Language translations for leader sayings

Louis: Oh, no doubt, but in 'Standard Japanese' (the Tokyo dialect; non-Tokyo people, don't kill me, please!), the sentence may or may not be grammatically correct, but as written (with ka instead of ga), does not mean what the translation says it means. That's why I mentioned it.

As far as the Japanese writing, the difference between ka and ga in hiragana is only two diacritical marks on 'ka'. So it could also be a 'typo'.

Linguistically speaking, I have always been amazed at how the Japanese knew, at the time they developed their kana (which, IIRC, was quite early in their history), the difference between voiced and unvoiced consonants.

Attila's language is really driving me nuts. It is entirely made up? Or is it a real language? Possibly Ossetian?

Apparently, it's not Chuvash, because the person who runs Chuvash.org said so.

I'll wait until the rest of Attila's dialogue is available.

I have found the time to check the list you have.
Here's a minor correction for Catherine:

Defeated: We were defeated, so this makes me your slave. I suppose there are worse fates. Мы были побеждены, так что я становлюсь твоей пленницей. Мне кажется это не самый худший удел. My byli pobezhdeny, tak chto ya stanovlyusʹ tvoyeĭ plennitsyeĭ. Mne kazhet•sya eto ne samyĭ khudshiĭ udel

The word "пленница" (plennitsa) means (female) prisoner or (female) captive, not slave. The translation should be "We were defeated, so this makes me your prisoner."

And for Darius's texts you might want to talk to the people on this site: http://aramaicdesigns.blogspot.com/2011/01/cid-meyers-civilization-5-in-aramaic.html

My Mongolian friend helped me with some of Genghis Khan's lines that were missing:
HateLetsHearIt01: And then?
HateNo02: You're playing around (i.e. you must be joking)
HateYes02 Obviously No. (Clearly there was some mixup, because this is exaclty the same as NeutralNo02)
NeutralLet'sHearIt01: I'm listening
NeutralYes01: Good
Request: I don't always exhibit this generous behaviour (i.e. I am not always this generous)

Krzowwh said:

Well, that YouTube comment is wrong. Askia's speech is one of the interestingly accurate ones in Civ 5. He's speaking Zarma, the Songhay language with the most speakers.
I don't really understand the language, but his first sentence is most definitely "Ay ga ti Askia Songhay." which means "I am Askia Songhay."

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Could you please amend this part of the OP?

The google translate transcript for Thai seemed weird, so here's the transcript in the Bua Luang system (Although I could also give you RTGS which is used by most of the country, it lacks information on tones and length though, so I opted for this instead. Also I corrected a few errors, the defeated text in thai is missing a word at the beginning as well as Hate No 02. The text for Hate Yes 01 was also wrong.

Attacked: You lowly fools! We shall prepare to fend you off. (เจ้าคนต่ำช้า เราจะเตรียมพร้อมสำหรับรับมือเจ้&#3634 jâo′-kon′-dhàm′-chá-rao′-jà′-dhriam-práwm-sǎm′-ràp′-ráp′-meu-jâo′.
DeclareWar: You lowly, arrogant fools! We will make you regret your insolence. (เจ้าคนต่ำต้อยจองหอง เราจะทำให้เจ้าเสียใจกับคำอวดดีของเจ้&#3634 jâo′-kon′-dhàm′-dhâwy-jawng-hǎwng-rao′-jà′-tam′-hâi′-jâo′-sǐa-jai′-gàp′-kam′-ùat-dee-kǎwng-jâo′.
Defeated: Although we lost, our pride shall remain. Yet there is but one option left to me, we bid you farewell [high-status 'you']. ( ถึงแม้เราจะแพ้ แต่เกียรติ์ของเราจะดำรงอยู่ตลอดไป เราไม่มีทางเลือกใดอีก ขอให้ท่านโชคด&#3637 těung′-mǽ-rao′-jà′-pǽ-dhæ̀-giat-kǎwng-rao′-jà′-dam′-rong′-yôo-dhlàwt-bhai′-rao′-mâi′-mee-tang-lêuak-dai′-èek-kǎw-hâi′-tân-chôk-dee.
Demand: These are our conditions. You [high-status 'you'] shall agree, or you will die. (นี่เป็นเงื่อนไขของเราท่านจะยอมรับ หรือจะยอมตา&#3618 nêe-bhen′-ngêuan-kǎi′-kǎwng-rao′-tân-jà′-yawm-ráp′-rěu-jà′-yawm-dhai.
HateHearIt01: You were saying? (เจ้าบอกว่&#3634 jâo′-bàwk-wâ?
HateHearIt02: So? (แล้&#3623 lǽo?
HateHearIt03: Go on. (เชิญต่&#3629 chern-dhàw.
HateHello: Greetings. (สวัสด&#3637 sà′-wàt′-dee.
HateNo01: This is unacceptable. (นี่เป็นสิ่งที่ยอมรับไม่ได&#3657 nêe-bhen′-sìng′-têe-yawm-ráp′-mâi′-dâi′
HateNo02: You probably didn't mean that. (เจ้าคงไม่ได้หมายความเช่นนั้นจริง&#3654 jâo′-kong′-mâi′-dâi′-mǎi-kwam-chên′-nán′-jing′-jing′
HateNo03: You said what? (เจ้าพูดว่าอะไรน&#3632 jâo′-pôot-wâ-à′-rai′-ná′?
HateYes01: I think I must agree. (เราคิดว่าเราต้องทำเช่นนั้&#3609 rao′-kít′-wâ-rao′-dhâwng-tam′-chên′-nán′.
HateYes02: Very well. (ดีมา&#3585 dee-mâk.
Intro: I am Pho Khun Ramkhamhaeng, King of Siam. It is a great honour that you would walk to visit my country of Siam. (เราพ่อขุนรามคำแหงกษัตริย์แห่งสยาม นับเป็นเกียรติอย่างยิ่งที่ท่านเดินมาได้เยี่ยม ประเทศสยามของเร&#3634 rao′-pâw-kǒon′-ram-kam′-hæ̀ng-gà′-sàt′-hæ̀ng′-sà′-yam-náp′-bhen′-gìat-à′-yâng-yîng′-têe-tân-dern-ma-dâi′-yîam-bhrà′-tâyt-sà′-yam-kǎwng-rao′
NeutralHearIt01: Is that so? (อย่างนั้นหรื&#3629 yâng-nán′-rěu?
NeutralHearIt02: You say? (เจ้าบอกว่&#3634 jâo′-bàwk-wâ?
NeutralHearIt03: We are listening. (เรากำลังฟังอยู&#3656 rao′-gam′-lang′-fang′-yôo
NeutralHello: Welcome. (ยินดีต้อนรั&#3610 yin′-dee-dhâwn-ráp′
NeutralNo01: No. (ไม&#3656 mâi′
NeutralNo02: Certainly not. (ไม่ แน่นอ&#3609 mâi′-næ-nawn
NeutralNo03: No way. (ไม่มีทา&#3591 mâi′-mee-tang
NeutralYes01: So be it. (ถ้าอย่างนั้&#3609 tâ-yàng-nán′
NeutralYes02: Agreed/Of course. (แน่นอ&#3609 næ-nawn
NeutralYes03: Okay. (ตกล&#3591 dhòk′-long′
Peaceful: You have won. But we shall return to repay this debt. (เจ้าชนะแล้ว แต่เราจะกลับมาใหม่เพื่อตอบแทนเจ้าให้สาส&#3617 jâo′-chá′-ná′-lǽo-dhæ̀-rao′-jà′-glàp′-ma-mài′-pêua-dhàwp-tæn-jâo′-hâi′-sǎ-sǒm′
Request: Greetings. We believe this is a fair proposal for both parties. What do you think? (สวัสดีเราเชื่อว่านี่เป็นข้อเสนอที่ยุติธรรมสำหรับทั้งสองฝ่าย ท่านคิดว่าอย่างไ&#3619 sà′-wát′-dee-rao′-chêua-wâ-nêe-bhen′-kâw-sà′-nur-têe-yóot′-dhì′-tam′-sǎm′-ràp′-táng′-sǎwng-fài-tân-kít′-wâ-yâng-rai′

For Gandhi-

You have defeated the weak and the helpless. (आपने मासूम और असाह्य लोगों को हरा दिया&#2404

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Translation for "मासूम" is "Innocent" and not "Weak"

Although not a major issue, but, for the sake of accurate translation you should change it.

The sentence should be- You have defeated the innocent and the helpless.

Corrections made.

Concerning Darius and Aramaic: I did ask the guy on the Aramaic website to provide translations, but I received no response. I did try twice, perhaps someone else will have more luck.

Krzowwh, do you speak Zarma? If so, would you be willing to translate Askia's other sayings?

Honestly if there is ONE thing that I would change about the game (...besides adding 'are you sure?' buttons for when you hit golden age on your great persons) it would be to make what the leader head's translations correct. I hate finding out that what Wu Zetian says when i crush her face into the sand isn't actually what I read at the bottom.

ampmclock said:

I hate finding out that what Wu Zetian says when i crush her face into the sand isn't actually what I read at the bottom.

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Then each leader would only have like three or four lines. I'd rather they mix it up by alternating the text; it honestly doesn't bother me with the English-speaking leaders either.

CoolLizy said:

Then each leader would only have like three or four lines. I'd rather they mix it up by alternating the text; it honestly doesn't bother me with the English-speaking leaders either.

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Yes, and also it allows the voicework to be verbose and flowery (immersion) while keeping the text concise (playability). And of course also allows mods and expansions to add text for new happenings without bringing back the voice actors.

Just want to leave this in the thread for anyone interested, regarding Wu's lines. Note that the translations are correct, they are what the voice is saying, although the line themselves show several problems.

She uses "我" (I) in her speech. This is wrong. Emperors use "朕" (zhèng) to refer to themselves. This started with Qin Shi Huang (who was also in Civ 4) and has been in use ever since. It's something reserved specifically for the emperor and no one else.

The ancient emperors of China also don't apologize. They are sons of the Gods who rule heaven (天子, literally meaning the son of the heavens). They don't make mistakes. If they have made a mistake then it is you who have made a mistake in presuming their mistake. Hence the line "Sorry. Say that again?" is impossible, it is out of character.

In the same vein, she would not say "Greetings" (Nǐhǎo), she should be greeted (with the utmost respect). But then that's difficult isn't it . So the right opening for "Greetings." should be to skip directly to "平身" (píngshēn). It literally means to straighten your body (since you'd be kneeling down with your forehead touching the floor at this moment). She has given you grace to stand up and speak.

That part about peace is also rather historically inaccurate. Back then, any foreigner who comes (not that there were any, that far back) to visit would be welcomed as China is the country at the center of the world, we are the chosen and we are the strongest the richest and the best, blah blah blah. China will not seek peace, it is taken for granted---and all you lowly barbaric tribes are expected to pay tribute, after all, that's what you're here for, isn't it?

"Disembowel" is also not fit from the emperor. She will instead use names of the punishments. It is fine to say "disembowel" in English due to the practicalities of making English-speaker players understand, but it is not fine to say 開膛破肚 in Chinese. That makes her sound like a lowly meat seller found in the local market.

In general the voice quality and tones and so on are perfect, not that anybody's heard people from 650 AD speak, but you know what I mean. Just the actual lines making it sound like a cheap high school stage play.

Funnily enough there's a bit of a conflict of this nature in Ramkhamhaeng's dialogue. Thai also has terms that are reserved for royalty like Chinese, however, in the only piece of writing we have from the proper period: The Ramkhamhaeng Stele, the pronouns used would be considered rude or crude by today's standards.

That may be the case for other cultures, but in Chinese, since the emperor first person pronoun is no longer in use today. It is only seen in television dramas and stories where some kind of emperor makes an appearance. It is common knowledge that "zhèng" and "píngshēn" are used today only in dramas and parodies. Nobody takes offense to them because it simply has not been used since the end of the Ching Dynasty a hundred years ago.

But then again why are we judging their speech using today's standards? Well, perhaps because the game proceeds to modern times. I can agree with that. Still, it does harm immersion to see modern speech used in ancient times. Perhaps what we have now is the best compromise.

Personally I'm all for more historically accurate speech. But that's probably asking too much.

What does Gandhi say when he refuses to make peace? Would be interesting to know.

First of all I have to say that I was very excited when I saw this thread. I was very curious about what the leaders are saying, which languages they're using, and I'm glad that I'm not alone...

I'd like to contribute some of Darius' phrases.
The VA seems to be speaking some sort of modern Aramaic judging by the Arabized pronoun "entu" instead of ant/at, and some vocalizations that differ from classical ones.

I'm only familiar with classical Eastern Aramaic, so I could completely make out only the following:

NOTE: vowels in the transliteration are according to the VA's pronunciation

TransAttacked: What?! Y-you? ...מא?! א-אנת ma? a-ant...
Attacked: You are less than a son of a donkey-driver! I shall crush you! תחתי, בר חמר! אדכך! taḥtay, bar ḥammar! adakakh!
HateHello: Ahh, you... אה, אנת... ah, entu...
HateNo1: We say...No! אנחנן אמרין... לא! eneḥnan amrin... la!
HateNo2: Of course not (lit. truly, no!)! לא בשרירא! la bisherira
NeutralHearIt1: You were saying? אנת אמרת? enta amart?
NeutralHearIt2: Onwards, speak! הילך, מר! heylakh, mar!
NeutralHello: Good day to you! יום טב לך! yom tav lakh!
NeutralYes1: Certainly (lit. in truth) בשריר! besherir
NeutralYes2: Good/beautiful! שפיר! shappir!
NeutralNo2: You are not serious! (lit. your heart is not truthfull) לבך לא שריר! libakh la sharir!
DariusGreeting: Hello (lit. peace be upon you), I am Darius, the great and outstanding King of Kings. As you surely know already. שלמא עליך, אנא דריהוש מלכ מלכיא פרש רבא. להאן פנא ידעת. shlama 'alikh! ana Darihush malek malkaya paresh rabba. lehan fana yad'at.
DariusHateHearIt1: Go on! (lit. go!) זל! zal!
DariusHateHearIt2: I'm listening (lit. I hear/listen) שמענא sham'na
DariusHateYes1: Very Well. טב סגי tab sagi
DariusHateYes2: Agreed (lit. it has become agreeable) השתווא hishtawe
DariusNeutralNo1: [your offer is] not good enough (lit. it's missing a handful) חפנא חסר
DariusPeaceful: Let's call it a draw? (lit. we will call it even?) נקריא שויא? naqraya shwaye?

As for the others, I understand them only partially:
DariusDeclareWar: Your ???? is a shame for all the kings such as they are. ???? you must be hanged! (executed by hanging) ערוא אל כל מלכיא בל מהו ???? תליאתך???? ???? arwa el kul malkaya bal mahu. ???? taliyatakh!
DariusDefeated: Woe upon you! The blood of this king *will forever be a shame upon him* (not sure about this part) וי עליך! דמא דמלכנא ??? עלם בוי דהוא wey alekh! dma dhimalkana ???? alam bewey dahu
DariusRequest: Because of all my great and endless ????, just this time, I will face you as an equal. You will now surely accept this [offer], won't you? בכל רביא ????? עלם, פנא שוא לך בקרם. תקבלי, א? bikul rabiya ???? 'alam, fena shwe lakh beqaram. teqabeli eh?

jinzou said:

First of all I have to say that I was very excited when I saw this thread. I was very curious about what the leaders are saying, which languages they're using, and I'm glad that I'm not alone...

I'd like to contribute some of Darius' phrases.
The VA seems to be speaking some sort of modern Aramaic judging by the Arabized pronoun "entu" instead of ant/at, and some vocalizations that differ from classical ones.

I'm only familiar with classical Western Aramaic, so I could completely make out only the following:

Attacked: [You are] Beneath me, son of a donkey "driver"! I shall crush you! תחתי, בר חמר! אדכך! taḥtay, bar ḥammar! adakakh!
HateHello: Ahh, you... אה, אנת... ah, entu...
HateNo1: We say...No! אנחנן אמרין... לא! eneḥnan amrin... la!
HateNo2: Of course not (lit. truly, no!)! לא בשרירא! la bisherira
NeutralHearIt1: You were saying? אנת אמרת? enta amart?
NeutralHearIt2: Onwards, speak! הילך, [א]מר! heylakh, mar!
NeutralHello: Good day to you! יום טב לך! yom tav lakh!
NeutralYes1: Certainly (lit. in truth) בשריר! besherir
NeutralYes2: Good/beautiful! שפיר! shappir!
NeutralNo2: You are not serious! (lit. your heart is not truthfull) לבך לא שריר! libakh la sharir!
TransAttacked: What?! Y-you? ...מא?! א-אנת ma? a-ant...

As for DariusGreeting, I'm not sure about one of the words: Hello (lit. peace be upon you), I am Darius, the great and outstanding king of kings. As of/to this [???], you knew [it]. שלם עליך, אנא דריהוש מלכ מלכיא פרש רבא. להא ??? ידעת. shlam 'alikh! ana Darihush malek malkaya paresh rabba. leha ??? yad'at.

As for the others, I'm not completely sure yet, so I'll try to do some research.

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As a Hebrew speaker, I must say that this whole thing makes sense.
Now I can can really see the similarities with Hebrew even more.
But why "bar hammar" is a "son of a donkey "driver"" and not just "son of a donkey"? "Son of a donkey" makes absolute sense, since "donkey" is used as a curse word in the Semitic languages.

And the greeting. The ending is definitely what it says in the English translation "but you already knew it", so I guess the missing word could mean "for sure" or "already".

IgorS said:

But why "bar hammar" is a "son of a donkey "driver"" and not just "son of a donkey"? "Son of a donkey" makes absolute sense, since "donkey" is used as a curse word in the Semitic languages.

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He clearly pronounces it "ḥammar" (חַמָּ&#1512, including the geminated מּ. Thus, it's a donkey driver and not a donkey which would be pronounced "ḥəmar/ḥəmor"

jinzou said:

He clearly pronounces it "ḥammar" (חַמָּ&#1512, including the geminated מּ. Thus, it's a donkey driver and not a donkey which would be pronounced "ḥəmar/ḥəmor"

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Oh, I didn't see it was "hammar" and not "hamor", in "KaTaL", indicating a profession. A quick check in Wiktionary shows that Hebrew also has this word, only it is very archaic.
"Hammar - someone, whose profession is "driving" a donkey."

jinzou said:

He clearly pronounces it "ḥammar" (חַמָּ&#1512, including the geminated מּ. Thus, it's a donkey driver and not a donkey which would be pronounced "ḥəmar/ḥəmor"

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It could also just be the voice actor who misspoke.