TIPS on how to translate Japanese to English more accurately

I don't know how helpful making this topic may be but I'm willing to give it a shot. For all you Japanese veterans please lend some of your knowledge to me. In your opinion what is the best way to translate Japanese to English without wondering if you got the translation down or not?

Are there any patterns I should learn? Anything I should know? Do I need have a certain level of Japanese and English mastered to fully understand how to translate accurately?

Please leave any kind of advice you can. I'm sure no matter what it is i'll learn something from it.

Unless you're native in both, there's always going to be parts you're not 100% sure on. The obvious advice is to be well-versed in both langauges, but the real kicker is you need to be situationally prepared for whatever you're translating. Example: Something as simple as rules to a sports game can be incredibly difficult to translate if you've never played the game.

Unless it is your goal to be a translator, I suggest not translating at all.

^I wouldn't ask other wise if I didn't WANT to translate.

Can you tell a bit more about your language situation, whether you've tried translating anything such as for class assignment ? If you give no personal info with a somewhat abstract question, answering in any manner has the danger of grabbing after the wind -- I have tried answering certain minimalist questions with the result that I made quite a fool of myself. I really don't mind the work being wasted because at least I am comforted with the thought that I could excercise my mind, but I regret that I was out of context regardless of my intention - a seriuous blow to my self image that I communicate okay. Please tell more. I don't speak Japanese, but have experience with academic translation involving several languages.

I find that the best way to translate between two languages is to understand them both and know how people communicate with them. I know it's crazy but it just might work!

DingoEnderZOE2 said:

^I wouldn't ask other wise if I didn't WANT to translate.

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As you well know, Diego, many of the dialogues and conversation pieces you ask for help on here involve colloquial or indirect expressions that only a native speaker in both English and Japanese, such as Epigene, can handle adeptly. Although I'm not sure if you're referring to these sorts of translations or not, you might want to try more straightforward materials (I usually practice with brief online newspaper articles or magazine ads etc) until you feel more comfortable with whatever it is you're having trouble with.

I agree with the other posters on this thread. You need to have as much exposure to Japanese as is possible. Immersion in a Japanese-speaking environment is ideal, but there are people who work hard at gaining exposure by reading lots of books, magazines, etc., and watching dramas and anime.

There is no quick solution. If you're thinking of accurate translation of manga/anime right away, that's very hard because dialogue is difficult to translate. As it is also true in English (or maybe any other langage), there is a lot of things that are "unsaid" and understood in dialogue--it may be past developments in the story, historical and cultural background, etc., latest trends in society, mass media, pop/youth culture, popular terminology, etc.

If you are just practicing translation, I agree with Elizabeth that you should start with "standard" Japanese used in newspapers and magazines. That is how I started, too (in English in my case). It is also good if you can find a native Japanese speaker for a friend or language exchange partner. That way, you learn how Japanese is spoken and can ask questions right away.

I don't know how much experience you have with Japanese, but if you haven't had any extensive experience of immersion in a Japanese-speaking environment, you are doing quite well with your translation practice. Language study, including translation, never ends because you can never reach perfection (even in your native language--unless you are exceptionally gifted).

Sorry I can't be here to answer your questions all the time.
Also, my apologies for rambling...can't organize my thoughts when it's already past my bedtime.

DingoEnderZOE2 said:

^I wouldn't ask other wise if I didn't WANT to translate.

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Fair enough. Have you taken a look at the "Honyaku" group on Yahoo?

I don't think there is a way to always be accurate in translating, unless it is more of professional writings. Japanese can have different meanings in english, the words to choose would be subjective to one's own opinion. Just keep cracking at it I guess.
I don't want to be a translator but, I do want to work in Japan for a while and be able to teach my child to speak japanese. As it wil be half his culture.
Good Luck!

mikecash said:

Fair enough. Have you taken a look at the "Honyaku" group on Yahoo?

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Is that Yahoo Japan? I looked on both and didn't find too much. The most active group on a honyaku search (on Japan) was one that discussed a translation tool.

It sounds obvious I suppose that the first step towards accuracy is simply to make sense in your own language, but it's amazing how many English-Japanese learners I've seen make translations that you have to read and re-read because they are either incredibly awkward or outright not grammatically correct. And I'm often guilty of the same thing in Japanese. Out of a desire for literalness and to maintain a similar tone to the original which isn't particularly critical anyway, for regular non-professional, non-artistic types of works. Don't be reluctant to go with what you know best I guess is what I'm saying.

GaijinPunch said:

Is that Yahoo Japan? I looked on both and didn't find too much. The most active group on a honyaku search (on Japan) was one that disucussed a translation tool.

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The thing is, though, the group consists to a large degree of people who translate professionally. I think it would be a far better resource for asking advice on all aspects of Japanese<>English translation than would the JREF forums. (Not that I'm trying to drive the OP off or anything, just help steer him to a useful resource).

Bringing this back up to see if I can get more input on this topic.

DingoEnderZOE2 said:

Bringing this back up to see if I can get more input on this topic.

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Are you translating for fansubs, or as Mike said, doing something professionally...?

Translating for fansubs I think is even more difficult, because you are most interested in idioms and dialect, and idiosyncracies of Japanese--- Even most commercial DVD these days have somewhat lackluster translation, and this comes from the Japanese... if you watch a movie these days you'll miss 50% of the real conversation at the expense of a casual translation.