Cait Sith says 女 (onna, woman). Broad is fitting, since Cait Sith is talking about a woman he dislikes, but I associate that word with movie mobsters. Also it’s just… not cool to say.

Scarlet says くやしい (kuyashii) which means annoying, frustrating, pissed, etc. The original English is correct, but I find it interesting when translators insert exasperated phrases like God! or Jesus! They can unintentionally imply things about the game’s world. Do these characters believe in God? Does that God also have preferences about when and how its name is said, such that using it out of such a context would be taboo?

This isn’t a criticism. It’s a personal quirk and I’m sure most people don’t notice. Even using geez triggers this reaction, since that’s a minced oath of Jesus. Of course if you go too far down this rabbit hole, it messes up alternate world fiction entirely; countless words and phrases have etymologies rooted in our world’s unique history.

Another one of my favorite lines in the game. The PC version fixed the ungrammaticality, changing it to Tifa, I’ll give you info on Shinra. The word Cait Sith uses is 流します (nagashimasu) which in this case means to broadcast or distribute. I think he’s saying that he’ll let Tifa overhear Shinra conversations.

The original translation is correct except for the question mark. Why is she questioning that she’s glad he’s safe? The Japanese ends with the particle ね (ne), which transforms the sentence to have a sense of isn’t that right? or don’t you think?

Some day soon I’ll write a post about people’s strong reactions to hyperbolic use of literally. In the meantime, here’s an example to annoy those of you who waste your emotional energy being annoyed by such things. Sorry, but it’s accurate: the JP uses 本当 (hontou) which means reality. The doctor is genuinely saying that Cloud is in a different place in reality. In other words, it’s exaggerated use of something similar to literally. That part of the translation is accurate.

What’s not accurate is his voice doesn’t even work. JP says 君の声もとどいて (kimi no koe mo todoite) which means literally even your voice’s reaching.

The idea of knowledge being drenched amuses me. He says 潜む (hisomu) which means to lurk, to be hidden, to lie dormant. 知識 (chishiki) could be knowledge or information.

I love that Cait Sith refers to Heidegger and Scarlet by their dumb laughs. Yes, he does so in the original JP as well.

Subconsciousness is an uncommon word. People usually use subconscious as both a noun and adjective, even though conscious is usually an adjective and consciousness the corresponding noun. There’s a lack of symmetry between conscious/subconscious. The PC version changed it to subconscious.

大切 (taisetsu) can mean important, necessary, precious, beloved, cherished, valuable, etc. The PC version changed this to tender feelings.

The PC version changed this to Tifa always used to have her own group. Which is good, because otherwise children like me would make fun. Teehee, three-some.

I thought this line was funny for putting ellipses between the c and the k. What would be the difference in English between saying Za…ck and Zac…k? Actually Zack’s name in Japanese is… Zax? Or Zacks? The f? I didn’t know that! It’s ザックス (zakkusu). So there’s an extra syllable at the end they can put an ellipsis in front of.

ひねくれ者 (hinekuremono) means a sourpuss. For example, see Sesame Street Japan calling Oscar the Grouch ひねくれ者のオスカー (hinekuremono no osukaa). I think the original translation is hilarious, right after Cloud’s big speech.

Cloud and gang have just murdered two people in front of this elevator operator, and she laments that they were desirable men, or at least that they desired her. The English is (more or less) accurate and this game is ridiculous.