God bless you people saying "all the information is there", especially even after reading the spoilerific link here: http://www.reddit.com/r/ffxiv/commen...ersus_english/

Per the most upvoted comment which translates every line:

Line 1: Implies there is someone else besides you who has the Echo, that Midgardsormr has run into. Who?

Line 2: Not too much missed here besides the implication that he thinks Hydaelyn is legit, so whatever.

Line 3: EN tells us... Nothing. Glad he got that laugh in there, though, right? Information is more or less non-critical, but unusual to leave out.

Line 4/5/6: Originally meaning is essentially completely lost. EN version implies they want to murder the Ishgardians because of past crimes. Makes dragons out to be jerks that want to punish the current people for past slights, whereas the REAL problem is they are about to make another mistake. They keep screwing up, which is why the dragons need to step in. EN implies dragons are just angry people without a good reason. But sure, the EN "has all the information".

Line 7/8/9: Once again the JP versions makes clear that Ishgard is unrepentant and will continue to sin, that this is JUSTICE and not as the EN puts it "retribution". The entire tone is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

Line 10: The EN version flat out states that Midgardsormr thinks you are weak and pathetic, nothing special, whereas JP version he's surprised that the PC is so special to Hydaelyn. Again, tone and CONTENT are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

Line 11: Continues from line 10, content abstractly similar, but EN version muddies up the connotation that Midgarsormr is not just in accord with Hydaelyn but that he is ACTUALLY GIVING THE PC MORE POWER BY HER CONSENT, whereas here and in the rest of the EN version it makes it seem like he's being a jerk by stripping your power.

Line 12: EN versions he says he won't hurt you, whereas JP version makes it clear he is going to test you.

Line 13/14/15/16: Once again huge differences in both tone and CONTENT. JP version makes it clear that he simply sealed your blessings, whereas EN version implies he outright destroyed it and talks more trash about Hydaelyn, even though in the JP version he appears to respect her (EN and JP versions are about as similar as book and movie Dumbledore from Goblet of Fire... that is, completely and insanely different for no good reason one can fathom).

Remaining lines: More differences in tone and content. EN versions implies you're some kind of worm, whereas JP version reinforces that this is a test, and you are to prove you're as special as Hydaelyn believes.

Long story short, EN Midgardsormr isn't succinct so much as he is obtuse. And a jerk, somehow, despite that not being the case in the original JP.


In other words, Fern's post about the dragon language and all, while interesting, doesn't speak to the radical CONTENT changes in the dialogue. Saying that "all the information is there" is apologist at best and trolling at worst.