Use of the Chinese Language in anime?

[AU_Gundam MK II]

First of all, a certain amount of anime have used the Chinese language. However, I have heard from certain sources that there are some errors in the usage of said language.

An example would be Syaoran of Card Captor Sakura. An interesting note should be that while the Japanese language lacks L in its alphabet, Chinese lacks R, so that could not possibly be the correct spelling. One sight has connoted the correct Chinese spelling to be Shao-Lang, which translates to something with wolf, I think Little Wolf. The reason would most likely come from the fact that since the Japanese pronounce his name as Syaoran, then that would be the accepted name for the dubs.

This makes me bring up this question. Is Altron supposed to be chinese for Double Dragon?

[toysdream]

This makes me bring up this question. Is Altron supposed to be chinese for Double Dragon?

It comes from erto-long, which means "two-headed dragon." In many cases, the Japanese publications will mention the Chinese characters on which the name is based, so you can reconstruct the (Mandarin) Chinese pronunciation even if it's been mangled in translation.

-- Mark

[AU_Gundam MK II]

So, if we say it in Chinese, Elto-Long?

[Zerosystem]

Where did you get that the Chinese language lacks an 'r' sound?

'Erto-long' is exactly as it sounds, at least in Mandarin, which is the standard (the pinyin system) for how Chinese characters should sound, if they were to phonetically spelled out in english text.

[AU_Gundam MK II]

My parents had said that if a Chinese was going to say "Fried Rice" and not translate it to Chinese, they said he would say "Flied Lice" instead.

[AmuroNT1]

Even though I only took a semester of Chinese, I can tell you that the language has R sounds. The "flied lice" thing is just a general Asian stereotype playing off the Japanese language not distinguishing between the R and L sounds.

Speaking of, I asked my Chinese teacher to translate Wu Fei's name. He said it came out as nonsense ("Five Flying Sheets"), but noted that "Zhang" and "Wu Fei" are both very common names in China. It's also worth noting that he's named for Zhang Fei from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, according to the Series Bibles (there's an interview where the spell out the exact name origin of the primary cast).

[AU_Gundam MK II]

I'll have to keep all this in mind. Been a while since I took Chinese.

On another note, a source sighted Wu Fei's name meaning 5 in Chinese.

[AmuroNT1]

Wu Fei's name is pretty much Zhang Fei's name with the Chinese word for five tacked on to keep with the numerical trend.

[quasadra]

since im a chinese, i may be able to help here.

1. chinese do have "R" sound. for example "ran hou" is how you say "later".
2. syaoran means literally as "little wolf" which pronounce as "xiao lang".
3. i dont know where Altron comes from, but twin/double dragon is pronounce as "shuang long". and you guys got "erto long" right.
4. wu fei means "five fly" literally .

[lobster]

Mandarin has both R and L.

In case of Cantonese, there is L but no R.

[Zerosystem]

3. i dont know where Altron comes from, but twin/double dragon is pronounce as "shuang long". and you guys got "erto long" right.
4. wu fei means "five fly" literary .

I also happen to be Chinese, but Cantonese.

I think Altron came along as a suitable replacement for the name 'Alto-Long', Because 'Alto-long' sounds a bit cumbersome and awkward, and is pointless to the North American/Caucasian audience, because they wouldn't really understand the significance.

Altron sounds a bit easier, and the '-tron' ending would make you automatically assume a machine of some sort, anyway.

Also, for the Wufei translation, fly would be the verb, not the noun.

[toysdream]

I think Altron came along as a suitable replacement for the name 'Alto-Long', Because 'Alto-long' sounds a bit cumbersome and awkward, and is pointless to the North American/Caucasian audience, because they wouldn't really understand the significance.

Altron sounds a bit easier, and the '-tron' ending would make you automatically assume a machine of some sort, anyway.

On the other hand, they already used the "-long" ending for the Shenlong Gundam, so the spelling of the Altron Gundam is rather inconsistent. Ah well.

-- Mark

[quasadra]

[Also, for the Wufei translation, fly would be the verb, not the noun.

i was just taking the whole thing literally, its just a bad joke.

[teslashark]

First of all, a certain amount of anime have used the Chinese language. However, I have heard from certain sources that there are some errors in the usage of said language.

An example would be Syaoran of Card Captor Sakura. An interesting note should be that while the Japanese language lacks L in its alphabet, Chinese lacks R, so that could not possibly be the correct spelling. One sight has connoted the correct Chinese spelling to be Shao-Lang, which translates to something with wolf, I think Little Wolf. The reason would most likely come from the fact that since the Japanese pronounce his name as Syaoran, then that would be the accepted name for the dubs.

This makes me bring up this question. Is Altron supposed to be chinese for Double Dragon?

surely not it isn't chinese! and it‘s xiaolang, hard to pronounce in english

you can ask me,I am chinese.

EDIT: Don't double-post, please.

~ShadowCell

[teslashark]

My parents had said that if a Chinese was going to say "Fried Rice" and not translate it to Chinese, they said he would say "Flied Lice" instead.

No, that's a rumor. The Canadians made it up as a dirty joke. As a matter of fact, some Japanese people pronounce like that.

[ShadowCell]

Dude, I said don't double-post. D:

[teslashark]

Dude, I said don't double-post. D:

sorry, seems i have a problem with my mouse i clicked only once, how come it came out twice

[ShadowCell]

I meant you can edit your post if you want to add more to it, instead of making a new post. But whatever. Back to the topic.