I'm American and understood what the word "trifles" meant perfectly. Just because you are English does not mean you have more of a grasp on the language. Your entire post sounds very elitist to me. Britain and America's English quite obviously possess many differences, but that doesn't make one or the other correct.

She's had a lot of fan appreciation songs. XDDD

i think a degree of artistic liberties have to be taken when translating these lyrics (and any other lyrics from japanese to english). certain nuances aren't always captured in the translations, and certain words that can translate to mean something in a general sense lose the sort of artistic meaning that they might have in the original language. the choice of words that ayu uses when she writes her songs may be very different from the choices we decide to impose on them in a translation.


so the question becomes, do we make it sound natural in the translated language? or do we try to preserve the original words?

good for you...didn't understand my point very well though did you. and I never said anything about american english. When I listed four reasons why my advice on english was good and worth paying attention to, the fact that I said " I am English" did not imply in anyway that english people are the best at english, but it illustrates the fact that I am a native speaker.

My whole point was that there had been quite a few non native english speakers commenting and making suggestions that I am afraid to say I disagreed with, so I put in my own 2 cents. If you're a native speaker and well read and well educated and good at english then cool, I'd like to see your own input. but the point still remains, give those who truly know english a bit of extra weight when discussing english phrases/meanings/usage etc.

I hate to see ayu's songs "dumbed down", or made less artistic and poetic than they actually are.

hope you understand my point about not dissing on american/canadian/australian/irish/south african/new zealand english though. it's all good to me.

Well then, I misunderstood the implications of your post. I took it as, like you said, the fact that you are English meaning that your grasp on the language was somehow on a level above other native speakers of the language (such as when you said mentioned those who speak English well, then said "namely, english people"). I agree that those who speak English as their first language should have more say in the translation, since many members of the board are not native speakers. Glad that misunderstanding was cleared up.

I agree about the "we unlinked hands" part, but "trifles" I have seen that word maybe twice in my entire life. I live in America by the way. But, as usual in many lyrics, they don't always use common, baby words. Usually more poetic words are put forth.

1. I'm not a native speaker of English at all and don't know the nuance of each word well. One thing I can say is that "sasai na koto" is used commonly in Japanese conversation. So I think it's desirable that the English word equivalent of "sasai na koto" should also be used commonly.

2.>"we unlinked hands and walked", implies a seperation and then going on alone
>"we walked without holding hands", implies that they walked without holding hands....nothing more

If so, I think the latter phrase is better. Because the original Japanese sentence does NOT imply seperation. "Te o hanashite futari wa aruita" shows just a common, dairy scene. Besides, it's common that late teen girls in Japan walk without holding hands.

@bodingo: me too :)

@jonneh: yeah, lyrics are allowed, even supposed, to be a bit poetical, so rarer, more special words are commonplace in lyrics...

@ masa: if the japanese words are simply describing people walking without holding hands, then perhaps sticking to that is best. however, since she already metioned that they walked holding hands as well, the seperation (or difference) is implied anyway...so it doesn't matter that much either way. similar result...

so I'd hope you stick with what ever is closest to the original sentence...

thanks for hearing me out!

I love these lyrics. ='(

Touching and moving! Thank you very much!