:Title: Xenoblade X: JP-EN Translation hints and pitfalls
:Part: 03 - Skell specific basics and pitfalls
:Author: https://mememodoki.jp
:License: CC BY 4.0

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Xenoblade X: Translation hints and pitfalls: Skell is tricky
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Rationale
==========

JP name [= JP hiragana] = JP romaji // comments
 = EN name // comments

Do not forget JP-EN basic term differences.
--------------------------------------------

インナー = Inner // in Japanese context
 = Ground // in English context
ドール = Doll // in Japanese context
 = Skell // in English context
デバイス = Device // in Japanese context
 = Augument // in English context

Pitfalls of Skell related terms
================================

Even in Japanese Edition, Skell related names have English spelling.
Especially auguments are tricky. Skell auguments has different codes.

 Avoid translate them into something Japanese Kanji/Hiragana/Katakana.

 Those are same among Skell frames, Skell weapons, Skell armors,
 and **Skell auguments**.

Especially, Skell augument names are tricky, since they are using
different codecs.

 "SpecUp.F-POW" is Japanese Doll Device name (Skell Augument name),
 English equivalent is "SpecUp.M-ATK" (Skell Augument name).

 I talk about it below, with a bit Skell Augument naming scheme.

Xenoblade X Doll/Skell naming scheme with examples
====================================================

SpecUp.F-POW = SpecUp.F-POW // in JP edition, no Japanese letters in Skell augments.
 = SpecUp.M-ATK // in EN edition, they have different name.

 "SpecUp." prefix and totally something codename taste,
 telling us it is an augument name for Skell, not for Ground.

"F" stands for "Fighting" in JP edition,
equivalent to "M" for "Melee" in EN edition.
 
 * JP edition uses POW (Power), EN edition uses ATK (Attack).
 * JP edition uses DEX (Dexterous), EN edition uses ACC (Accuracy).
 * Combining them,
  + "F-POW" = "M-ATK", meaning "Skell Melee Attack"
  + "F-DEX" = "M-ACC", meaning "Skell Melee Accuracy"

 Actual augument names are "SpecUp.F-POW" (= "SpecUp.M-ATK"),
 and "SpecUp.F-DEX" (= "SpecUp.M-ACC").

"S" stands for "Shooting" in JP edition,
equivalent to "R" for "Ranged" in EN edition.

 So there are "S-POW" and "S-DEX" in Japanese context,
 "R-POW" and "R-ACC" in English context.
 
 Actual augument names are "SpecUp.S-POW" (= "SpecUp.R-ATK"),
 and "SpecUp.S-DEX" (= "SpecUp.R-ACC").
 
Do not mix those codes in wrong way.

 * WRONG: "R-POW", "R-DEX", "S-ATK", "S-DEX". // no such auguments
 * CORRECT: "S-POW", "S-DEX", "R-ATK", "R-ACC".
 
 As an augument name, NO "SpecUp.R-POW"; that is a JP-EN mixture mistake.

 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.R-ATK" = "SpecUp.S-POW"
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-ATK" = "SpecUp.F-POW"
 
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.R-ACC" = "SpecUp.S-DEX"
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-ACC" = "SpecUp.F-DEX"

"M-" is hard to determine
---------------------------

And then, "M" becomes another confusing point.

 "M" stands for "Mental" or "Mind" in JP edition ("潜在力"),
 equivalent to "PTL" ("Potential") in EN edition,
 while "M" can be "Melee" in English context.

潜在力 = せんざいりょく = Senzai Ryoku (or Senzairyoku)
 = Potential
 
 Since Potential does not have "Hit" or "Accuracy" part,
 there are **no "M-DEX" in JP edition, nor "PTL-ACC" in EN edition**.
 
 **However, "M-ACC" and "M-ATK" exist in EN edition**,
 as "Melee" Skell augument codes.

SpecUp.M-POW = SpecUp.M-POW // equivalent to "ドール潜在力アップデバイス" in Japanese.
 = SpecUp.PTL // Skell Potential Up, in English context.

 Be careful with "M-ATK" and "M-ACC" in English context,
 **which is different "Melee" context, not "Potential"**.
  
 * WRONG: "SpecUp.M-POW" in Japanese -> "潜在力アップ" in Japanese.
 
  That translation makes **Skell** augument name
  into incorrect **Ground** augument name.

  "潜在力アップ" is "Inner Potential Up" Device in Japanese context,
  English equivalent is "Ground Potential Up" Augument.

  You need additional detail which augument class; Ground or Skell.

 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-POW" -> "ドール潜在力アップデバイス"

  "SpecUp." prefix part telling it is about "Skell Augment" in English,
  "Doll Device" or "ドール用デバイス" in Japanese context.

  **"M-" part itself could be "Skell Melee related" in English context**,
  **or "Potential Up" if combined with "POW" (= "M-POW") in Japanese context**.

 * WATCH: **"M-DEX" might be "M-ACC" intent.**

  There is "Melee" vs "Potential" context mismatch.
  You should ask user about its intent.

 * WRONG: "SpecUp.M-POW" -> "SpecUp.M-ATK"
 
  This is a confusing point; **in JP edition "M-POW" mean "Skell Potential Up"**,
  but **in EN edition "M" means "Melee" in Skell status augument context**.

 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-POW" in Japanese = "SpecUp.PTL" in English
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-POW" -> "Skell Potential Up" (JP -> English)
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-ATK" -> "Skell Melee Attack Up" (EN -> English)
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-ACC" -> "Skell Melee Accuracy Up" (EN -> English)

"潜在力アップ" is Ground armor augument name,
**or something more gerenal Japanese expression** equivalent to "Potential up".

 * VAGUE: "潜在力アップ" could not be determined; general expression? auguments?
 * VAGUE: "潜在力アップデバイス" could be in Japanese context; Ground or Skell?.
 * GOOD: "ドール潜在力アップデバイス" is Skell augument specific.
 * GOOD: "インナー潜在力アップデバイス" is Ground augument specific.

Summary of Skell related term
------------------------------

Do not blindly translate ANY Xenoblade X Skell related names.

 * WRONG: "SpecUp.F-POW" -> "格闘力アップ" in Japanese

  "格闘力アップ" is an augument name for **Ground weapons** in Japanese edition.
  That translation makes Japanese **Skell** weapon augument name "SpecUp.F-POW"
  into incorrect Japanese **Ground** weapon augument name "格闘力アップ".

  **"SpecUp.F-POW" IS Japanese**, English equivalent is "SpecUp.M-ATK".
  **Attempting to translate "SpecUp.F-POW" into Japanese itself is faulty.**

 * WRONG: "格闘力アップ" in Japanese -> "SpecUp.F-POW" in English

  "格闘力アップ" is an augument name for **Ground weapons** in Japanese edition.
  That translation has two distinct mistakes; Incorrect Ground/Skell mapping,
  and incorrect English augument codec handling.
  
  In this case, you should treat "格闘力アップ" as **Ground** weapon augument,
  English equivalent is "Melee Attack Up".

 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-ATK" in English = "SpecUp.F-POW" in Japanese
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.M-ACC" in English = "SpecUp.F-DEX" in Japanese
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.R-ACC" in English = "SpecUp.S-DEX" in Japanese
 * CORRECT: "SpecUp.R-ATK" in English = "SpecUp.S-POW" in Japanese

 Prefer appending its classification and details so users can double-check.

 Prefer learning those Xenoblade X Skell augument specific names
 with details such like augument effects.

More Skell auguments EN-to-JP matching
=======================================

Remember, there are no Kanji/Hiragana representations in JP edition
**when we talk about Skell related terms including Skell Auguments**.

Rationale:
JP Doll Device name = JP roman // No kanji/hiragana/katakana.
 = equivalent EN Skell Augument name

CriticalUp = CriticalUp
 = CriticalUp // unconditional critical chance up Skell augument
CriticalUp.BEAST = CriticalUp.BEAST
 = CriticalUp.THEROID
CriticalUp.INSECT = CriticalUp.INSECT
 = CriticalUp.INSECTOID
CriticalUp.MEGAFLY = CriticalUp.MEGAFLY
 = CriticalUp.PISCINOID
CriticalUp.ALIEN = CriticalUp.ALIEN
 = CriticalUp.HUMANOID
CriticalUp.MACHINE = CriticalUp.MACHINE
 = CriticalUp.MECHANOID
CriticalUp.CHIMERA = CriticalUp.CHIMERA
 = CriticalUp.CHIMEROID
CriticalUp.ULTIMATE = CriticalUp.ULTIMATE
 = CriticalUp.ULTRAFAUNA

The reason "PISCINOID = MEGAFLY" is,
there are flying/hovering fishes (often gigantic) in Xenoblade X.
Hence JP edition handle them as Megafly, not Fish.

 Some Japanese human players may consider those Megafly is
 "flying/hovering fish" until they are aware of
 "Megafly" (メガフライ) classification.
 
Pitfalls around Critical related
==================================

Critical related naming are confusing by themselves due to Soul Voice related.

 * "会心ビースト" is a Ground weapon augument for Theroids (Beasts in JP edition).
  + equivalent to "Theroid Critical Up", a **Ground** weapon augument.
   - **Skell** equivalent is "CriticalUp.THEROID" in English.
   - **Skell** equivalent is "CriticalUp.BEAST" in Japanese.

 * "会心プラス" is a Ground weapon augument which increases a chance of
   "Heavy Hitter" Soul Voice.
  + equivalent to "Critical Surge" (Ground weapon augument).
  + No Skell equivalent to these Soul Voice related augments.

 * "会心率プラス" is a Ground weapon augument which increases a chance
   for scoring a critical hit.
  + equivalent to "Critical Chance Up", a **Ground** weapon augument.
   - **Skell** equivalent is "CriticalUp" both in English and Japanese.

 Human users may be confused when talking about those critical related,
 because of complexitiy in Xenoblade X Soul Voice system.