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I should make this one of those sticky posts the kids like to do nowadays.
anyway, quick post to say that if you're wondering who I am, yes, hullo, tis moi, NAAN. You'll likely know me from Discord or Twitter, or perchance, putzing around as the head coach of the Aradia Collective. So if I added you, it's because I probably saw you mention it in one of those places.
*The title's just for fun, this has no actual title of any sort.
Much like my Sapphire post, this is yet another old Tumblr post that I am bringing over here for archival purposes. Also because, as a Livejournal truther, I always prefer LJ posts even literal decades after the fact, and since DW is LJ but nicer...why not lol.
Much like my Sapphire post as well, this one has no edits. It is as of this writing a 6-yr-old post. I looked it over and I don't think I would change anything but I'm also running on fumes these days, so it's likely that there is something to be updated, I've just missed it. That said, there are some edits: the translation itself. Rather, I didn't do a re-translation like I have wanted to do, make sure it's all still correct (as correct as a fan translation can be), but instead I went back and fixed some words and grammar issues. Looking back, I was slightly afraid of messing this up: even when trying to make sure the translation is understood by everyone and not aim for "literal," I still went a little literal lol. So this is now version 2.0 of the translation wording itself. I think it works better, even if I mourn the loss of "Earthian" for 地球語 ("chikyuu-go," literal: earth language.) I mean, I think it's fine, but something about it bugged me visually. "Terran" fits the sci-fi mold of Macross better.
Once again, no edits to the post contents itself but some edits to the translation wording, and a transcript of the translation. The "font" in the first translation isn't really a font, it's my hand-writing. Since the original was, you know, handwritten notes, I thought the translation should also have that same touch.
Oh, and for the record, I didn't pull anything out of my butt for the linguistics stuff, for I have a degree in the thing. Not that having a degree necessarily means I'm an expert (I'm not, and plenty of people have degrees while appearing to have slept in class all four-five years)--and not that you may not believe me (after all, pictures or not real)--but hopefully how I translated and how I explained things proves it.
Additionally, here is a free Zentradi font download, and the same one on a newer site, all created by super fan Ranko Asai (あさいらんこ). Enjoy!
Now, without further ado...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
( Yack...deculture! )
Much like my Sapphire post, this is yet another old Tumblr post that I am bringing over here for archival purposes. Also because, as a Livejournal truther, I always prefer LJ posts even literal decades after the fact, and since DW is LJ but nicer...why not lol.
Much like my Sapphire post as well, this one has no edits. It is as of this writing a 6-yr-old post. I looked it over and I don't think I would change anything but I'm also running on fumes these days, so it's likely that there is something to be updated, I've just missed it. That said, there are some edits: the translation itself. Rather, I didn't do a re-translation like I have wanted to do, make sure it's all still correct (as correct as a fan translation can be), but instead I went back and fixed some words and grammar issues. Looking back, I was slightly afraid of messing this up: even when trying to make sure the translation is understood by everyone and not aim for "literal," I still went a little literal lol. So this is now version 2.0 of the translation wording itself. I think it works better, even if I mourn the loss of "Earthian" for 地球語 ("chikyuu-go," literal: earth language.) I mean, I think it's fine, but something about it bugged me visually. "Terran" fits the sci-fi mold of Macross better.
Once again, no edits to the post contents itself but some edits to the translation wording, and a transcript of the translation. The "font" in the first translation isn't really a font, it's my hand-writing. Since the original was, you know, handwritten notes, I thought the translation should also have that same touch.
Oh, and for the record, I didn't pull anything out of my butt for the linguistics stuff, for I have a degree in the thing. Not that having a degree necessarily means I'm an expert (I'm not, and plenty of people have degrees while appearing to have slept in class all four-five years)--and not that you may not believe me (after all, pictures or not real)--but hopefully how I translated and how I explained things proves it.
Additionally, here is a free Zentradi font download, and the same one on a newer site, all created by super fan Ranko Asai (あさいらんこ). Enjoy!
Now, without further ado...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
( Yack...deculture! )
I don’t know about you, but I love it when series give proper attention to conlangs in world building. And I absolutely adore that the Zentran language from Macross had thought put into it. Only one fact about it existed out there, which was that the characters are analogous to English. This translation confirms it!
( "NAAN, why did you doubt that when this website that has the Zentradi Text Book also confirms it?" )Because I wanted to be very sure about it and I wanted to practice my skillz -- I wanted to challenge myself on translating the image above for more info!
( "NAAN, why did you doubt that when this website that has the Zentradi Text Book also confirms it?" )Because I wanted to be very sure about it and I wanted to practice my skillz -- I wanted to challenge myself on translating the image above for more info!
To be honest, I had googled for the text book with no luck. It's not until I just now googled for the stamp kit for an image of said text book's cover from the ad for said stamp kit, that that dang old Macross World site pops up.
Such is my life, as always.
Also, both the series and the "Do You Remember Love" film gave indication that the Zentradi had their own language in terms of actual words and phrases (taarm, mizion, the famous yack deculture) I figured then, maybe this page from the Memorial DVD booklet had some answers to that part as well!
Anyway, point to this whole digression...It was good to see the site now confirm parts of my translation, as bad as it is probably (I'm only intermediate level in JP learnin'.) 1:1 English analogue, capitalization and numbers! NUMBERS ARE CHARACTERS, NOT ROMAN NUMERALS, WHAAAT. The way case sensitivity works in Zentran surprised me though! No lowercase or uppercase, but if you really want to do an uppercase, you just...underline. Okay? Whutta indecisive language XD
We should totally just wait til Macross 7 decides to instead use the circle for uppercase AND numbers and oh.
Here's the transcription of the translation:
in 2038 A.D. MACROSS 7 the 37th
hyper range emigrant space convoy,
with the new 7th Macross class ship
as its core departured toward
the very center of the galaxy.
And seven years later, in 2045--
(I laughed a lot in doing that "translation" for this speech that's said at the beginning of Macross 7, let me tell you. Not even the Zentran language was safe in that series LMAO)
But I dig the way numerals were considered as important enough to concentrate on, too. I mean, I can't think of a conlang that has syllabic characters that also went "huh...what about numbers, though?" That's pretty cool. And how you can form numbers with more than 2 digits.
But I dig the way numerals were considered as important enough to concentrate on, too. I mean, I can't think of a conlang that has syllabic characters that also went "huh...what about numbers, though?" That's pretty cool. And how you can form numbers with more than 2 digits.
And that pronunciation guide! HOLY CRAP, *PRONUNCIATION*???? My linguist senses tickled pink, because that meant skipping the translation temporarily and just go straight to tone! It's a thing in linguistics :D See Tone on Wikipedia, and "A Linguist's Introduction to Tone."
I'm serious, if there was one thing I didn't expect this darn thing to have, it's how to keep an eye on pronunciation. THE ZENTRADI DON'T EVEN SEEM TO INDICATE TONALITY IN THE FILM ALONE??? Maybe I need to listen to it again. But again, this is what's so good about this: thought! There was genuine thought put into something so...not important for a mainstream anime series to think about.
Even typing my thoughts about this makes me happy, because it would've been so understandable for this to be a throwaway thing in an anime show. Really. And it wasn't. They thought about minute details.
(But it's Macross, you say. Why wouldn't a show with culture as a theme *not* do it?)
Backtracking to my bad translation comment -- the one thing I realized in my initial drafts was that I decided to translate from a person's handwriting. HANDWRITING. Anyone will tell you those are sometimes the hardest to decipher in any language. (Those who say no are lying) And uh, yeah. It was a wild ride. Up until the end, there were still 5 kanji that I had absolutely either no clue what they were or I found 10 different versions that could be the actual kanji in question. Those goshdarn strokes! IN THAT CURSIVE/PRINT HYBRID FORM.
(Artists, you know the one.)
But thankfully, one website, to whom I will always sacrifice my firstborn in different dimensions, had kanji listed in normal text and in that hybrid handwriting example. I WAS SAVED, THANK YOU YAMASA. Such a fantastic resource!!
(it's down right now, and I hope it comes back up, because seriously, it's such a great resource. I have 4 kanji dictionaries and none of them have that style of handwriting. It saved my bacon.)
As you may have noticed, no answers as to how or where the actual words came from or how grammar worked in Zentran. That's my fine -- always aim big and be only mildly disappointed with the few answers you get is my motto. In this case, I wasn't even disappointed. Just happier! And even if I got parts of this translation wrong (even now, some of those English sentences still sound wonky to me), I was proud that I was able to get this far and learn more in the process about how Japanese works.
But thankfully, one website, to whom I will always sacrifice my firstborn in different dimensions, had kanji listed in normal text and in that hybrid handwriting example. I WAS SAVED, THANK YOU YAMASA. Such a fantastic resource!!
(it's down right now, and I hope it comes back up, because seriously, it's such a great resource. I have 4 kanji dictionaries and none of them have that style of handwriting. It saved my bacon.)
As you may have noticed, no answers as to how or where the actual words came from or how grammar worked in Zentran. That's my fine -- always aim big and be only mildly disappointed with the few answers you get is my motto. In this case, I wasn't even disappointed. Just happier! And even if I got parts of this translation wrong (even now, some of those English sentences still sound wonky to me), I was proud that I was able to get this far and learn more in the process about how Japanese works.
Plus, seeing how an anime conlang was formed is ACES.
ADDENDUM HERE:
From pterobat:
This is amazing. Keep up the good work!
I read in translations of Macross Chronicle that Zentradi was a tonal language, but you’re right that we don’t see evidence. I think the worldbuilding of Macross is just thin in general, but when they try, the results are really cool.
I read in translations of Macross Chronicle that Zentradi was a tonal language, but you’re right that we don’t see evidence. I think the worldbuilding of Macross is just thin in general, but when they try, the results are really cool.
From jadinerhine in response:
Thank you!! ♥
Oooh, that’s curious to know! I have noticed that there’s a huge usage of the letters A, D, and I but nothing really concrete to determine why. I could argue that ultimately Japanese syllable formation played a part, as conlangers’ native tongue influence both consciously and unconsciously, which maybe lends to the notion that it’s a tonal language…but no evidence for that either!
(And yeah, I agree. When they try, we get something cool :D)
Oooh, that’s curious to know! I have noticed that there’s a huge usage of the letters A, D, and I but nothing really concrete to determine why. I could argue that ultimately Japanese syllable formation played a part, as conlangers’ native tongue influence both consciously and unconsciously, which maybe lends to the notion that it’s a tonal language…but no evidence for that either!
(And yeah, I agree. When they try, we get something cool :D)
a little catch-up? who knows
Apr. 17th, 2025 07:54 amSo besides never posting the rest of the individual entries (as copy/pasted entries) of the Snowflake Challenge from (checks calendar) last year, I forgot to post the entries I did for the Obscure Bingo entry.
(Here's Snowflake 1-5)
(Here's the bingo post)
I'll probably go back and edit the bingo post to have a link to the things instead--because I am far too tired and busy--heck, more tired--tireder?--to continue doing the things I said in those respective entries. I'm sure the me in 20 years when I need to trawl the Wayback Machine will curse at me because WM didn't archive the things properly, but alas.
Anyway, I'm really just posting an entry to say that, since I'll be trying to either 1. use this account more or 2.) keep reposting old tumblr long posts that I think should be saved in additional places. Number 2 will happen this weekend, unless I'm too tired, once again.
also planning on either a dreamwidth community or a fanlisting esque type of places like fujofans for...something. I won't say what it is because then something will inevitably happen to it and then my plans fail.
keep yer stick on the ice
(Here's Snowflake 1-5)
(Here's the bingo post)
I'll probably go back and edit the bingo post to have a link to the things instead--because I am far too tired and busy--heck, more tired--tireder?--to continue doing the things I said in those respective entries. I'm sure the me in 20 years when I need to trawl the Wayback Machine will curse at me because WM didn't archive the things properly, but alas.
Anyway, I'm really just posting an entry to say that, since I'll be trying to either 1. use this account more or 2.) keep reposting old tumblr long posts that I think should be saved in additional places. Number 2 will happen this weekend, unless I'm too tired, once again.
also planning on either a dreamwidth community or a fanlisting esque type of places like fujofans for...something. I won't say what it is because then something will inevitably happen to it and then my plans fail.
keep yer stick on the ice
DC's Obscure Characters Bingo
Feb. 1st, 2024 05:37 pmI think the cool kids do this, right...
I'm gonna try to participate in![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
dcobscurecharacterbingo ! Luckily, it appears to be chill, though the points based system is still a trip. I basically am sure I won't be getting a lot. But hey, an attempt is an attempt.
My bingo is below. I'll update this post with links to...separate posts? Sure, let's do that.
edit on Apr. 17, 2025: okay the links never came lol oops. I'm fixing that right now. I should probably copy/paste but I'm too tired. Sorry. You get links.
Links to the thread
B4, time travel
C2, cooking
B2, rescue
D2, future
I'm gonna try to participate in
dcobscurecharacterbingo ! Luckily, it appears to be chill, though the points based system is still a trip. I basically am sure I won't be getting a lot. But hey, an attempt is an attempt.My bingo is below. I'll update this post with links to...separate posts? Sure, let's do that.
edit on Apr. 17, 2025: okay the links never came lol oops. I'm fixing that right now. I should probably copy/paste but I'm too tired. Sorry. You get links.
Links to the thread
B4, time travel
C2, cooking
B2, rescue
D2, future
Snowflake Challenge 2024 #1-5
Jan. 26th, 2024 07:38 pmI've been enjoying my time over on Blorbo.Social, and decided that, now that I have some time to actually finally participate in it, to participate in the snowflake_challenge for this year. I've often heard about it, never participated in it. So hooray!
Unfortunately, because I am incapable of writing short answers, a lot of my own have been massive novels lol. I actually wondered if it was a better idea to write them up here and link it back on my Fedi account...but I also wanted to "interact" with the community over there xD Oops. Anyway, I will link to the main post, and then basically copy/paste my answers along with the link to the post in question. We'll see if I do the opposite for Day 6 and beyond (or not, I'm too fickle with fandom.)
Main Post, Prompts Listed
NAAN's thread
----------------
( Days 1-5 )
snowflake_challenge for this year. I've often heard about it, never participated in it. So hooray!Unfortunately, because I am incapable of writing short answers, a lot of my own have been massive novels lol. I actually wondered if it was a better idea to write them up here and link it back on my Fedi account...but I also wanted to "interact" with the community over there xD Oops. Anyway, I will link to the main post, and then basically copy/paste my answers along with the link to the post in question. We'll see if I do the opposite for Day 6 and beyond (or not, I'm too fickle with fandom.)
Main Post, Prompts Listed
NAAN's thread
----------------
( Days 1-5 )
Enemy Ace fansite! (my first one??????)
Apr. 17th, 2023 09:25 pmI just realized I don't have a Hans icon on here...I'll need to rectify that after I post this and then edit it so it's all good. (Apparently I have two Skuld duplicate icons???)
Anyway, just wanted to let folks on here know that I scratched off an item on my very long to-do list -- or as I said on Twitter/Masto/Tumblr, one of my "for me!" projects: a fansite for one of my favorite characters of all time. A place for me to be unhinged--I mean, uhhhhh.
;)
hollenreiter.neocities.org/ <-- You can go visit it here. I waffled on whether to use the warning page or not that the original template had, but since we live in a society, I'd rather err for caution than not.
I'm quite happy with how it looks, and how it will look in the future. Despite being a fansite, I'm approaching it more like an archival database. There isn't much "fannish" stuff on it yet, aside from my fancast part and the fanfics part. Because of course, I did decide to make a fansite for a character that's only remembered by 6 boomers, 1 gen x, and like 4 millennials XD (Mind my hyperbolic statements.)
Now next, besides updating this at my own pace, is that huge Tangent Comics site. That one is really hefty so far, but luckily, I got a buddy who wants to help me with that, so hopefully it all goes well.
I should explain here why I did the thing, but since I'd be repeating myself, I'll go ahead and copy/paste my own statement from the site:
( The ramblings of a magic bread )
Anyway, just wanted to let folks on here know that I scratched off an item on my very long to-do list -- or as I said on Twitter/Masto/Tumblr, one of my "for me!" projects: a fansite for one of my favorite characters of all time. A place for me to be unhinged--I mean, uhhhhh.
;)
hollenreiter.neocities.org/ <-- You can go visit it here. I waffled on whether to use the warning page or not that the original template had, but since we live in a society, I'd rather err for caution than not.
I'm quite happy with how it looks, and how it will look in the future. Despite being a fansite, I'm approaching it more like an archival database. There isn't much "fannish" stuff on it yet, aside from my fancast part and the fanfics part. Because of course, I did decide to make a fansite for a character that's only remembered by 6 boomers, 1 gen x, and like 4 millennials XD (Mind my hyperbolic statements.)
Now next, besides updating this at my own pace, is that huge Tangent Comics site. That one is really hefty so far, but luckily, I got a buddy who wants to help me with that, so hopefully it all goes well.
I should explain here why I did the thing, but since I'd be repeating myself, I'll go ahead and copy/paste my own statement from the site:
( The ramblings of a magic bread )
I mentioned on a previous entry that I was thinking of reposting from Tumblr a very long headcanon thread I had about Sapphire from Princess Knight. Turns out it's been about five years, which is interesting -- because I've had more thoughts built on it, some of it changed. But skimming through this, more or less, I think besides maybe reconsidering some phrasing and adding some more/changed thoughts, I'd probably still stick to this. I am posting this as it was posted exactly the way the tumblr post linked above. No edits done. Like I said, maybe someday I'll update it, including with actual images lmao.
I WOULD like to add, that I just found this flag randomly while checking artist twitter -- whatever you may think about there being too many flags for the queer community, I gasped because I think this flag does fit one headcanon mentioned below for Sapphire.
I urge you to mind all the posted disclaimers below; those are still the same ones I'd use in an updated version, tbh.
Now on with the show!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey hey hey, Sapphire fans, have another dumb hot take on our gurl, this time on a topic I’ve had thoughts on for the past few years. Because it’s potentially a hot button one, all I ask is that you read the entire thing before diving into a civic discussion about it! What am I saying, it’s tumblr, there is no such thing as critical thinking and civility anymore thanks to this hellsite.
Disclaimer #2: this is based strictly on Tezuka manga canon. I’ve seen the PK anime on-and-off and I don’t trust my memory on elements from it.
Disclaimer #3: I don’t have my manga copy with me, so no scans of panels and such : ( But I will make sure to explain the scenes I reference, as well as include links to definitions of things.
Disclaimer #4: I researched and read about this often, but I’m pretty sure I will make mistakes. As respectful as I’ve tried to be, I am sure people out there are smarter than me about things pertaining to this topic. Let me know constructively if I messed up.
( Headcanon timez )
You know, I made a dreamwidth because I wanted to get back to Livejournal one day and while that's never going to happen, I've been slowly making plans and working on said plans to get back to tradition, reject modernity, as the kids say. The dreamwidth's connected to a future site, but I've been thinking of some possible text posts from tumblr to repost on here (in a much nicer format that I prefer to Tumblr's not-as-customizable format), and other such thoughts.
Unfortunately today is not that day because for every blog post idea I have, I just dump them on my newsletter instead. Oops.
Anyway, have at it, and have at my archives. Have fun.
EDIT: WOW, you can tell I've been on Tumblr too long. My tags got messed up. I'll simplify them for now.
Unfortunately today is not that day because for every blog post idea I have, I just dump them on my newsletter instead. Oops.
Anyway, have at it, and have at my archives. Have fun.
EDIT: WOW, you can tell I've been on Tumblr too long. My tags got messed up. I'll simplify them for now.
No real entry here, just posting this here so I can see how my page looks.
Anyway, if you stumbled upon this, howdy. Check out my profile for who I am because I ain't writing all that again. I miss Livejournal and after many things happening, I decided to try out its successor of time immemorial after avoiding it for two decades, frankly.
I have no real plans for this but I might just repost some of my old text posts from Tumblr. At least here they'll look nicer. Maybe I'll further customize the colors at least too.
But later.
Anyway, if you stumbled upon this, howdy. Check out my profile for who I am because I ain't writing all that again. I miss Livejournal and after many things happening, I decided to try out its successor of time immemorial after avoiding it for two decades, frankly.
I have no real plans for this but I might just repost some of my old text posts from Tumblr. At least here they'll look nicer. Maybe I'll further customize the colors at least too.
But later.
