A Guide to Japanese-English Translation

“Many translators make similar translation mistakes, which follow the same patterns.”

I have been fully engaged in translation for about 35 years. I originally majored in chemistry and history. However, I like foreign languages, and in the course of studying different languages on my own, I started to receive orders for translation of jargon-filled documents that not many people can understand. Then I got into translating.

I have been involved in translation as a checker for years in SunFlare. As the name suggests, a checker checks the translations of translators. A checker compares Japanese translations against original English sentences for inappropriate translations. He or she corrects inappropriate translations, if any, and lets the translator know about the mistakes.

After checking many translations for years, I found that many translators make similar translation mistakes, which follow the same patterns.

Then I started to hold study meetings with internal and external translators and collect these common mistakes into files so that they can be used as translation guides. These files were piled up into dozens of copies. Such knowhow should be used in one way or another. Because it is difficult to compile all the files into a book at one go, we decided to serialize them in "Tsuyaku-Honyaku Journal (IKAROS PUBLICATIONS LTD.)," a bimonthly magazine for those who want to become interpreters or translators, under the title of "Goyaku Pattern Kokufukuho," which means "How to Overcome Common Translation Mistakes" in Japanese.

They are compiled into this page under the title of "Honyaku no Izumi" once again. While some translation companies or translators tend to avoid making their translation knowhow public, SunFlare and I do not take such a stance.

>> For more information, click here. (Japanese Only)

Honyaku no Izumi

Honyaku no Izumi contains common mistakes that many translators tend to make, expressions that cannot be found in dictionaries and are difficult to translate, and secrets of clear, easy to read translation based on literal translation.

However, let me offer a piece of advice. Honyaku no Izumi is not intended for those who just started learning English or translation. If such readers try to tackle it head-on, it may give them indigestion because they cannot understand it at all.

It will be helpful and readable to translators with some experience in translation. I review it several times a year. Whenever I read it, I get caught up in it.

Translating is lonely work. When you encounter a problem, it is difficult to find a good adviser. Honyaku no Izumi may help you solve your problem with translation.

>> For more information, click here. (Japanese Only)

Columns

Basic rules to follow when preparing text to be translated were compiled into columns. A basic knowledge required to translate some fields of expertise, such as legal documents, biology, or patents, is also included because that may also be helpful when translating general documents. These are columns appended to each installment of the series.

>> For more information, click here. (Japanese Only)

Gaikokugo no Sanpomichi (The Path to Foreign Languages)

This section contains Internet information about overseas documents and stories about different languages. If you like foreign languages, you will find the section interesting. Additional interesting episodes will be released in the future.

>> For more information, click here. (Japanese Only)