OT: Need help with translation.

Neville · February 24, 2007, 07:32:59 AM

OK, this is very OT. Now and then I do fan translations for a number of websites, and recently I did one of a western movie called "The Killing Box" (actually, its Director's Cut, called "Grey Night"). Anyway, the job is 99% done, but I'm stuck with some random lines of dialogue, and I would greatly appreciate if anybody could transcript them for me.

Those interested can send me a PM, and I will give them further instructions.

Thank you for your cooperation.

peter johnson · February 27, 2007, 12:41:03 AM

I can flub my way through High School German -- actually quite chatty in a Kneiper mit Bier --, but to do an accurate film translation from another language -- how awesome!
I used to be able to say "No sugar!!" in 13 different Indian launguages, but today only remember 2 --
Was once chatty in Nepali and Konkoni -- no more . . .
If you don't use it -- a foreign language -- you do lose it . . .
peter huh??/denny what did you say?

Neville · February 27, 2007, 05:20:16 AM

In my case, I have an English degree, but my job has shifted from doing translations to assistant to an accountant, so I have zero oportunities to use English in my job. It was one of the reasons that made me start posting on English speaking boards, I didn't want to get rusty. It has worked to a certain extent, my English is getting more colloquial.

Still looking for volunteers, c'on, don't be shy. All you have to do is listen to some MP3 and transcript the dialogue.

peter johnson · February 28, 2007, 01:40:51 AM

You'll think me odd, Neville, but I still don't understand what it is you're asking for.
What is an PM?
Can I hear an MP3 if I don't have Ipod download capability?
What do you mean "transcribe"? Do you mean just listen to someone speaking English & then write down what you hear? I could do that --
peter ancient/denny luddite

Neville · February 28, 2007, 05:30:43 AM

A PM is a private message. That's the way I expected to give the details to those interested.

So far I've translated about 99% of the film, but there are some difficult passages. Rather than make you see the movie, I think sending the MP3 of those bits to the volunteers would be easier.

An MP3 is a sound file. Depending on your Windows version the Windows Media Player should be enough to pley them, if not WinAmp should do it.

And finally yes, all I need is somebody to write down the dialogue, I'll do the tranalstion later.

peter johnson · March 01, 2007, 02:43:46 AM

Sure thing --
I just sent you a private message --
What country are you from/what's your original language? With a name like "Neville", I'd have thought you British.
peter johnson/denny crane

Neville · March 01, 2007, 04:11:03 AM

Are you volunteering then? Can't see the option to read my PMs (

). Anyway, I planned to extract the MP3s today or tomorrow, once I'm done I can upload them to some free hosting website and I'll leave the address here.

Answering your question, I'm Spanish. I chose the nick "Neville" because I was reading Richard Matheson's "I am legend" at the time I started posting. Mistaking me for British is quite flattering.

peter johnson · March 01, 2007, 02:45:50 PM

If I can get whatever you send me to play, I'll listen & tell you what I hear --
peter j.denny c.

Neville · March 01, 2007, 03:48:33 PM

Thank you. I'll see if I can extract those MP3 in the next days.

Neville · March 01, 2007, 05:56:56 PM

Alright, here we go:

http://www.savefile.com/files/526723

There are 7 MP3 with bits of dialogue.

The bulk of the work is on #6 and #7. Both are quite lenghy conversations, but I'm missing pieces of dialogue here and there, so I couldn't reduce their size. Take your time, and thank you in advance for your help.

Yaddo 42 · March 02, 2007, 06:17:39 AM

Neville, I sent you a PM about this. I'm offering my assistance as well, if I can get them to play. After the week I've had I could do with working on something constructive.

Neville · March 09, 2007, 06:21:15 AM

Any progress yet?

Yaddo 42 · March 09, 2007, 08:04:33 AM

Neville, I followed the link and clicked on "download", all it would do was refresh the same page. Looked for help and read the FAQ page, mostly info for uploading.

Do you have to register to download? Maybe just an issue with my computer or AOL. AOL used to hate files that had to be unzipped, IIRC. Not sure about now. Besides technology and machinery seems to hate me the past two weeks or so.

I'm willing to keep trying, but no promises if I can't get anything to download in the first place.

Fingers crossed, and I'll check back to let you know.

Neville · March 09, 2007, 08:45:11 AM

The link works fine for me. There's just one minor issue, and it's that if you use Internet Explorer a warning appears at the top of the page and you have to click on it to download.

The file is a ZIP, BTW, Windows XP can handle it, but you'd better WinZip or WinRAR if you don't have it yet.