I've been following this manga since it first came out... and I've always wondered why no one bothered to correct the grammar in the eng title of this manga... ever since the beginning. The grammatically correct title is "The World That Only God Knows," but it seems too late to do anything about it now.
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TWGOK
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Member
8:47 pm, Nov 14 2010
Posts: 16
8:47 pm, Nov 14 2010
Posts: 16
the mu...
Member
8:56 pm, Nov 14 2010
Posts: 1050
IMHO
-"The World That Only God Knows" as in a world that nobody else know.. only god/kami (aka keima) do
-"The World God Only Knows" as in the only world that god/kami (aka keima) knows.. he knows no other world...
the world here refer to the galge world.
now which is fits??
-"The World That Only God Knows" as in a world that nobody else know.. only god/kami (aka keima) do
-"The World God Only Knows" as in the only world that god/kami (aka keima) knows.. he knows no other world...
the world here refer to the galge world.
now which is fits??
Member
9:35 pm, Nov 14 2010
Posts: 16
9:35 pm, Nov 14 2010
Posts: 16
Quote from mu2020
IMHO
-"The World That Only God Knows" as in a world that nobody else know.. only god/kami (aka keima) do
-"The World God Only Knows" as in the only world that god/kami (aka keima) knows.. he knows no other world...
the world here refer to the galge world.
now which is fits??
-"The World That Only God Knows" as in a world that nobody else know.. only god/kami (aka keima) do
-"The World God Only Knows" as in the only world that god/kami (aka keima) knows.. he knows no other world...
the world here refer to the galge world.
now which is fits??
The proper grammar for that would be "The Only World That God Knows", which you already alluded to. Either way, the current title just makes no sense in English grammar. Besides being grammatically incorrect, it also sits between the two different meanings which you mentioned.
the mu...
Member
10:08 pm, Nov 14 2010
Posts: 1050
Quote from channel_49
The proper grammar for that would be "The Only World That God Knows", which you already alluded to. Either way, the current title just makes no sense in English grammar. Besides being grammatically incorrect, it also sits between the two different meanings which you mentioned.
umm.. The two different meaning i mention above refer to the two different title. the first one refer to the title u propose, while the later refer to the title that is being used..
IMHO The title being used did not gives any multiple meaning at all... It's The World God Only Knows...
insomniac Kagehime
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10:21 pm, Nov 14 2010
Posts: 2707
Quote from channel_49
The proper grammar for that would be "The Only World That God Knows", which you already alluded to. Either way, the current title just makes no sense in English grammar. Besides being grammatically incorrect, it also sits between the two different meanings which you mentioned.
As far as i know. the world god only knows is grammaticaly correct, but it´s a bit old fashioned.
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the mu...
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10:34 pm, Nov 14 2010
Posts: 1050
Question:
isn't the line "the only world that god knows" is insufficient?
I vaguely remember learning something like this... How to make a line especially a title direct, not too long and winding.
isn't the line "the only world that god knows" is insufficient?
I vaguely remember learning something like this... How to make a line especially a title direct, not too long and winding.
Member
5:38 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 16
5:38 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 16
Quote from mu2020
Question:
isn't the line "the only world that god knows" is insufficient?
I vaguely remember learning something like this... How to make a line especially a title direct, not too long and winding.
isn't the line "the only world that god knows" is insufficient?
I vaguely remember learning something like this... How to make a line especially a title direct, not too long and winding.
That's only if the shorter version would read correctly. Making something unnecessarily long is wrong, but chopping a title down while disregarding the grammar wouldn't make sense either. This title actually makes the most sense just not being translated at all, God has a totally connotation inherent in the western culture that is not the same as kami to begin with. While offending religious readers at the same time.
insomniac Kagehime
Member
5:50 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 2707
i asked my english teacher and he gave me the answer: usually it would be "the world which/that god only knows" but in this case "which/that" isn´t necessary so it becomes "the world god only knows"
http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/durrus/153/gramch19.html
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Quote
b. That
When used as a relative pronoun, that can refer to either persons or things. The relative pronoun that is generally used only in defining relative clauses. In the following examples, the relative clauses are underlined.
e.g. The people that were here yesterday will return in a month.
The newspaper that was on the steps belongs to our neighbor.
In these examples, that has the antecedents people and newspaper, and introduces the defining relative clauses that were here yesterday and that was on the steps.
In the preceding examples, that acts as the subject of the verbs were and was. When it acts as the object of a verb or preposition, the relative pronoun that can usually be omitted.
e.g. The books that we bought are heavy.
The town that this road leads to is five miles away.
In the first sentence, that acts as the object of the verb bought. In the second sentence, that acts as the object of the preposition to. The following examples show how the above sentences can be rewritten without the use of that.
The books we bought are heavy.
The town this road leads to is five miles away.
When used as a relative pronoun, that can refer to either persons or things. The relative pronoun that is generally used only in defining relative clauses. In the following examples, the relative clauses are underlined.
e.g. The people that were here yesterday will return in a month.
The newspaper that was on the steps belongs to our neighbor.
In these examples, that has the antecedents people and newspaper, and introduces the defining relative clauses that were here yesterday and that was on the steps.
In the preceding examples, that acts as the subject of the verbs were and was. When it acts as the object of a verb or preposition, the relative pronoun that can usually be omitted.
e.g. The books that we bought are heavy.
The town that this road leads to is five miles away.
In the first sentence, that acts as the object of the verb bought. In the second sentence, that acts as the object of the preposition to. The following examples show how the above sentences can be rewritten without the use of that.
The books we bought are heavy.
The town this road leads to is five miles away.
http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/durrus/153/gramch19.html
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currently reading: Nyotai-ka
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6:59 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 16
6:59 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 16
Quote from ShadowSakura
i asked my english teacher and he gave me the answer: usually it would be "the world which/that god only knows" but in this case "which/that" isn´t necessary so it becomes "the world god only knows"
http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/durrus/153/gramch19.html
Quote
b. That
When used as a relative pronoun, that can refer to either persons or things. The relative pronoun that is generally used only in defining relative clauses. In the following examples, the relative clauses are underlined.
e.g. The people that were here yesterday will return in a month.
The newspaper that was on the steps belongs to our neighbor.
In these examples, that has the antecedents people and newspaper, and introduces the defining relative clauses that were here yesterday and that was on the steps.
In the preceding examples, that acts as the subject of the verbs were and was. When it acts as the object of a verb or preposition, the relative pronoun that can usually be omitted.
e.g. The books that we bought are heavy.
The town that this road leads to is five miles away.
In the first sentence, that acts as the object of the verb bought. In the second sentence, that acts as the object of the preposition to. The following examples show how the above sentences can be rewritten without the use of that.
The books we bought are heavy.
The town this road leads to is five miles away.
When used as a relative pronoun, that can refer to either persons or things. The relative pronoun that is generally used only in defining relative clauses. In the following examples, the relative clauses are underlined.
e.g. The people that were here yesterday will return in a month.
The newspaper that was on the steps belongs to our neighbor.
In these examples, that has the antecedents people and newspaper, and introduces the defining relative clauses that were here yesterday and that was on the steps.
In the preceding examples, that acts as the subject of the verbs were and was. When it acts as the object of a verb or preposition, the relative pronoun that can usually be omitted.
e.g. The books that we bought are heavy.
The town that this road leads to is five miles away.
In the first sentence, that acts as the object of the verb bought. In the second sentence, that acts as the object of the preposition to. The following examples show how the above sentences can be rewritten without the use of that.
The books we bought are heavy.
The town this road leads to is five miles away.
http://www.fortunecity.com/bally/durrus/153/gramch19.html
The problem is not "that", you can say "The Only World God Knows", but the placement of "only" is still before world. "Only" can also be placed before "God" as "The World Only God Knows," which is a different meaning. Either meaning, placing "only" before "knows" here is incorrect.
Member
7:14 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 486
7:14 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 486
Regardless the title was written on the first page of the first chapter of the Japanese raw in English. I can't remember what it was but there is an official English title.
Member
11:22 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 16
11:22 am, Nov 15 2010
Posts: 16
I passed this by a copy editor I know from my time at the newspaper, he says that grammatically "The Only World God Knows" would be correct. However he also mentioned that something like "A World God Only Knows" would also make sense, guess the problem lies within the "The" and "Only" being used in the original title just doesn't flow.
Yeah, that would make more sense if it was written in engrish.
Last edited by channel_49 at 11:30 am, Nov 15 2010
Quote from kaloo
Regardless the title was written on the first page of the first chapter of the Japanese raw in English. I can't remember what it was but there is an official English title.
Yeah, that would make more sense if it was written in engrish.
Last edited by channel_49 at 11:30 am, Nov 15 2010
Tiger
Member
4:57 am, Nov 17 2010
Posts: 109
Grammatically, it's fine:
The World "God" -Only- Knows.
meaning,
The World "He" -Alone- Knows.
If you wanted to make it flow better, all you'd need to add is the word "that":
The World that "God" -Only- Knows.
or, if you like,
The World that -Only- "God" Knows.
They all mean the exact same thing (the original is more colloquial), but the last one just flows better. Having said that though, "The World God Only Knows" works as a title, because it is unique.
By my interpretation of the title, The Only World God Knows would be incorrect, because it has the incorrect implication of "God" knowing only {The One} world; rather than the correct implication of the The world that only "God" knows.
It's the difference between:
He only knew one barber. "The Only World God Knows" - By a stretch, this title is only relevant to the character's personality at the beginning of the series.
and,
There was a barber that only he knew. "The World God Only Knows" - This title is much more relevant to the actual plot of the story.
IMHO.
Last edited by Harimau at 5:26 pm, Nov 17 2010
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If you were to go there and come back to me hurt, I will take your place.. and pull everything you hate.. into destruction...
I will erase anything that hurts you.. from the face of this world.
The World "God" -Only- Knows.
meaning,
The World "He" -Alone- Knows.
If you wanted to make it flow better, all you'd need to add is the word "that":
The World that "God" -Only- Knows.
or, if you like,
The World that -Only- "God" Knows.
They all mean the exact same thing (the original is more colloquial), but the last one just flows better. Having said that though, "The World God Only Knows" works as a title, because it is unique.
By my interpretation of the title, The Only World God Knows would be incorrect, because it has the incorrect implication of "God" knowing only {The One} world; rather than the correct implication of the The world that only "God" knows.
It's the difference between:
He only knew one barber. "The Only World God Knows" - By a stretch, this title is only relevant to the character's personality at the beginning of the series.
and,
There was a barber that only he knew. "The World God Only Knows" - This title is much more relevant to the actual plot of the story.
IMHO.
Last edited by Harimau at 5:26 pm, Nov 17 2010
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If you were to go there and come back to me hurt, I will take your place.. and pull everything you hate.. into destruction...
I will erase anything that hurts you.. from the face of this world.
Member
7:15 pm, Nov 17 2010
Posts: 16
7:15 pm, Nov 17 2010
Posts: 16
This is incorrect grammar: The World God Only Knows.
This is correct grammar: The World Only God Knows.
This is a different meaning: The Only World God Knows.
Whichever way you spin this, there are only two options with two different meanings and they are: "The World Only God Knows" and "The Only World God Knows." The current title is incorrect in English.
Based on my talk with a friend a year ago about this, the right translation with the right meaning and grammar would be: The World Only God Knows.
Other than the reason that this is engrish because the mangaka didn't know any better, there is no other justification.
This is correct grammar: The World Only God Knows.
This is a different meaning: The Only World God Knows.
Whichever way you spin this, there are only two options with two different meanings and they are: "The World Only God Knows" and "The Only World God Knows." The current title is incorrect in English.
Based on my talk with a friend a year ago about this, the right translation with the right meaning and grammar would be: The World Only God Knows.
Other than the reason that this is engrish because the mangaka didn't know any better, there is no other justification.
Member
7:54 pm, Nov 17 2010
Posts: 16
7:54 pm, Nov 17 2010
Posts: 16
I actually named my folder TWOGK and always speed-read the title, so I could never tell. Until one day I tried searching for twogk stuff and found it was written twgok... I thought it was a mistake from the one writting it in the forum but then I found out it's written like that overall...
don't mind my reply, I'm just bored
don't mind my reply, I'm just bored
Member
7:58 pm, Nov 17 2010
Posts: 636
Quote from Harimau
Grammatically, it's fine:
The World "God" -Only- Knows.
meaning,
The World "He" -Alone- Knows.
The World "God" -Only- Knows.
meaning,
The World "He" -Alone- Knows.
Those two do not mean the same thing.
"The world 'God' only knows"
is equivalent to
"The car 'Bob' only looks at".
Implying that Bob only looks at the car, but does not, for example, drive it.
In other other words, 'God' performs no action on 'the world' apart from knowing it. It's grammatically correct in a sense, but doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
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