I'm 50% confused.（～をあげておきたい）?

[Nicky]

So I had this old magazine laying around and I thought I'd try to translate some of it into english. Of course I'm having problems.

あらゆる角度から美人度をアップ

大切なその当日を迎えるまでに、オンナとしてやっておきたいことはありませんか? プレゼントの準備やへアメイクなどのハード面はもちろんのことも、ぐんと美人度をあげておきたいものです。そこで、まずはフェイシャルエステのコースから「マイクロ・ダーマブレーション」をチョイス。若い肌だけを残し、老化した皮膚面を除去するという技術が、あなたの顔に輝きを与えてくれます。

The first half is kind of confusing.

やっておきたいことはありませんか

Does it mean "do you not have anything (to do) planned in advance"
(As in, wants to do something but probably still trying to figure out what to do.)

Or "do you not want to do anything in advance"
(just plain ol' lazy)?

Or some third option that I haven't considered yet?

プレゼントの準備やへアメイクなどのハード面はもちろんのことも、ぐんと美人度をあげておきたいものです。

I don't know what this one means at all.

Can someone give me a correct translation of this sentence before my head explodes? :?

 

[Elizabeth]

The first half is kind of confusing.

大切なその当日を迎えるまでに、オンナとしてやっておきたいことはありませんか?
By the time that all important day comes, as a mature woman isn't there something you want to have done ???

プレゼントの準備やへアメイクなどのハード面はもちろんのことも、ぐんと美人度をあげておきたいものです。
I understand everything here with the exception of "ハード面." Is that a recent piece of slang or youthspeak ?

 

[moofs]

Is that what that sentence means?

For some reason I thought the sentence 大切なその当日を迎えるまでに、オンナとしてやってお きたいことはありませんか? means something like "Until/Before the big day arrives (big day being wedding day), isn't there something that you'd want to do as a women [for that day]?" It could be plural (most likely) so it'd be more like "aren't there things that you'd want to do as a women?"

Though I don't know why you would need to prepare presents (unless there's some present-giving tradition in Japanese weddings that I don't know about). But like, keeping up your outer appearance and beauty so as to look your best on that big day...

I just get the feeling that 大切なその当日 is pointing at a women's wedding day.

I'm not Japanese though, so that's just my hunch...
Basically, the first sentence is a question asking "As a women, shouldn't you do something before/until that very important day comes?"

 

[Elizabeth]

Is that what that sentence means?
For some reason I thought the sentence 大切なその当日を迎えるまでに、オンナとしてやってお きたいことはありませんか? means something like "Until/Before the big day arrives (big day being wedding day), isn't there something you should do as a women [for that day]?"
Though I don't know why you would need to prepare presents (unless there's some present-giving tradition in Japanese weddings that I don't know about). But like, keeping up your outer appearance and beauty so as to look your best on that big day...
I just get the feeling that 大切なその当日 is pointing at a women's wedding day.
I'm not Japanese though, so that's just my hunch...
Basically, the first sentence is a question asking "As a women, shouldn't you do something before/until that very important day comes?"

Oh, OK, yeah I knew it meant big day but had no notion of what. That helps a lot

 

[Nicky]

I understand everything here with the exception of "ハード面." Is that a recent piece of slang or youthspeak ?

I don't know. It brings up 884,000 results in google but I can't seem to find a definition of it anywhere.

I just get the feeling that 大切なその当日 is pointing at a women's wedding day.

Sorry. I probably should have mentioned this earlier, the magazine is old and it's a Valentine's day/Feb issue. So the appointed day is Valentine's day.

 

[undrentide]

I believe that ハード面 means that the hardware's side. (面 = side)
It's a metaphoric way of expression, like when you are talking about there are two categories of things; hardware and software - it applies to human being as well, hardware here means materialistic things such as presents, special make-up, dress, etc. while ソフト面 (software) would mean something mental (like special approach to one's boyfriend or boyfriend-to-be or partner).
Women need to get prepared for the special occasion such as Valentine's Day, both mentally and physically, to make it very romantic and pleasant.

Hope this explanation makes sense.

 

[Elizabeth]

I believe that ハード面 means that the hardware's side. (面 = side)
It's a metaphoric way of expression, like when you are talking about there are two categories of things; hardware and software - it applies to human being as well, hardware here means materialistic things such as presents, special make-up, dress, etc. while ソフト面 (software) would mean something mental (like special approach to one's boyfriend or boyfriend-to-be or partner).
Women need to get prepared for the special occasion such as Valentine's Day, both mentally and physically, to make it very romantic and pleasant.
Hope this explanation makes sense.

Undrentide san, would you mind translating all or a part of this back into
Japanese ? I'd like to send it to a couple people that aren't very romantic and might have a very hard time with mine. Arigatou !

 

[undrentide]

ここでハード面というのは、コンピューターにハードウェアとソフトウェアがあるように、人間にもハードとソフトの両方があるという比喩的な表現ではないでしょうか。
例えばバレンタインデーに備えてプレゼントや特別なメイクアップやドレスを用意するのがハード面なら、相手に対して精神的にも準備する（どんな話をしようかとかどんなふうに振舞おうかとか）のがソフト面ということなのではないかと思います。
（Ｎｉｃｋｙさんが例として引用した内容だと「ハード面はもちろんのこと」といいながらその後もファイシャルエステ(facial treatment)の話なのでソフト面ではないようですが・・・）

ごめんなさい、Ｅｌｉｚａｂｅｔｈさんが日本語にして欲しいと思っている内容がこういうことでいいのかどうかよくわからなく

 

[epigene]

Elaborating on the use of ハード面 and ソフト面 , the words "hard" and "soft" originate from the English "hardware" and "software," as you already noticed. The definition of these terms have been expanded quite "generously" in Japanese to point to anything that is outwardly visible and tangible as "hard/hardware" and anything inside, invisible, intangible as "soft/software." In a railway system, for instance, railway tracks, stations, signals, etc. are considered "ハード" and the system (schedule planning, passenger control, etc.) in place to make things work is called "ソフト."

If you see these terms the next time, you need to interpret it broadly and apply the definition based on context. This is the basis for undrentide's interpretation of these terms as used in the text Nicky presented in her post.

If you see these terms the next time, you need to interpret it broadly and apply the definition based on context. This is the basis for undrentide's interpretation of these terms as used in the text Nicky presented in her post.

HTH!

 

[Glenn]

Reminds me of Alton Brown's use of "hardware" (blenders, knives, peelers, etc.) and "software" (eggs, flour, butter, etc.). Other than that the use of the terms hasn't broadened in English that I'm aware of.

 

[Elizabeth]

ごめんなさい、Ｅｌｉｚａｂｅｔｈさんが日本語にして欲しいと思っている内容がこういうことでいいのかどうかよくわからなくて・・・

どうもありがとうございます！

やたらとカタカナ言葉を使う最近の若者にうんざりしているけど。。。