gender bender, probably so.

Ah, yeah *lowers finger dejectedly*

 

[HokuouTenrou]

Only in JP setting or when used by a JP character. I use it as some sort of 'marker', or so.

 

[SailusGebel]

Same as you. I don't like them in not originally Japanese ones. And even when I read an original Japanese novel, if the setting doesn't fit this, I would dislike it.

 

[AKnightWithaKnife]

I like how anime has brainwashed the masses that the katana was the most superior sword yet in actually it was never used in combat

 

[LordJoyde]

The priority of any Isekai protagonist aside from their harem is always R I C E.

Ok, about the last part if you have magic metal just cast it into the shape of a katana, would be as good as any magic sword. The quality of the metal comes first, art is second. Well, that's before you factor in LitRPG bullshit.

The quality of the metal may come first when the difference between one and the other is astronomical, but take for example how protagonists often use it for blocking, right? They put it above their heads and use both arms to defend... I don't think I need to tell you how holding onto two pieces of a stick and then slamming it in the middle with another stick might cause it to shatter, that's just basic physics.

The katana is a purely offensive weapon. It does have the potential to deal a very, very generous amount of damage to both armored and unarmored opponents, but the whole shtick about its superiority to literally any other weapon is both ridiculous and laughable.

Hell, even a pirate saber is more viable lmao.

I like how anime has brainwashed the masses that the katana was the most superior sword yet in actually it was never used in combat

rule of cool, my man

Even though, personally, a claymore is always cooler than the majority of other melee weapons imo