What is "deculture" and Sheryl is French?

[ComicKaze]

So thinking about all the languages in the supposed multiculturalverse of Macross, are they actually probably speaking english or some mix of languages instead of Japanese?

When Sheryl writes on her mirror in lipstick she writes: "Desolee Grace, Je suis sortie, Je reviens pour le boulot. Bisous!" which is "Sorry Grace, I've gone out, I'll be back for work. Kisses!" Or is she just being fanciful and practicing the Japanese trend of using European languages in different contexts show show class/culture? Wasn't there a character in Macross Zero that had the same last name as Sheryl, was she French? I'm surprised they got it mostly right whereas if it was english it would almost always be horrible Engrish. (is there Flench?).

Also, just what is "deculture?". I've heard this a few times in Macross Frontier. The sign off is "see you next deculture" and it's in the Nyan Nyan song. "Nyan Nyan, Nyan Nyan, Ni hao Nyan, gorgeous, delicious, deculture!" What would the actual meaning be? Directly translated, it's "meow meow, meow meow, you well (hello) meow, gorgeous delicious, from-culture!" Is she saying that the food at Nyan Nyan is cultured? Also, is this Nyan Nyan related to Minmei's Nyan Nyan or is it like a franchise or traditional to have one in every colony?

Edited May 1, 2008 by ComicKaze

[Mr March]

In Macross Zero, Sara's last name was Nome. She wasn't french AFAIK, she was some south pacific island native.

Hahahah, "Flench" That's hilarious. I'm not sure if there is the french equivalent of engrish.

Based on the help of other members, I've written a entry for "Deculture" to add to the Macropedia.

Deculture (de culcha)

A Zentradi/Meltrandi expletive statement often spoken to communicate the feeling of shock. Included within the books for the Macross: Do You Remember Love? limited edition remastered DVD set, there's a list of Zentraedi/Meltrandi words and their Japanese/English translations. "De culcha" is translated as "stupid thing" or "terrifying thing". By themselves, "de" means "no" or acts as a negative prefix, and "culcha" means "wonderful thing". The closest english approximation would be the phrase "What the hell" in response to experiencing something shocking or bizarre. The phrase can also be used in a positive context, often spoken as a catch phrase for advertising.

Edited May 1, 2008 by Mr March

[Gubaba]

In SDFM and DYRL, I got the impression that everyone was meant to be speaking English (the Macross's screen was always in English, the lyrics that Misa translated, etc.). But Sheryl writes in French, Ranka texts in Japanese...MF is turning out to be far more global...

[ComicKaze]

In SDFM and DYRL, I got the impression that everyone was meant to be speaking English (the Macross's screen was always in English, the lyrics that Misa translated, etc.). But Sheryl writes in French, Ranka texts in Japanese...MF is turning out to be far more global...

Yeah, in DYRL, the flight controller, bridge, flight deck, etc. all had spoken Engrish for the beginning of the film and lost it as the film progressed.

[Sumdumgai]

Sara was singing in French in M0. Maybe Sheryl knows multiple languages?

[Repiv_Onex]

So thinking about all the languages in the supposed multiculturalverse of Macross, are they actually probably speaking english or some mix of languages instead of Japanese?

Personally I think the Language aspect is purely Anime Magic. (language and sound in space have been Anime Magic for a long long time)

Just like whoever mentioned it before; Sara (or the Mayans[years back since I last watched M0, were they mentioned as the Mayans?]) shouldn't be able to speak/sing/learn French. It's probably the producers that wanna make the Song sang in M0 French, no particular reason about it I think.

[Gubaba]

Personally I think the Language aspect is purely Anime Magic. (language and sound in space have been Anime Magic for a long long time)

Just like whoever mentioned it before; Sara (or the Mayans[years back since I last watched M0, were they mentioned as the Mayans?]) shouldn't be able to speak/sing/learn French. It's probably the producers that wanna make the Song sang in M0 French, no particular reason about it I think.

Why shouldn't they? As someone else has pointed out, a lot of South Pacific islands were colonized by French-speakers.

(But I DO think that having "Arkan" be in French kind of takes away some of the mystery...in should be in the Mayan language, like "Yanyan.")

But I agree that the whole thing is pretty anime magic-y...if Sheryl speaks French, and Ranka speaks Japanese...how do they understand each other? (Unless they speak "Basic" as well...)

[Final Vegeta]

In the official blog there is a guy holding a T-shirt where is written "Deculture = MOE". It kind of fits, but not totally.

FV

[Gui]

'Deculture' definitely isn't a french word, but in France we often hear/read the barbarism 'déculturé' which is supposed to mean 'which lost its culture, in whole or in part' and is an adjective built from 'déculturation' (loss of culture), a term often heard about descendants of immigrants who progressively lose or have already lost the culture of their original country. Anyway, 'déculturé' is never used to mean 'uncultured' or 'uneducated' in french, although lots of 'déculturé' people often are uncultured/uneducated because of various ethnic integration problems

Maybe zentrans and meltrans use 'deculture' to name items from the PC culture which they lost through times, some of these things having then slowly become more and more shocking to them

[RichterX]

Why shouldn't they? As someone else has pointed out, a lot of South Pacific islands were colonized by French-speakers.

(But I DO think that having "Arkan" be in French kind of takes away some of the mystery...in should be in the Mayan language, like "Yanyan.")

But I agree that the whole thing is pretty anime magic-y...if Sheryl speaks French, and Ranka speaks Japanese...how do they understand each other? (Unless they speak "Basic" as well...)

you do know people can learn any number of different languages right?

also it has happened before that native culture lose their native language and traditions due the actions of the colonizers and governments.

I am surprise that the legend of the bird human and the influence of the Protoculture was still present in the Mayans. For Protoculture legend and influence to still exist in the Mayan it should have been introduced within the last couple thousand years for it to survive word of mouth like within the last 10,000 years. It is stated that the Protoculture initiated the evolution of humanity so if they trigger it from our most ancient ancestors would that be what, 8 million years ago? if they triggered the evolution of modern humans that would have been when around 200,000 years ago?

Was there a age for the Aphos remains stated in M0?

I always thought that Deculture meant incredible, impossible or some statement of amazement. Considering that homo sapiens means "thinking man" and the meaning of human is "to be kind and gentle" would it be impossible to think that Protoculture meant "the amazing people" ?

[Chronocidal]

As far as the speech around the bridge goes, this even spills over into the episode 1 Deculture edition. The entire comm transmission to the ship with Sheryl aboard starts out in English, then moves to Japanese as the conversation becomes more informal.

That's natural though, especially in terms of air/space traffic control. Unless I'm remembering incorrectly, the official spoken language of air traffic control is English, no matter which country you're in. I think it has to do with making sure everyone is on the same page for safety reasons, and other things like that. At the very least, the English alphabet is still sometimes used in communications using the old "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot" etc. speech.

[Alex]

If "Deculture" translates as "terrifying thing/stupid thing" then the sign off at the end of the show "See you next deculture" makes even more sense after episode 4.

Edited May 1, 2008 by Alex

[ComicKaze]

If "Deculture" translates as "terrifying thing/stupid thing" then the sign off at the end of the show "See you next deculture" makes even more sense after episode 4.

Haha!!!

That's why I'm confused. Is the food at Nyan Nyan terrifyingly stupid?

When I watched DYRL way back when, I always thought Breetai was simply crying out: "THE CULTURE!!!!!!" in a way similar to "OH THE HUMANITY!!!!!!!" as a cry of terrified shock. But it turns out not to be "the culture" but "deculture"...so what the heck is deculture supposed to mean? It's everywhere in Macross...

[Radd]

I really don't understand what's so "anime magic" about the language, for reasons people have already stated. As for "deculture". it was covered in a thread not long ago, but it started as a Zentradi expletive, but has pretty much lost its original meaning. It seems to have taken a more positive context.

Now, it is only recently that I've heard the Compendium take on the word as an expletive, I've always thought it meant something like "the culture", especially since, well, the Protoculture has the word right in the name. Is it possible that that is exactly what it means, but for the warrior Zentradi without any culture other than war, it took on meaning as an expletive, especially when dealing with races that did have culture? The Zentradi certainly seemed to regard human culture as terrifying, and at times stupid. I suppose that's something only Egan Loo could fill us in on?

Edited May 1, 2008 by Radd

[Valkyrie addict]

hmmmm...well, it's obvious Macross is meant to be some sort of global show, in the original SDFM, most of the cast were from different area

Minmei: chinesse

Gloval: italian

Hikaru: japanese

Misa: japanses

Claudia: errrr...french?

Roy: american?

and well, Nyan Nyan is obviously a chain chinesse restaurant in the macross universe from the original in SDFM

you know, maybe Sheryl speaks different languages like a lot of people and decided to write it in french as some sort of code to her assistant, so not everyone, let's say the hotel maid, knew she had left

and err....deculture, I just take it a Macross expression of amazement

[wolfx]

and err....deculture, I just take it a Macross expression of amazement

I can't say what the original Zentran meaning of De Culture means since there are two camps, one saying its "WTF" and another saying "WOW".

But Deculture now especially after SDF definately means something along the lines of "AWESOMEEEE!!!"

Seriously....

?

[Wes]

Seriously....

?

Is there any question why he's eating alone?

[wolfx]

Is there any question why he's eating alone?

Oh you......

[Beltane70]

Yeah, in DYRL, the flight controller, bridge, flight deck, etc. all had spoken Engrish for the beginning of the film and lost it as the film progressed.

Those were actually not in Engrish, but actually regular English spoken by what sounded to be native speakers.

Claudia's birthplace is actually listed as America, so that would make her probably not French. She just happens to have a French last name.

Heck, technically Minmay is more Japanese than she is Chinese. If you look at her backgound, her father is only half Chinese/ half Japanese and her mother is fully Japanese.

Anyway, sorry to sort of derail the thread.

[Mr March]

Claudia's birthplace is actually listed as America, so that would make her probably not French. She just happens to have a French last name.

Maybe Claudia is from Louisiana. New Orleans is Sinking Gawd, I love that song

[Gubaba]

Those were actually not in Engrish, but actually regular English spoken by what sounded to be native speakers.

...until that fateful "Sankyuu!"

But then the English speakers come back for Global's press conference "OH MY GOD!" "They're ALIENS!"

[Beltane70]

...until that fateful "Sankyuu!"

But then the English speakers come back for Global's press conference "OH MY GOD!" "They're ALIENS!"

You forgot the female voice in English announcing the red alert for the approaching Meltrandi.

[Gubaba]

You forgot the female voice in English announcing the red alert for the approaching Meltrandi.

Yeah...she obviously learned English as a second language...and having a Japanese speaker say the word "warp" is just cruel, I think...

Just like the guy in MF episode 1, saying, "Reply to me" in that particularly pleading tone...

[Evelyn_15]

Is Sheryl Nome related to any of the Nome's in Macross Zero? That might explain the french on the mirror but I hightly doubt it. This Macross seems to be theeming with culture.

[Gubaba]

Is Sheryl Nome related to any of the Nome's in Macross Zero? That might explain the french on the mirror but I hightly doubt it. This Macross seems to be theeming with culture.

Short answer: We don't know yet.

Long answer: There's a whole thread about that, which gets more annoying with each page...so better just to stick with the short answer.

[JB0]

Just a thought on the whole deculture thing...

Wouldn't the term carry a different meaning to a modern human-allied zentradi than it would to an "uncontaminated" one?

For a native zentradi, culture is kinda like the boogeyman. If you're a bad little zentran and start hanging out with girls and listening to music, the culture will get you. And then the head admiral will have to vaporize your fleet. It's a Bad Thing.

So stay away from the dirty miclones. If you see one, run far away as fast as you can.

Don't look at them, don't listen to their song. If you do, even for just a second, The Culture will get you.

But for the transplanted zentradi that've successfully assimilated with humanity, it's not so scary. The boogeyman's already come, and they kicked his boogeyass back across the galaxy. Now they're free to hang out with girls, listen to music, and even dance at the disco! They've embraced culture, and it's pretty sweet.

Well, except for the disco part. But I hear that's dead again.

[Save]

In the official blog there is a guy holding a T-shirt where is written "Deculture = MOE". It kind of fits, but not totally.

FV

Your talking about "this guy" right?

Well that just happens to be your friendly neighborhood "Save".

Me and my friend made some shirts for Tokyo Anime Fair, and Big West got the joke. Deculture and Moe are very similar. When I have time I'll post the similarities.

[RichterX]

What is Moe?

[Radd]

Just a thought on the whole deculture thing...

Ja, that's precisely what I was thinking. It makes sense, in both the SW1 and post-SW1 contexts.

[Final Vegeta]

What is Moe?

Lovable girls like Ranka and Asahina Mikuru are moe. Aggressive girls like miclonized Klan and Asuka Soryu Langley instead are tsundere. These are anime technical terms, like real robot and super robot.

FV

[wolfx]

Moe is what makes otaku go "AWWWWWWWWW" and brings up their paternal (or perverted) instincts.

[Sumdumgai]

I think that "deculture" has been integrated into society the way "otaku"and other Japanese terms have been integrated into western countries. It loses the original meaning and takes on a new one, with the original meaning often being left behind or not known period.

[JValk]

in related news...

I CANT STOP WATCHING THIS...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfKho2nUbcQ

[JB0]

in related news...

I CANT STOP WATCHING THIS...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfKho2nUbcQ

*laughs*

Best remix ever.

[wolfx]

Basaranka? BOMBA!!!