Scanlation, from SCAN (or 'SCANned') + transLATION, is the unauthorized translation of a foreign graphic novel, usually Japanese yaoi or other sexually explicit work, from Japanese into English. Typically the scanlator scans the hardcopy text into a computer, and electronically whites out the Japanese characters in the thought balloons to replace them with English text.
Illegality is the essence of scanlation, as opposed to authorized translations in which rights are granted, royalties scheduled, and chain of intellectual property is maintained. Many scanlators will argue that the more erotic or hardcore types of manga (yaoi, bara maga) are rarely translated into English, and that even a Japanese best-seller can sit untranslated for years. (Example: the graphic novels of Gengorah Tagame, like his three-volume PRIDE, which has as subject matter the training of a novice in BSDM techniques and includes very explicit sexual language and images, and scenes of torrture.)
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Illegality is the essence of scanlation, as opposed to authorized translations in which rights are granted, royalties scheduled, and chain of intellectual property is maintained. Many scanlators will argue that the more erotic or hardcore types of manga (yaoi, bara maga) are rarely translated into English, and that even a Japanese best-seller can sit untranslated for years. (Example: the graphic novels of Gengorah Tagame, like his three-volume PRIDE, which has as subject matter the training of a novice in BSDM techniques and includes very explicit sexual language and images, and scenes of torrture.)
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-- "I'm reading a scanlation of a Japanese 'bear-loving-bear' manga."
-- "Is it any good?"
-- "Definitely gets the plot points across, though sometimes the English is a little sketchy. The scanlator uses spellings like "colour" and "honor" so it's probably someone from the British Commonwealth or perhaps a Japanese person who learned English using English spellngs. No way of telling, really, their blogs don't have to say where they live or what they do."
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-- "Is it any good?"
-- "Definitely gets the plot points across, though sometimes the English is a little sketchy. The scanlator uses spellings like "colour" and "honor" so it's probably someone from the British Commonwealth or perhaps a Japanese person who learned English using English spellngs. No way of telling, really, their blogs don't have to say where they live or what they do."
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by al-in-chgo April 7, 2010
Get the Scanlationmug. "Jenny, I'm not lending you my phone any more. It had foo goo on the face that I had to scrape off. Were you eating fried chicken or what?"
by al-in-chgo October 6, 2013
Get the foo goomug. Britishism for a public-address or loudspeaker system, a use of a corporate name as generic, like the American "Coke machine" or "Kleenex". Derived from TANtalum allOY, the Tannoy company builds loudspeakers and high-end audio speakers and is still in business.
"Where are you going, Mac?"
"Didn't you hear? They came over the tannoy five minutes ago and said we'd be closing early on account of Christmas Eve."
"Didn't you hear? They came over the tannoy five minutes ago and said we'd be closing early on account of Christmas Eve."
by al-in-chgo December 19, 2014
Get the tannoymug. Literary slang for "came" (or "cummed")," or "had orgasm." The anti-hero in Anthony Burgess' dystopian novel, A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (played by Malcolm McDowell in the movie) 'broke and spattered' at the end of intercourse.
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"So I was doing my girlfriend, and I had been humping away for about half an hour -- "
"Dude, you have great discipline. I would have broke and spattered after five minutes!"
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"So I was doing my girlfriend, and I had been humping away for about half an hour -- "
"Dude, you have great discipline. I would have broke and spattered after five minutes!"
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by al-in-chgo March 12, 2010
Get the Broke and Spatteredmug. .
Q: What's a Gay Eight?
A: Six inches.
Q: OK, so what's a genuine eight inches?
A: No one I know (sighs).
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Q: What's a Gay Eight?
A: Six inches.
Q: OK, so what's a genuine eight inches?
A: No one I know (sighs).
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by al-in-chgo May 16, 2010
Get the eight inchesmug. A long, convoluted anecdote, often told simply to result in a sentence that consists almost entirely of puns.
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One classic shaggy dog story involves a man named Hugh who is out to stop a couple of monks from growing flowers for money:
"Remember Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars."
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"Remember Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars."
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by al-in-chgo March 13, 2010
Get the shaggy dog storymug. To perform menial or trivial services for one's superiors, with the implication that the agent is capable of doing nothing more significant.
Alderman "X" does not seem concerned with his constituents; what he does best is haul water for the administration.
by al-in-chgo July 23, 2016
Get the haul watermug.