Elfin/elfen
Pronunciation: 'el-f&n
Function: adjective
Etymology: irregular from elf
1 a : of, relating to, or produced by an elf b : resembling an elf especially in its tiny size <elfin portions>
2 having an otherworldly or magical quality or charm
for the win! nothing to do with elves so dont go there
Well, I am sorry to disappoint you, but looking up a german word in an english enceklopedia is doomed to produce errors.Originally posted by: yenlowang
Elfin/elfen
Pronunciation: 'el-f&n
Function: adjective
Etymology: irregular from elf
1 a : of, relating to, or produced by an elf
1 b: resembling an elf especially in its tiny size <elfin portions>
2 having an otherworldly or magical quality or charm
for the win! nothing to do with elves so dont go there
- GERMAN -- ENGLISH
- Lied -- song (noun)
- Elf, Elfen, Elfin -- elf, elves, female elf (not like in Legolas) (noun)
- Elb, Elben, Elbin -- elf, elves, female elf (like in Legolas)
- elfisch -- elven (adjective)
- Elfenlied -- song of elves
Oh, and in german there is quite a bit confusion about the word "Elf". It was mainly introduced into the german language due to a translation error around 1850. Apart from all the LotR Fans (the german LotR uses 'Elben' btw, because of that confusion and Tolkien liked that very much as it distinguishes his vision of elfs from the old myths) an "Elf" is like a "Fee" (english: fairy, pixie, sprite, ...). The correct translation would have been "Alb", a somewhat goblin like creature that can be either good or bad, sometimes helps people, sometimes not (german "Alptraum" (nightmare) references these creatures sitting on your crest while you are at sleep, giving you a bad dream. A different word for them is "Nachtmahr", the word the english "nightmare" comes from).
And that's what people usually mean when they refers to german "Elfen" (if not in LotR context): an "Alb" -- a mythological, non human creature with some magical skills. There are "Lichtalben" (good to humans and quite angel like) and "Dunkelalben" (evil, more goblin like). "Dunkelalben" being the more common ones, as they lived on earth (opposed to heaven for the "Lichtalben"). But even "Dunkelalben" serve humans, despite their continues efforts to trick them, quite well once they were beaten and acknowledge you. Nasty and evil to about everyone but loyal and friendly to a selected few. "Alb" is a very old, nowadays seldom used word, warping us back into the time of the gleemen, giving us the next hint. In that time, songs were performed by gleemen (obviously) and these songs actually weren't songs like we know them, but tales of "Ritter" (knights) and other "Helden" (heroes) fighting fantastic creatures like the above mentioned "Alben" or "Lindwuermer" (sort of dragon). You may happen know one of the most famous, "The Nibelungenlied".
That is the context in which I think one has interpret the title or the translation I gave above. I can't provide an incisive english translation as I am not that familiar with medieval english specific terms, but meaningwise "elfen lied" translates to a tale/epic of non-human creatures (with the above mentioned attributes of an "Dunkelalb").
It fits the story very very well, but the japanese guy who came up with it has to be one hell of a freak.
On a sidenote, I just watched ep 9, [anime-fin] version, and I was really 'rotflmao' when "AJ News: mass naked child events occured earlier.." scrolled over the in-anime news broadcast tv screen.
[Edit 1]Typo correction.
[Edit 2]Forgot that one, in some medieval texts "Alben" are referred to as "Elben" but that pronounciation was used only very rarely, therefor the initial english<->german LotR translator had this word about noone knew and could use it. Nowadays its quite sole meaning is elves in the way they occur in LotR.
--
"If you were young again, would you start writing TeX again or would you use Microsoft Word, or another word processor?
I hope to die before I have to use Microsoft Word." (Donald E. Knuth)
Wow, thanks abunai and Elessar. Those are some pretty cool lessons. It just shows how deep this series really is, and how so much can be discussed about this series in so many levels. Knowledge is golden, and this series just brings up so much. Thank you for clarifying things. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
I just took a trip to Gamefaqs and found out some rather bad news
Anybody know if this is true or not?Anime.Fin dropped subbing Elfen Lied in English.
Their encoder, Mentar, has stated that they will now only translate it with Finnish subtitles - they are Anime.FIN[nish] - afterall.
(Aeon's Top 5 Anime ATM)One Piece,Shakugan no Shana Second,Gundam 00,Naruto,Bleach
I doubt it... that's probably BS... i think all of their releases up to this point have been english subtittled.. (maybe there is an exception somewhere)Originally posted by: Aeon
I just took a trip to Gamefaqs and found out some rather bad news
Anybody know if this is true or not?Anime.Fin dropped subbing Elfen Lied in English.
Their encoder, Mentar, has stated that they will now only translate it with Finnish subtitles - they are Anime.FIN[nish] - afterall.
I recently went onto their irc channel, this is absolutely true (to a point). Elfen Lied has been dropped by anime.fin. The quote was something like "EL dropped. We were betrayed by our encoder, he has been summarily executed."Originally posted by: Budweineken
I doubt it... that's probably BS... i think all of their releases up to this point have been english subtittled.. (maybe there is an exception somewhere)Originally posted by: Aeon
I just took a trip to Gamefaqs and found out some rather bad news
Anybody know if this is true or not?Anime.Fin dropped subbing Elfen Lied in English.
Their encoder, Mentar, has stated that they will now only translate it with Finnish subtitles - they are Anime.FIN[nish] - afterall.
Check for yourself at #anime.fin@chatsociety.net in irc
That sucks, I'll just have to wait 7-odd months for the ADV version.
thsi better be freeking BS i just dled and watched all 9 anime fin eps of it ahhhhhhhhhhOriginally posted by: Ryllharu
I recently went onto their irc channel, this is absolutely true (to a point). Elfen Lied has been dropped by anime.fin. The quote was something like "EL dropped. We were betrayed by our encoder, he has been summarily executed."Originally posted by: Budweineken
I doubt it... that's probably BS... i think all of their releases up to this point have been english subtittled.. (maybe there is an exception somewhere)Originally posted by: Aeon
I just took a trip to Gamefaqs and found out some rather bad news
Anybody know if this is true or not?Anime.Fin dropped subbing Elfen Lied in English.
Their encoder, Mentar, has stated that they will now only translate it with Finnish subtitles - they are Anime.FIN[nish] - afterall.
Check for yourself at #anime.fin@chatsociety.net in irc
That sucks, I'll just have to wait 7-odd months for the ADV version.
(lengthy, but factually impeccable exposition by Elessar omitted for brevity)
In fact, it isn't necessary to go to such extremes in explicating the title. Most likely, it was borrowed from the title of the German song Elfenlied by Eduard Moerike (1804-1875).
The song is a little ditty about an elf (i.e. a fairy) peeping on a human wedding. It makes use of a pun of the German word Elf, which can mean both "elf/fairy" and "eleven" - the story takes place at eleven o'clock.
Link to Elfenlied in German and English
Why associate such an innocuous little song with a bloody anime, you ask? Well, I don't think there's any good reason for it, except to be hip.
I'm guessing that, with the current vogue in Japan for all things German, this is merely another version of the same dynamic that produces the sometimes-odd "Engrish" nonsense phrases on everything from bento-boxes to clothes. The medium (= the language) becomes the message (= hipness factor).
"Gerpanese"? [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
- abunai
actually i was just pointing out that you should not take the title as face value due to the fact that there are so many possible interpretations and the fact that the japanese are sloppy translators (AYBABTU anyone?) in the first place but meh gg on the translation facts .
also on the genetics argument
dudes you realize that the entire human race is related in some way or another?
unrelated ppl have bred and produced down syndrome (and other nastier defects) children. If you know anything at all about genetics , the set number of variables that go into creating an individual (note not humans in general) are actually rather limited. add to that the fact that most genetic defects are carried by the x-chromosome which gives them a very high chance of survival and being passed on to the next generation at some point in time.
the fact of the matter is that until there is such a thing as wide spread genetic screening , you will never actually ever be sure if your offspring is going to inherit some horrible genetic defect either from you or your spouse. Cousins getting together is taboo because its taboo. theres no rhyme , logic or reasoning behind it. Bear in mind that at the time these taboos were formed they did not have any great knowledge of genetics and had to rely on anecdotal evidence at best and at worst they were just talking out of their ass. Even today with scientific methods and greater emphasis on empirical data there is no conclusive evidence that cousins getting together has any greater chance of producing genetically deformed children UNLESS there is a consistent history of genetic deformities in the immediate ancestors (5 generations if i am not mistaken) of either sides of the family bloodlines. in other words ... same shit as if you are marrying into some other bloodline =P
look its like this, we could discuss the scientific and sociological aspects of it till the cows come home but the crux of it is that cousin love is not taboo in alot of cultures and science has shown that unless theres a prevailing history of such nonsense going on theres nothing genetically unsound with it either. its neither exotic nor particularly exciting unless you happen to come from a culture where this is taboo , which i am guessing is about atleast 70% of the ppl on these boards =P
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