Semester Project Help ^_^

[gallowsCalibrator]

Hi guys! I'm doing a semester project for my English class, and I chose Ayu as my topic. What we have to do is find literary devices in either movies, song lyrics, etc. Obviously mine is song lyrics, but I have a glaring problem; her lyrics are in Japanese, and I'm in an English class. I chose to try and find them in the translations of her songs, but I really don't know which translations to trust, and which are the closest to the actual Japanese lyrics.

It would be a huuuuge help if someone could point me to 15 songs that fit at least one of these devices (each can only be used once):
alliteration, consonance, assonance, onomatopoeia, smilie, metaphor, extended metaphor, personification, hyperbole, understatement, allusion, oxymoron, ambiguity, symbol, pun, apostrophe, paradox, theme (direct only), verbal irony, situational irony, dramatic irony, or foreshadowing. (I copied these directly from the rubric ^_^)

When you tell me the song names, please DO NOT TELL ME WHICH SONGS MATCH UP WITH WHICH LITERARY DEVICE. I do not want to cheat; I'm just looking for literal, reliable translations of the songs. When I read the lyrics, I can figure it out for myself ^_~

Any help would be greatly appreciated; I know this is a lot to ask, but I could really use some help~!

[primavera♥]

ill find more later....but heres a start....english teachers obsess over this. although its much easier to find in novels and novellas... good luck. need any help...ask me

when i give u these take note that its probably just a couple lines in the song im actually referring too. and some have just incredibly themes to choose from


stuff like foreshadowing and irony would be easier to find in ayus pvs i think
please tell me what u find in M. i didnt even read the lyrics but theres one thing in specific u should find.

Spoiler:

M

"Maria" There is someone I should love;
every person who has ever been hurt...

As I look around,
everyone busily
hurries on by.

I noticed that this year, too,
the signs of winter have
come very soon.

Again, somewhere in this city today
two people will meet and fall in love;
the curtains are violently opened.

Even so, everything eventually,
someday, has an end.

Again, somewhere in this city today
two people split apart;
the curtains are quitely dropped.

"Maria" There is someone I should love.
At times I feel very lonely.
But my needs are all filled
by the person I should love.

"Maria" There is someone I should love.
At times I bear very deep wounds.
But my they are all healed
by the person I should love.

"Maria" Everyone is crying.
"Maria" But I want to believe.
"Maria" So I'm praying now
that this is my final love.
Beginnings come at random,
but endings always have a reason.

Spoiler:

too late

The world has started spinning backwards.
Only the acceleration has increased.
When you noticed, it was dark before your feet.
You were standing at the edge of a cliff.

You can't pull back.
Even if you turn pale nothing will happen.

With the light you've sharpened to the utmost,
you continue persistently even if the end of this path is
the end of the world.

There's more to life
than money or honor.
You will forever pretend not to understand.
It's frightening to notice and get hurt.

Your dream at that time, your wishes,
They were all granted, but...

Faster than everyone, you even pass the wind.
Higher than everyone, you even pierce the clouds.
Even if you live too quickly.

Spoiler:

GREEN

The brilliant trees standing in the cool air
Are losing the colors as if hiding themselves
Just like me who is afraid of the warmth
Keeping myself away from anything leading to hope

The smiling face of that person
Looks dazzling and so tender
I'm afraid I might show my weakness
And start crying

* I noticed this love
The moment my fingertip touched his
And my feelings were
About to flow out

I wonder why it's difficult for us
To walk as we wish

Actually I've always
Realized for sure
But I turned my eyes from the reality
And denied the truth

** I'm staring at my dear person
I might tell him
Of this feeling
Around the time the wind changes

* (repeat)
** (repeat)

When the trees come into bud again
And the leaves are freshly green
I want to show my smile
More natural than now

Spoiler:

rollin'

That we expected was
Just the beginning of failure"
Don't say such a thing with a cold look
Staring into my eyes

I can't nod
Though I know it was predictable

The world is rolling around at the speed of rebirth
The world is rolling around at the speed of rebirth
It's falling into confusion, and despair and desire come to us alternately
We can't continue to live in the traditional way

All gets broken into dusts
In an instant
And we wonder what on earth we have spent
Time and thought for

Pretend to stop the dangerous current
Instead of telling an idealistic theory, please

* The age is rolling around at the speed to the end
The age is rolling around at the speed to the end
It has crossed the border line, and disappointment and hope are fighting with each other
We can never return again to the place we used to be

The world is rolling around at the speed of rebirth
The world is rolling around at the speed of rebirth
It's falling into confusion, and despair and desire come to us alternately

Spoiler:

count down


In Shangri-la where I had been longing for
The strong and very cold wind
Woke me up
And at the same time, disappeared

I don't laugh nor cry
I experienced despair so much in the past
That I became empty, I feel nothing

I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
I'll accept it as it is
On my left side
I need no compassion

"Supposing you are in the abyss
All that is left is to go up"

You said so with no hesitation
It's not important what on earth it meant
There is something more important

* I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
Pretend to watch me until the end
I'll be on your left side
I need nothing else

I hear some distant sound
You see? The end will begin soon
I'll accept it as it is
On my left side

[gallowsCalibrator]

Ahh thanks so much!! I agree, the videos would have been much easier, but there are so many things that could go wrong if I tried to do it that way, so I decided on the lyrics ^___^

[Picaflor 7/4]

can't do it then. the only one I know is connected which is all alliteration. "mikagete mitsugete misadamete iru..." but an english translation loses that.

[pommy48]

Oh so you can only use lyrics? It can't be like mostly lyrics+some videos?

Because Marionette's PV/live @ AT08 would be great

[panda♥]

http://ayumi.primenova.com/lyrics.php

you can definitely trust those translations. hth.

[GRACE]

Originally Posted by panda♥

http://ayumi.primenova.com/lyrics.php

you can definitely trust those translations. hth.

For an English Class, I would avoid those. Especially the later ones, masa's english is questionable at best and they're littered with English grammatical errors.

[emi♡]

lol what grade are you in?

I did this too, in my sophomore year ^^ but I only needed one song...I chose Step you...I dont recommend it lol

You should also take a look at that thread in the Enquiries section, about like, metaphors and puns in her lyrics...even though some people had to rain on the parade in there...but it's still interesting.

[sugarbasil]

Unfortunately, for certain literary devices (i.e.alliteration, consonance, assonance, pun) you simply can't use the English translations, since they're not the real words being used.

I remember my sophomore year in high school using an Ayu song for analysis...unfortunately, I don't remember which. But 15 songs is...a lot. O_O

Anyway, kanariya, WHATEVER, and appears would be really good to look at.

[dartsofpleasure]

I'd think twice about using Ayu for a graded project but if you decide to DO NOT use masa's translations or the ones at Divine Ayu. Masa's are awkward and DA's are often flat-out wrong.

I'd suggest using kiwi musume's site (http://kiwi-musume.com/). The lyrics are conveyed as naturally as possible and are very accurate.

[gallowsCalibrator]

Thanks everyone! This is a really hard project, I know ^_^ So thanks for all your help!!

[primavera♥]

So if those suggest that masa's translations are not correct enough use those suggested but still the same songs I suggested. Sorry I haven't had time to find more for you

[Misa-chan]

Hmm, here's some I can think up on the spot...

I'll list the song names and suitable translated portions, you can match them yourself. I've put explanations in the spoiler, so you can look if you can't match it.

Connected
"Mikakete Mitsukete Misadameteiru, Mitsumete Mitorete Mitasareteiru. Demo, Miagete Mikakete Mikuraberu. Hora, Mikubiru Midareru Mihanasareteru"

Will
"Hira hira hira hira"

GREEN
"The shining and dignified trees have lost their colours, as if to hide their faces."

BALLAD
"The sunset sky today is as gentle as you"

(d)lma
"But don't leave me alone"

Marionette
"We, with our masks, are like the dead
We are not born to go through life with our faces hidden"

appears
"The lovers seem so happy, holding hands and walking together
As if everything is well and perfect, for everyone to see
But only they know the truth"

Microphone
whole song. In fact, you can tell just by looking at the title.

Spoiler:

alliteration: Connected
I've picked just the first 2 verses for example, but this continues through the whole song. "Mikakete Mitsukete Misadameteiru, Mitsumete Mitorete Mitasareteiru. Demo, Miagete Mikakete Mikuraberu. Hora, Mikubiru Midareru Mihanasareteru" Obvious alliteration here. The entire thing is written in katakana too, which emphasizes the sound of the words instead of the meaning.

onomatopoeia: Will
Double repeats in Japanese play a role in onomatopoeia, aside from your usual "BAM" and "DON" kind. In Will, "Hira hira" is the sound of fluttering, "yura yura" is the sound of trembling/shaking, "kira kira" is the sound of sparkling/shining, and "kura kura" is the sound for dizziness. So we can translate the 2 choruses as

Flutter, flutter, flutter, flutter, like falling petals
Tremble, tremble, let my trembling heart, soar high with pride

Shine, shine, shine, shine, like the sun's rays
Dizzy, dizzy, let me give off light so bright

Doesn't sound very poetic (most English trans don't), but that's the most literal translation I can come up with.

personification: GREEN
First line of first verse:
"The shining and dignified trees have lost their colours, as if to hide their faces."

BALLAD: first lines of first chorus
"The sunset sky today is as gentle as you"

Verbal irony: (d)lma
I can provide a translation of the song if you need it, but the main point is just that for the entire song, the lyrics go on about how ayu is irritated/frustrated at this person and wishes him to stop doing things and leave her alone. But the very last line "But don't leave me alone" sort of breaks this whole idea down and makes you wonder if her angry cries and complaints earlier in the song were intended to cover up her need to not be left alone. I read this from wiki and I think it fits quite well to (d)lma.

For instance, if a man exclaims, “I’m not upset!” but reveals an upset emotional state through his voice while truly trying to claim he's not upset, it would not be verbal irony by virtue of its verbal manifestation (it would, however, be situational irony). But if the same speaker said the same words and intended to communicate that he was upset by claiming he was not, the utterance would be verbal irony.

Simile: all over the place
Lol, similes are quite prevalent in ayu's lyrics. Everytime she uses "you ni" or "you na", she's making a simile. Here's one from Marionette's first chorus:
"We, with our masks, are like the dead
We are not born to go through life with our faces hidden"

Situational irony: appears
From the first chorus:
"The lovers seem so happy, holding hands and walking together
As if everything is well and perfect, for everyone to see
But only they know the truth"

The last chorus emphasizes this too, with the last line changed to "But nobody understands the truth"

apostrophe: Microphone
The whole song, in fact, is her speaking directly to her microphone (an object) and her music (an idea).

For a project on language, it's really hard to do a project on ayu if you don't really know the Japanese language. I'll offer any help I can give though, with either translating parts of lyrics or explaining some details with the grammar n such. Good luck!!!

[hsienko]

Originally Posted by GRACE

For an English Class, I would avoid those. Especially the later ones, masa's english is questionable at best and they're littered with English grammatical errors.

Not to mention he tends to paraphrase and use metaphors that don't exist in the original lyrics.

I would go here: http://www.kiwi-musume.com/lyrics/ay...sakiayumi.html

Julie actually speaks english (she's australian) and her translations are simple, straightforward, and close to the originals.

An example (using fated's lyrics):

Masa's translation

The wind strokes my cheeks and makes me feel real
Whispering softly that this is not an illusion at all

If only I had deserved your love
As many as the times you said you loved me
If only I had loved you
As many as the times I said I loved you

Kiwi Musume's translation:

The wind on my cheeks tells me this is real
It gently whispers
"This isn't a dream"

If the number of times someone told me they loved me
Is the number of times I was loved
If the number of times I said I love you
Is the number of times I've loved

See there's a big difference between the two.

[ohsixthirty]

i'm sorry, this is totally not helpful to the thread at all, but i just have to say something...WHY DIDN'T I KNOW ABOUT kiwi-musume?!?!

those translations are GREAT!!! i mean, the best i've ever seen i think! i feel like something i've been looking for since the very beginning of my ayumi fandom has finally been found!!!

ok, back to the thread, sorry!

[AngelSenshi]

Originally Posted by hsienko

Not to mention he tends to paraphrase and use metaphors that don't exist in the original lyrics.

I would go here: http://www.kiwi-musume.com/lyrics/ay...sakiayumi.html

Julie actually speaks english (she's australian) and her translations are simple, straightforward, and close to the originals.

An example (using fated's lyrics):

Masa's translation


Kiwi Musume's translation:


See there's a big difference between the two.

While I'll admit I love a great amount of the lyrics translations from Kiwi Musume, I've always understood Masa's versions a lot also. In the fated example it's actually Masa's version that I prefer and find a bit more suiting.

[gallowsCalibrator]

Thanks you so, so, so much, everyone!! Thanks to your help, I'm already done with the first 6! (That's really good considering how long I take to complete things XDD)

[dartsofpleasure]

Originally Posted by hsienko

Not to mention he tends to paraphrase and use metaphors that don't exist in the original lyrics.

I would go here: http://www.kiwi-musume.com/lyrics/ay...sakiayumi.html

Julie actually speaks english (she's australian) and her translations are simple, straightforward, and close to the originals.

An example (using fated's lyrics):

Masa's translation


Kiwi Musume's translation:


See there's a big difference between the two.

lol I see there's another kiwi musume fan in this thread, but you posted a great example. Her translations are so cohesive, which is refreshing if you're used to broken, vague ones. Really, she has an incredible knack for nailing the original meaning, which impresses me as a Japanese major.

KM is so fantastic, but it seems as though there aren't many people who have heard of it- at least not as many people as there should be.

[ohsixthirty]

^ i've been a fan for 8 or 9 years now and i had NEVER heard of kiwi musume! i've always wished there were some better translations out there that actually made sense and flowed naturally, and now finally after all this time, i have them!!! i mean, its pretty amazing.

[hsienko]

Originally Posted by ohsixthirty

^ i've been a fan for 8 or 9 years now and i had NEVER heard of kiwi musume! i've always wished there were some better translations out there that actually made sense and flowed naturally, and now finally after all this time, i have them!!! i mean, its pretty amazing.

There are a lot of different translations out there including:

Meg-chan: http://www.megchan.com/ (I mainly use it for Namie and Hikki lyrics)

And

Quartet 4: http://www.quartet4.net/
(They only have a few translations for Ayu but I really like their translation for GREEN)