Languages

[whitewolf05]

One thing that always bothered me was that if the scouts are from the moon wouldn't they speak a different language and when they come to earth wouldn't they speak earth languages.

[Cardcaptor Takato]

Well, the moon is pretty close to the Earth, so I'm sure that Silver Millenium and the Earth shared a lot of cultures and languages together but I really don't understand that last part of your question...what're you asking?

[Tiff]

-_- You're forgetting the fact that it's a CARTOON. It would be pretty damn hard and time-consuming for Toei to have sat there and made up a whole new "moon language", then have the actresses try to use it, and then sub it for the Japanese speakers. In just about any anime, when the characters are in a foreign or far-off fantasy land, they speak Japanese no matter what, becuase you aren't supposed to think about that. Use your imagination and pretend they're speaking a different language if you want.

I mean, here are some perfect examples:

Slayers - Not set in Japan, but yet, they all speak Japanese. *shrug*

Sailor Moon S - Edward, Mamoru's English friend, speaks better Japanaese than he does English, yet he's supposed to be British. It doesn't matter becuase they get the point across to you.

[Rainbow]

And I thought of some other examples to add to Tiff's.

Magic Knights Rayearth: At least in the manga, Ferio thought the girls' names were weird, so I'm guessing they don't speak Japanese in Cephiro either.

Gundam Wing: Hmm, you have a team of five boys where one is Japanese, one is American, one is Arabian, one is Chinese and the other is unknown (I've seen too many different ideas about what Trowa's nationality is to pick one). I doubt they'd all speak Japanese in their minds (not the viewers' minds), but probably a futuristic language of some sort that's international.

Fushigi Yuugi: I'm pretty sure that one is set in ancient China, not Japan, so wouldn't the characters be speaking Chinese? (I've only seen a little bit of that one, so I wouldn't know)

[Tiff]

Fushigi Yuugi: I'm pretty sure that one is set in ancient China, not Japan, so wouldn't the characters be speaking Chinese? (I've only seen a little bit of that one, so I wouldn't know)

I'm pretty sure it's Japan.

[Dinozore]

I've always thought that in anime set in space/the future (Gundam series, for example), English is much more likely than Japanese to be the universal language...

[Tiff]

I've always thought that in anime set in space/the future (Gundam series, for example), English is much more likely than Japanese to be the universal language...

-_- but the damn anime is japanese. That's the point.

[NameGoesHere]

The show is was made in Japan, so the characters speak Japanese. Like Tiff said.

It's just like when a movie is made by American producers about a historical figure. That historical figure may be from any country or time, but the character will most likely be speaking English, because the target audience speaks English.

Also, take into account the target viewers' age for a show like Sailor Moon. Subtitles and programming for younger viewers just don't mix well.

You wouldn't use a Jovian language to give directions to a Martian, would you? Well, you would if you didn't like the Martian, but that's beside the point…

[marspeach]

Fushigi Yuugi: I'm pretty sure that one is set in ancient China, not Japan, so wouldn't the characters be speaking Chinese? (I've only seen a little bit of that one, so I wouldn't know)

I'm pretty sure it's Japan.

I haven't seen that much of the anime, but when they're in the book, they're in ancient China. I think they do go to the real world (well, as real as in a cartoon can be) Japan later though.

It would be too confusing to have characters on these shows speak all different languages. It's convenience that they speak the language of the audience (and the seiyuu).

[The Moonie]

El hazard is on a diffrent planet yet they speak japanese.
The target audence is japanese,The cast is japanese, There is no point to make them speak anything but japanese. We do the same thing, I've seen lots of films set in roman times where they speak english not latin.

[whitewolf05]

-_- You're forgetting the fact that it's a CARTOON. It would be pretty damn hard and time-consuming for Toei to have sat there and made up a whole new "moon language", then have the actresses try to use it, and then sub it for the Japanese speakers. In just about any anime, when the characters are in a foreign or far-off fantasy land, they speak Japanese no matter what, becuase you aren't supposed to think about that. Use your imagination and pretend they're speaking a different language if you want.

Well it can't be that hard I mean look at The Lord of the Rings they went and created an entirely new language (the elven language) but point taken it would be a real pain in the behind.

[Rainbow]

Yes, but:
1) It wasn't that hard--a lot of the names and words in that book seem eeriely like the old English language of the druids; they even use RUNES in that book!
2) They only say some sentences, names, and magic commands in the Elven language--it's pretty rare to show a conversation in it so far as I remember. And I've not seen the movie, but did they ever show Elven language being spoken and then have subtitles? I'd be surprised if they did!

[jupiter23]

In The Lord of the Rings, it was Mr. Tolkien's(sp?) choice to create a new language, even if it was based on a now-dead language. If it was the creator's of all these animes choices, then they would have taken the time to create a new language, if they wanted to. But, for perhaps all the reasons listed above, they didn't.

[Starscream]

Not to mention that J.R.R. Tolkien was a master of a number of different languages (Latin, Greek, for example), studied linguistics in Oxford, and was an English professor who focused on Old and Middle English. He had a LOT of experience behind creating languages, too.

[Dinozore]

I've not seen the movie, but did they ever show Elven language being spoken and then have subtitles? I'd be surprised if they did!

They did at least once that I can think of.

[Tiff]

Well it can't be that hard I mean look at The Lord of the Rings they went and created an entirely new language (the elven language) but point taken it would be a real pain in the behind.

And again, I re-iterate: It's a CARTOON. Lord of the Rings was a book, a book aimed at a higher audience. To create and sub another language for a cartoon would probably be a waste, and again, a pain in the ass.

I haven't seen that much of the anime, but when they're in the book, they're in ancient China. I think they do go to the real world (well, as real as in a cartoon can be) Japan later though.

My apologies.

[Sailorasteroid]

One thing that always bothered me was that if the scouts are from the moon wouldn't they speak a different language and when they come to earth wouldn't they speak earth languages.

Also worth noting is that all the girls were reborn on Earth, and presumably taught Japanese as all normal people in Japan are. The language of the moon would probably be in the class of memories vaguely regained after they learn of their origin. Queen Serenity probably spoke Moonish, but since she only appears in dreams and visions, she'll probably be understood by anyone. Luna and Artemis were not reborn, but it's never said they went searching immediately for the girls. They probably went looking up things like local customs and languages before embarking on their mission.

Of course, there is the "It's just a show; you should really just relax" answer, but that always seems to me to be a cop-out. It's a lot more fun to think of odd but plausible explanations for fictional events.

[whitewolf05]

One thing that always bothered me was that if the scouts are from the moon wouldn't they speak a different language and when they come to earth wouldn't they speak earth languages.

Also worth noting is that all the girls were reborn on Earth, and presumably taught Japanese as all normal people in Japan are. The language of the moon would probably be in the class of memories vaguely regained after they learn of their origin. Queen Serenity probably spoke Moonish, but since she only appears in dreams and visions, she'll probably be understood by anyone. Luna and Artemis were not reborn, but it's never said they went searching immediately for the girls. They probably went looking up things like local customs and languages before embarking on their mission.

Of course, there is the "It's just a show; you should really just relax" answer, but that always seems to me to be a cop-out. It's a lot more fun to think of odd but plausible explanations for fictional events.

I couldn't have put it better myself. The rebirth and dream part I can understand but what about Rene I mean that she is from the future so wouldb't she speak a higher form of moonish or jap that the scouts wouldn't understand.

[Tiff]

I couldn't have put it better myself. The rebirth and dream part I can understand but what about Rene I mean that she is from the future so wouldb't she speak a higher form of moonish or jap that the scouts wouldn't understand.

Why would Chibi-usa speak moonish? She didn't live on the moon, she lived in Tokyo. It was a new Tokyo, but it was still Tokyo. Her mother would still speak Japanese, as that was the only language she still knows, since she grew up in Tokyo after being reborned. Therefore, there'd be no reason to change the language. It would still be Japanese.

Sailorasteroid: Good theory, although it's really not nice to say the "it's just a cartoon" thing as a cop-out..some of us just enjoy it for entertainment, and don't feel the need to find all of these theories and explanations for plot holes and the like. It's not copping out, it's simply we're on a different level than others.

[Sailorasteroid]

Sailorasteroid: Good theory, although it's really not nice to say the "it's just a cartoon" thing as a cop-out..some of us just enjoy it for entertainment, and don't feel the need to find all of these theories and explanations for plot holes and the like. It's not copping out, it's simply we're on a different level than others.

Point taken, and the word cop-out has negative connotations I did not intend. Well, not entirely.

Now, it's one thing to say, from the outset, something like, "Clearly, we are dealing with a work created by fallible human beings, so I'm not going to worry about internal consistency, but just enjoy it as a work." This is a perfectly valid position, and one I have held on many works of which I've partaken. But on other works, Sailor Moon being one of them, the enjoyment I find is based in verisimilitude and suspension of disbelief, so my instinct is to explain contradictions as best I can, avoiding having to "break the fourth wall." I don't claim this makes me any kind of "truer" or "purer" fan--as Tiff says, it is simply a different level, with no qualitative difference.

However, there are people who will try to explain a contradiction in a work of fiction for a while, then quit and switch to the explanation that contradictions are inevitable. Part of this may be blamed on the work itself--if contradictions become so glaring that they can not be escaped, it's understandable. But part of it may also be disinterest on the part of the viewer (or reader, or listener, etc.). Any work of quality demands that the audience invest something of itself in the work, and it is possible for an audience to be unworthy of the work, instead of the other way around. I have encountered many works that I simply don't have the ability or desire to understand as they should be. When I come upon these, I "cop out" and reject the work.