It looks like Japanese text don't use spaces between words, not even in informal messages (yes perhaps in textbooks, but I digress). This page claims that a sentence with spaces inbetween just looks weird, example:
私の名前は ゆかです。
But it seems like Japanese subtitles in Jdramas / animes etc use spaces, not just once or twice, but all the time.
On the contrary, the comma 、
is almost non-existent. It's almost as if each comma in a subtitle is replaced with a space instead.
I'm using the subtitles posted on d-addicts as an example. Out of over 2000 Japanese sub files, only roughly ~5%* contain the 、
character. In some files, the comma actually only appeared once or twice.
Some threads like 東野圭吾 and 秘密諜報員 エリカ did not state the original source of the subtitles, but others like 医龍 3 and ちりとてちん do claim to have the subtitles extracted from the TV broadcast:
These subtitles were extracted from the corresponding TV broadcast. Text wasn’t edited in any way. Due to some technical reasons there might be several missing characters and/or lines. Timing is not perfect but still good (at least not worse than original timing for TV).
D-addicts' examples of using spaces instead of comma:
Anime mkv files also have "built-in" subs using spaces instead of comma, for example the movie Mugiwara Chase:
Why is it that instead of using commas, Japanese subtitles use spaces instead?
What is the reason for this oddity?
==
*List of d-addict files with comma:
- 1リットルの涙 # 1-2
- 1 Litre of Tears # 8
- Aishiteru # 1
- Ashita no Kita Yoshio # 11
- Atami no Sousakan # 3
- Bara no nai Hanaya # 1-4
- BOSS # 4-8
- Buzzer Beat # 11
- Cat Street # 1-5
- Celeb to Binbo Taro # 7
- Fuyu no Sakura # 9
- Gakko ja Oshierarenai! #2
- GM Odore Doctor # 9
- Gokusen 3rd ep06, # 8
- Haken no Hinkaku # 1
- Hanayome no Chichi # SP
- Hayami san to Yobareru Hi # 2
- Honboshi ~ Shinri Tokuso Jikenbo # 2
- Innocent Love # 3
- Isshun no Kaze ni Nare # SP part 3
- Kaeru no Ojou sama # 4, 5
- Kamen Rider Double # 1-17
- Kansahojin # 5
- Keibuho Yabe Kenzo # 4, 5
- Kimi Hannin Janai yo ne # 8
- Koukousei Restaurant # 5
- Kurumi no Heya # 1-6
- Last Friends # 8
- Last Money ~Ai no Nedan~ # 1
- Lost Time Life # 1
- Lotto 6 de 3 oku 2 senman En Ateta Otoko # 5
- Maou # 5, 11
- Marumo no Okite # 4
- Monster Parent # 1
- Nanase Futatabi # 8
- Nihongo de Kurasou # 1
- Nihonjin no Shiranai Nihongo # 1-2
- Nemureru Mori # 1-12
- Ohitorisama # 7
- Ohsama_no_resutoran # 1-3
- Orthros no Inu # 1-3, 5, 8-9
- Piece Vote # 6
- Ryoukiteki Na Kanojo # 4-5
- Saigo no Kizuna
- Shanghai Typhoon # 4
- Shikaotoko Aoniyoshi # 1-2
- Soredemo, Ikite Yuku # 6
- Stand Up!! # 7
- Sunao ni Narenakute # 4
- Tenshi no Wakemae # 1-3
- Tomorrow # 8-10
- Umareru # 10
- Unfair the special ~Double Meaning Nijuu Teigi
- Zettai Kareshi # 5-6
- デカ黒川鈴木 # 4
- MR. BRAIN # 6-8
バイブレーターの音
andドアベルの音
to help people understand what's going on. That site uses them to help the translators work more quickly instead of by ear, or instead of going from Eng->Spa and such, and some use them to study.