In Word, there are many different functions that can be used to speed up translations. Macros, for example, are a great way of simplifying and standardizing repetitive phrases or formatting. Macros take some knowledge to implement, but they are very useful for all translators. For instance, if there is a specific phrase that is continuously used over the document, then you can create a macro so that you can just press a button every time you need to insert that word or phrase. Imagine the amount of time you can save by instead of typing out a full word every time, you just press a button and the entire word or phrase comes out.

Some translators also prefer to use voice to text programs to do their translations. The advantage of voice to text is that it is overall faster than typing. If you have a long document, you can get through it faster than if you were typing. Voice to text does come with some disadvantages though. You will need to make sure that you have a good microphone so that it can clearly pick up on your voice. You will also need to make sure that you speak clearly so that it does not mistake any of your words. You will also have to get used to the voice controls and customize it so that it fits your work habits. However, there are some programs that you can use to help fine tune the listening so that it captures exactly what you’re saying even if you aren’t speaking clearly.

In terms of programs that can be used, if you are not looking to spend too much money, there are free options like Google Docs that have a decent voice recognition system. Microsoft Word also has a dictate function that its users can use to type out their translations with their voices. Then there are more premium options such as DRAG0N which have built in AI that can learn from your voice patterns, or can learn from your direct input. Many translators who use voice dictation and get used to it tend to not go back to just typing out their translations.

For Asian languages such as Japanese, there are also programs such as ATOK that can automatically convert the text you are writing into the appropriate characters. Instead of manually having to sift through characters, the program will learn and recognize when certain characters should be used rather than others and then enter them for you. It can save a lot of time for translators not having to take the time to look for the appropriate character every time they translate.

Things can differ slightly depending on what language you are working with, but it’s always important to remember your audience and the area that you are translating. This post will cover some basic things that you will want to keep in mind while translating from English to Japanese.

1. Honorifics. Depending on what you are translating, you will have to think about how you will write names. Japanese is a language that places much importance on politeness and hierarchy, so when translating from English to Japanese, it is important to make sure that you are able to incorporate honorifics into your translation if necessary. For example, while in English, there is only really one way to say “Your Company,” there are several ways to say it in Japanese, but if you are talking to a valued customer, you wouldn’t just say “Your Company.” You would say something that would be equivalent to saying “Your esteemed company” in English. It is important to do this to not only show respect, but also allow others to know the status of the relationship, that is, the hierarchy of the relationship.
2. Kanji versus Hiragana/Katakana. For those of you that do not know, the Japanese writing system has three ways to write out their words. Kanji are Chinese characters while Hiragana and Katakana are more similar to the English alphabet in that each individual character can be used to spell out words. The difference between Hiragana and Katakana though is how they are typically used. Katakana is often seen in contexts where foreign words are being spelled out while Hiragana is typically more for Japanese words. Together all three of these make up the Japanese writing system.

However, when translating, it isn’t always clear when you should use either. You can use hiragana or katakana instead of Kanji and vice versa. Then there are situations where there might be a word in English that most Japanese speakers know, thus it doesn’t need to be translated into Japanese, and can just be phonetically written out in Japanese. For these distinctions, it is probably best to check with the client if you are not sure about which they might prefer, but typically you can just check online to see which version of the word is used more in the context of the original document.

3. Subject. In Japanese, it is normal for names or subjects to be dropped from sentences, so it can become a little difficult sometimes to determine with absolute certainty who or what is being talked about in certain sentences. For example, consider the following: “Sarah is out walking her dog. She will be back later.” If you were translating this into Japanese, you might use Sarah, but other than that, you would exclude “her” and “she.” You might even leave out “Sarah” depending on what the previous sentence was. Knowing when to drop the subject is an important skill to have and is easier for those who are native Japanese speakers than it is for English natives who learned Japanese.

There are many more important things to be careful of when translating English to Japanese, but this is just a short, and brief introduction into translating English to Japanese. I hope if you are starting out as an English to Japanese translator that you will find this short post helpful.

Antonina W. Bouis is one of the best in this business, a renowned translator of around 50 books from Russian into English. She says many readers don’t fully appreciate the art of translation; “When you translate a book, you basically “write” a book. Of course, there’s an outline you’re supposed to stick to – to be forced to remain within the confines of the given project. Also, every author has to sound different; they can’t all sound like Boius.”

So which books on your bookshelf have been translated from another language into English and vice versa?

Some examples are the epic-fantasy novels in which the popular Game of Thrones TV series was inspired by; A Song of Ice and Fire, which have been published into over 20 languages, including Japanese, German and Swedish.

Article: http://rbth.ru/articles/2012/07/23/telling_russian_stories_in_english_16573.html

Explore the fun between human and animal communication in different languages!

Unless you were lucky enough to grow up speaking multiple languages, learning a whole new one can be an extremely difficult task. Still, people are willing to put in hundreds of dollars and hours in order to officially call themselves bilingual.

However, we aren’t the only ones capable of achieving this feat… animals are too, and it’s quite a bit simpler.

Avid Scooby-Doo fans know that our animal companions will do practically anything for a tasty snack, and that includes learning new and already-known commands in a different language. By assigning hand gestures with a command in the desired language, your dog will eventually be able to respond to the word or sentence in both languages simultaneously without the need for hand signs or body language.

If you want to see a bilingual dog in action watch this video of a man who taught his dog multiple commands in both English AND Japanese: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdDMvXCeaN8

To expand on the sports post we published last week, we found some interesting information that looked into the life of a baseball interpreter. Most specifically, the relationship between Japanese interpreter, Mike Peters, and his client, Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ryota Igarashi has blossomed into a great friendship.

Professionally, Peters acts as a bridge between Igarashi and the coaches, but he also plays the role of friend and even driver. Unfortunately, Igarashi’s career has taken a turn for the worst when he was sent down to the minor leagues after playing for the New York Mets. He then was traded to the Pittsburg Pirates, released, and eventually picked up by the Toronto Blue Jays. This relationship was strongest when Igarashi was a member of the New York Mets.

When the pitching coach of the Mets would go over the complicated game plan, Peters would frantically write down every detail and translate the notes to Igarashi later. Peters, who is half-Japanese, would teach Igarashi English, find good restaurants in each city the Mets traveled to, and showed him the way through confusing American airports. One time, when Peters couldn’t lead Igarashi through the airport, he texted Igarashi the words to say.

This type of personal relationship between interpreter and client is fairly common and can be beneficial in helping the client assimilate to American culture. It has been said that English is one of the most difficult languages to learn, but with interpreters who go the extra mile, it can make for a smooth transition.

Photo provided by Associated Press

Story and photo found at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903596904576514683404636782.html