Sen'you Says You?

[AmuroNT1]

So, this topic might seem a bit odd, but it does in fact relate to mecha because it's about a recurring term that pops up in multiple series, so I'm putting it in this section. If the mods feel it should be better off in another area, I understand.

Anyhow, this is a question for people out there with a better understanding of the Japanese language than I have. As I said, there's a term that pops up a lot in mecha - sen'you (専用), which literally means "exclusive use". It shows up in a few cases, like machine names (Char's Custom Zaku II for one), but also in weapon names. For example, the Kämpfer's shotguns, Efreet's heat sabers, and (over in Code Geass) the Bradford's dual arms all have "sen'you" appended to their names.

My question is...what do people think is the best way of translating the term in this context? Personally I've been using "Custom", but I recognize that it might not be the best at communicating the meaning of the original Japanese. On the other hand, I feel that using a word like "Exclusive" might be more accurate but doesn't quite sound right to the ear. So, what do you guys think?

[Henyo]

to me custom is a personal version of a common/mass produced weapon. like in RPGs with weapon customization options yes?

designated/sole use doesn't sound quite right either. i'll try asking my friend's opinion on the word.

Btw, how is the word attached? i mean does it come before the units/weapons name first or after? or is it just in descriptions?

[Dark Duel]

Btw, how is the word attached? i mean does it come before the units/weapons name first or after? or is it just in descriptions?

The first example that comes to my mind would be the Guren Mk-II's forearm-mounted gun, which I have seen referred to as "Sen'yō Handgun"(専用ハンドガン) and which I've seen translated as "Custom Handgun".

[Arsarcana]

I'd stick with Custom. It's understood and it's even got the stamp of officialness of sorts.

Btw, how is the word attached? i mean does it come before the units/weapons name first or after? or is it just in descriptions?

For machines always attached after the name of the character, though the mecha name can come before or after. Sometimes they use Senyouki instead, same idea but it emphasizes that we're talking about a machine specifically. You can see two examples from gunpla manuals below, one uses the [Mecha Name] (Character Name Custom) ordering and the other uses the (Character Name Custom) [Mecha Name] ordering. You can also see from them that 'Custom' seems to be the preferred rendering into English. Well, sometimes they use 'Customize' and sometimes the more appropriate 'Customized' but it all depends on the kit in question.

http://www.dalong.net/review/mg/m59/p/m59_m0001.JPG
http://www.dalong.net/review/mg/m66/p/m66_m0001.jpg

[AmuroNT1]

The first example that comes to my mind would be the Guren Mk-II's forearm-mounted gun, which I have seen referred to as "Sen'yō Handgun"(専用ハンドガン) and which I've seen translated as "Custom Handgun".

If you'll allow me to nitpick for a moment here (since Geass is my thing ), the Guren's arm gun seems to have been cemented as a 43mm grenade launcher; the custom handgun is the one seen on the Gekkas.

But yes, you're spot-on with the use of "sen'you" in terms of weapons. It's always put at the start of the name, like "sen'you shotgun", "sen'you heat saber", etc.

The odd thing is, the dictionary definition of "custom" (made specially for individual customers) fits "sen'you" just about perfectly. However, due to word meanings drifting over time, "custom" can be interpreted in different contexts, which seems to be where the confusion comes from.

[Dark Duel]

Huh. I wasn't aware of that - I checked a couple of places including MAHQ, and it's referred to as "custom handgun" in the profile there - or at least it is in the basic Guren MkII's profile. Looking again it is referred to as a grenade launcher in the Guren Flight Type MAHQ profile, but not the original's.
Odd.

[AmuroNT1]

Yeah, a lot of information came out between the two seasons, and obviously even more has come in the decade since the show debuted.

EDIT: And here's another one that's sprung to mind: "shiyou" (仕様), which literally translates as "specification". It pops up a lot in Code Geass (like the Akatsuki commander unit, named the "Zikisan Shiyou"). This is another case where just saying "Custom" doesn't quite feel right, but then neither does the more accurate "Spec".

[Xenosynth]

I sort of started shifting towards 'use' more. As in, 'Zaku IIS Char Aznable Use.'

Though it might just be one of my developed eccentricities that might not hold any ground. I do the same with Kai (modified). I tend to prefer just using Kai even when an official source uses custom just because it's inconsistent. (Zaku III/Efreet Custom, GM Kai, Hyaku Shiki Kai, are all official, but they all use 'Kai' as the Kanji. So what qualifies certain machines as having custom be the translation, vs kai? Then you also run into the weird case of the GM Custom being a separate machine. It's... just inconsistent seeming overall?)

[Henyo]

I sort of started shifting towards 'use' more. As in, 'Zaku IIS Char Aznable Use.'

i'm also fine with that translation. the problem is it wouldn't get the message across to fans in the making. similar to Card Captor's Sakura's signature cry "Hoe." they'd think of something else. then again, there's fun to be had in misunderstanding/translating Japanese.

as for Shiyou, think "specialized" would work as a translation? it sounds fine to me.

on a side note, the word reminded me work. we use that word and there's a whole department with that word: Shiyousho.

[E08]

"Shiyou" (仕様) can also be translated as 'Type' as seen with the names of GM Cold District Type, Jegan Ecoas Type and more recently, the Graze Ground Type.

[MythSearcher]

I must say that I see no reason to translate 2 different usage into one single word.
The first meaning a machine is customized to fit the usage of a certain person, the second meaning something specifically designed for a machine.

So I'd say Char's custom, but Shotgun for Kampfer, etc.

[Xenosynth]

That is also very true since translation is not 1:1. Only reason I do it for Kai is consistency, but theoretically there is no reason that it does need to be the same.