Confusion on Translation

[ulisa]

Hi all.

I recently got the latest 'uncut' disc available here, Back from the Dead. I love getting them uncut and I finally get to see this saga in original Japanese which is always cool. But I have to admit as I watched these three episodes in their original Japanese format, I was baffled by one scene and I hope someone can clear it up for me...

In the second episode on this disc, where Goku is set to chase Gregory , Piccolo is still training Gohan and knocks him off a cliff, telling him to find his way back up on his own. I'm baffled as to what Gohan is saying because according to my subtitles, he calls up to Piccolo:

"Squirrel, Watermelon, sea gull, killifish, monster, cow, white shark, quince, apple, gorilla, lion" and then "Piccolo, you say the next one."

Uh...what exactly is he doing? It sounds like he's either playing a game or trying to get on Piccolo's nerves...

Ulisa:)

[kenisu3000]

I asked Steve Simmons, who is on this forum, and who also gives FUNimation the translations so they can put in the subtitles, what this very line meant a good long while ago. I knew what Gohan was saying, I just couldn't figure out what the culture reference was. I still don't understand it, but if you listen to the Japanese words as Gohan says them, you notice that the first syllable of each word is the last syllable of the word preceeding it. Whatever that's supposed to indicate...
Now that the DVD has come out, Steve, would you care to shed some light on this subject? Thanks in advance.

[Ash]

Isn't that Shiritori?

[Tsukento]

Hm. I watched the episode unsubbed and mistakened "ushi" (cow) with "mushi" (insect or bug). I assumed Gohan was just calling Piccolo different names like a child would when talking about a bad person. XD;

So that's what he says. I would assume that is shitori, though it seems terribly random of Gohan to do that. XD Or rather..perhaps the translation "Taking the bottom" probably fits with Gohan actually going to the bottom. >_>; Who knows?

[SaiyaJedi]

Isn't that Shiritori?

Certainly looks like it:

risu,
suika,
kamome,
medaka,
kaijuu,
ushi,
shi(word I don't know)
(word I don't know)ri,
ringo,
gorira,
raion...

Gohan ends his sequence with "n," which makes it impossible for Piccolo to do a "next one."

[Panda]

I love these threads. It makes it less confusing for when I decide to check out some originals.

Haven't read the entire Wikipedia article yet so, if you end a word with "n" do you win the game?

[desirecampbell]

I love these threads. It makes it less confusing for when I decide to check out some originals.

Haven't read the entire Wikipedia article yet so, if you end a word with "n" do you win the game?

Nope, lose. Sounds like Gohan's trying to slip that by ol' Greeny.

[Daimao]

I still don't understand it, but if you listen to the Japanese words as Gohan says them, you notice that the first syllable of each word is the last syllable of the word preceeding it. Whatever that's supposed to indicate...
Now that the DVD has come out, Steve, would you care to shed some light on this subject? Thanks in advance.

He is trying to play Shiritori with Piccolo, as Ash pointed out. Did the transcriptions of the Japanese words underneath the English make it onto the disc? (I haven't had a chance to look at it yet)

[Herms]

Gohan ends his sequence with "n," which makes it impossible for Piccolo to do a "next one."

Well, obviously this wouldn’t count as an actual word, but it does occur to me that Arale’s trademark “N-cha!” starts off with a single hiragana “n”, so maybe the animators were making a subtle Dr. Slump reference?

Kind of a stretch, though...

[The S]

I recall playing Shiritori back in my Japanese class many a year ago. Except sensei called it the "N-Game".

[Daimao]

Isn't that Shiritori?

Certainly looks like it:

risu,
suika,
kamome,
medaka,
kaijuu,
ushi,
shirobuka
karin,
ringo,
gorira,
raion...

Gohan ends his sequence with "n," which makes it impossible for Piccolo to do a "next one."

I believe that in cases where the word ends in "n," you tack on the letter behind it (as in karin-ringo above). That being the case, the next animal would have to begin with "on" (I'd use ondori if it were up to me).

[Hujio]

(I'd use ondori if it were up to me).

I knew it!! Daimao likes the... rooster?!

[The S]

In the "N-Game" version my sensei had us play, if someone used a word that ended with "n", that person lost and it was the other team's turn. Of course, that could be different than the actual game. My sensei was nuts.

[desirecampbell]

(I'd use ondori if it were up to me).

I knew it!! Daimao likes the... rooster?!

He may just have you killed for that

[Daimao]

(I'd use ondori if it were up to me).

I knew it!! Daimao likes the... rooster?!

He may just have you killed for that

Nah, Hujio was judicious enough to choose the word "rooster" instead of that other one.