Language/Mandarin-chinese/Culture/Translations-of-Skyrim
This is a comparison of different versions of the Chinese translations of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. You can learn about the art of translation from it.
Background
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a 2011 role playing game. It is about an adventure on the fictional Skyrim region of Tamriel continent, on the planet Nirn of the realm Mundus. It is widely praised for its designs.
During that time, Chinese versions are usually absent in games because the Greater China was not considered as a profitable market, and software piracy was seen as Prometheus' deed. Fan translation teams had been active on the stage of history for some years. Some of them received great appreciation, an example of which is 左贤王汉化组, which translated some games in Total War series, Anno series and other games with pre-modern settings.
Apparently, it is in the gray area of copyright law. They modify the game content, usually without the consent of the copyright holder. It is hard for the copyright holder to sue them because they are not selling the game in this region, so they can hardly say that the copyright violation is unfair and causing damage. In the case of Bethesda, it considers the mods as its own property in its terms of service.
There is a classical mistranslation of the title The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind: 老头滾动条3.
There are four major versions, sorted by the creation date:
- 蒹葭汉化 https://dl.3dmgame.com/patch/33410.html (no Special Edition versions and known for its numerous errors)
- 大學漢化 https://forum.gamer.com.tw/C.php?bsn=2526&snA=43636
- ANK汉化 https://www.cr173.com/soft/1401310.html
- 汤镬汉化 https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/10845
The official version is based off 大學漢化. It is less preferred because it doesn't support updated versions of the game. There is a term 正版受害者 to describe users in this situation.
In progress.
Main
Holds
| 大学 | ANK | 汤镬 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastmarch | 东陲领 | 东陲领 | 东陲领 |
| Falkreath | 佛克瑞斯领 | 佛克瑞斯领 | 佛克瑞斯领 |
| Hjaalmarch | 雅尔陲领 | 希雅陲领 | 希雅陲领 |
| Haafingar | 海芬加领 | 海芬加领 | 海芬加领 |
| The Pale | 苍原领 | 苍原领 | 苍原领 |
| The Reach | 边峪领 | 边塞领 | 河湾地 |
| The Rift | 裂痕领 | 裂痕领 | 裂痕领 |
| Winterhold | 冬驻领 | 冬堡领 | 冬堡领 |
| Whiterun | 白漫领 | 白漫领 | 白漫领 |
"雅尔陲领" omitted the "H", which is not omitted and is pronounced as /ç/ in Nordic languages in that case.
"The Reach" means an extension of land or water and tends to mean water. Here it means water. "河湾地" comes from the place with the same name in A Song of Ice and Fire and is more accurate than "边峪领" and "边塞领".
"Winterhold" means the hold (division in Skyrim) of winter. 冬驻领 takes "hold" as "stay" and means "the place where winter stays"; "冬堡领" takes "hold" as "stronghold". The Old English "hold" correspondent "healdan" means to watch over and doesn't have the meaning of "to stay", and there is a stronghold in Winterhold, so "冬堡领" makes more sense.
Cities
| 大学 | ANK | 汤镬 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dawnstar | 晨星城 | 晨星 | 晨星 |
| Falkreath | 佛克瑞斯城 | 佛克瑞斯 | 佛克瑞斯 |
| Markarth | 马卡斯城 | 马卡斯城 | 马卡斯城 |
| Morthal | 墨索尔城 | 墨索尔 | 墨索尔 |
| Raven Rock | 乌石镇 | 鸦石镇 | 乌石镇 |
| Riften | 裂谷城 | 裂谷城 | 裂谷城 |
| Solitude | 独孤城 | 独孤城 | 独孤城 |
| Windhelm | 风舵城 | 风舵城 | 风舵城 |
| Winterhold | 冬驻城 | 冬堡 | 冬堡 |
| Whiterun | 白漫城 | 白漫城 | 白漫城 |
"Raven Rock" means the rock in raven colour, instead of the rock where ravens stay. So "乌石镇" is more accurate than "鸦石镇".
Towns
| 大学 | ANK | 汤镬 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dragon Bridge | 龙桥镇 | 龙桥镇 | 龙桥镇 |
| Helgen | 海尔根 | 圣地镇 | 横艮镇 |
| Ivarstead | 紫杉镇 | 紫杉镇 | 古杉镇 |
| Karthwasten | 西卡斯镇 | 西卡斯镇 | 西卡斯镇 |
| Riverwood | 河木镇 | 河木镇 | 河木镇 |
| Rorikstead | 洛利克镇 | 洛利克镇 | 洛利克镇 |
| Shor's Stone | 朔尔之石 | 朔尔之石 | 朔尔之石 |
| Skaal Village | 斯卡尔村 | 斯卡尔村 | 斯卡尔村 |
Races
| 大学 | ANK | 汤镬 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argonian | 阿尔贡人 | 亚龙人 | 阿尔贡人 |
| Breton | 布莱顿人 | 布莱顿人 | 布莱顿人 |
| Dark Elf | 暗精灵 | 暗精灵 | 暗精灵 |
| High Elf | 高精灵 | 高精灵 | 高精灵 |
| Imperial | 帝国人 | 帝国人 | 帝国人 |
| Khajiit | 凯季特猫人 | 虎人 | 凯季特人 |
| Nord | 诺德人 | 诺德人 | 诺德人 |
| Orc | 兽人 | 兽人 | 兽人 |
| Red Guard | 红卫人 | 红卫人 | 红卫人 |
| Wood Elf | 木精灵 | 木精灵 | 木精灵 |
Lyrics
| 大学 | ANK | 汤镬 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| There once was a hero named Ragnar the Red, who came riding to Whiterun from ole Rorikstead!
And the braggart did swagger and brandish his blade, as he told of bold battles and gold he had made! But then he went quiet, did Ragnar the Red, when he met the shieldmaiden Matilda who said... "Oh, you talk and you lie and you drink all our mead! Now I think it's high time that you lie down and bleed!" And so then came the clashing and slashing of steel, as the brave lass Matilda charged in full of zeal! And the braggart named Ragnar was boastful no moooooree... when his ugly red head rolled around on the floor! |
从前有个英雄，名叫红衣拉格纳，他从洛利克来，骑着马去白漫！
大话精吹嘘他身经百战，炫耀着金币还有他的剑！ 后来红衣拉格纳变哑巴，全因盾牌女孩玛提尔达，她说…… “噢、你不停吹牛还喝光我们的酒！现在我要你血流满地！” 刀剑碰撞叮当响，勇敢女孩玛提尔达战意高！ 吹牛大王拉格纳无法再嚣张……因为他丑陋的红色头颅已落地！ |
从前有个英雄，名叫红色拉格纳，骑马从老洛利克镇来，到白漫城去。
不断吹牛他身经百战，炫耀着金币还有他的剑。 但之后红色拉格纳安静了，因为他遇到盾牌少女玛提尔达，她说…… “噢，你不停地吹牛皮还喝光了我们的酒！现在该把你拖出去喂狗！” 随后一阵叮叮当当，勇敢的女孩玛提尔达战意高涨！ 然后牛皮拉格纳不能再自夸……他的红脑袋摔成了一堆渣！ |
从前有个英雄，名叫红色拉格纳，他从洛利克来，骑着马去白漫！
大话精吹嘘他身经百战，炫耀着金币还有他的剑！ 但之后红色拉格纳安静了，因为他遇到盾牌少女玛提尔达，她说…… “噢、你不停吹牛还喝光我们的酒！现在我要你血流满地！” 刀剑碰撞叮当响，勇敢女孩玛蒂尔达战意高！ 吹牛大王拉格纳无法再嚣张……因为他丑陋的红色头颅已落地！ |
"红衣拉格纳" takes the "red" in "Ragnar the Red" as "red clothing". It should the red hair according to the lyrics. "红色拉格纳" is unclear on what "red" means. A better name is "红毛拉格纳", which corresponds to the Chinese derogatory term of Dutch people "红毛鬼".
"变哑巴" is more humorous than "安静了"; "安静了" can mislead the listener's imagination into Ragnar falling in love and make the ending more unexpected.
"盾牌女孩" is too colloquial.
"拖出去喂狗", "红脑袋摔成了一堆渣" rhyme more and are overexaggerating and changed the original meanings, depicting Matilda as ruthless and brutal.
"嚣张" is more more aggressive than "自夸", which implies that Ragnar is threatening the people and is less accurate to the original lyrics.