Swet Columns
Japanese and English express ideas in different ways, as every translator is regularly reminded, and ensuring natural output sometimes requires a little reflection. This column offers a record of grapples with thorny words and phrases.
October 12, 2016
Word Wise: Etc.?
など、など、等 Nado
By Richard Medhurst
Apprentice translators from Japanese to English soon encounter the など issue. Lists are typically followed by a など, and they may pop up with alarming frequency. Excessive use of “etc.” in English would be considered bad style, but Japanese follows different rules and we must deal with it.
It often goes without saying in English that there are... more
July 4, 2016
Word Wise: Covering All the Bases
徹底 Tettei
By Richard Medhurst
When Japanese companies, politicians, or other authority voices seek to reassure, one word they frequently reach for is 徹底. Sometimes it forms an adjective, as in 徹底的な調査, “a thorough investigation.” Depending what it is modifying, “complete,” “comprehensive,” “meticulous,” or “painstaking” are also potential translations for 徹底的 or 徹底 as an adjective.
The word appears as a verb too.... more
June 16, 2016
Word Wise: This Month’s Word Challenge
チャレンジ Charenji
By Richard Medhurst
It’s pretty common for loanwords to change their meaning as they enter Japanese from English and these can present translation difficulties. Take チャレンジ, which is used quite differently in its verb form in Japanese, inspiring such errors by Japanese learners of English (and out-of-their depth translators) as “I want to challenge skiing.” In the case ofスキーをチャレンジしたいです, it... more
May 10, 2016
Word Wise: Spreading the Word
普及 Fukyū
By Richard Medhurst
The widespread use of drones could bring economic growth, a recent NHK headline suggested, the Japanese ドローン普及で経済成長を featuring the highly versatile 普及. Given that the word is associated with spread and diffusion, it feels somehow appropriate that it is so prevalent across a range of Japanese texts. The choice of English translation will vary, depending on what... more
April 5, 2016
Word Wise: The Senses of “Sacred”
聖地 Seichi
By Lynne E. Riggs
This is the Japanese title for a series of articles about people who spearhead the creation of 聖地 for various attractions, such as film locations, anime settings, and blue jeans (see the original and the translation in three languages here). A perusal of the Internet shows that the word is widely used... more
March 9, 2016
Word Wise: Why Can’t We All Just Get On?
共生 Kyōsei
By Richard Medhurst
Look up 共生 in a J-E dictionary and you might find “symbiosis” or “coexistence,” but these rarely fit when I translate Japanese sentences. The former describes a mutual biological dependence, while the latter suggests a grudging acceptance. Take 自然と人類の共生; the ideal relationship between humanity and nature is generally described as “harmonious.” To talk of “harmony between people... more