Articles
February 9, 2004
Reading Japanese Advertising: Print to TV
John L. McCreery
In his second article about Japanese advertising, John McCreery turns to the medium of television, which has unique possibilities not found in print advertising.
In the last issue of the SWET Newsletter, I talked generally about [url=https://www.swet.jp/articles/list/100_0_7_10_C/]how to read Japanese ads[/url] and illustrated the approach I advocate by looking at the print ads for the... more
May 2, 2003
Reading Japanese Advertising
by John L. McCreery
What does it mean to understand an ad? And what specifically does it mean to understand a Japanese ad? The ads we examine are more than an opportunity to learn about Japanese advertising; they are also an opportunity to learn something about the society in which those ads were produced.
When asked if I... more
March 1, 2000
Kim Schuefftan and the Heyday of Culture Books
by Lynne E. Riggs
Kim Schuefftan’s claim that he has been in Japan from Jōmon 3 is easily betrayed by his youthful smile and ruddy complexion. A few gray hairs and stories of books now considered classics in the world of publishing on Japan advise us that he is a senpai par excellence. Actually, he came to Japan in 1963. Starting... more
December 1, 1999
What’s in a Page?
by Lynne E. Riggs
FAQ corner Setting Your Units of Charge
What’s in a page? 250 English words, 350 words, 200 words, 25 lines, 2000 characters, 400 characters, 200 characters, 1200 characters . . .
All of these, and others, are commonly encountered “standard” pages, by one measure or other. Translators, editors, proofreaders, rewriters, book designers, typists/keyboarders—wordsmiths of all kinds—consort with several of these... more
December 10, 1996
How Splitting Wood With an Axe is a Lot Like Translating
by Richard Sadowsky (professional translator living on Awaji Island)
Thin pieces don't have to be hit hard, just in the right spot. You get thirsty after doing it for a while. Some wood is soft, some is hard. It helps to know which is which. A piece has to be stood up and positioned for each swing. If you've never done it before, you'll swing and... more