Japanese Translation Research Articles

Sound Japanese corpus to help Jiangmen's cultural and tourism industry develop in high-quality

Nowadays, epidemic prevention and control are fully liberalized, the domestic economic situation is good, and the tourism fever climbs. The hit of the TV series "Rampage" made Jiangmen tourism become a popular tourist city for a while. For this reason, it is urgent to improve and supplement the translated foreign propaganda materials of Jiangmen attractions promptly, and at the same time increase its language variety, to help Chinese and foreign cultural exchanges, and then enhance the international influence of Jiangmen attractions. By analyzing the current situation of Japanese corpus translation of domestic attractions, combining with the existing Japanese corpus translation of foreign attractions that can be learned from, using the knowledge learned to try to supplement the Japanese translation materials of Jiangmen attractions, and providing reference opinions for the key issues raised.

Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy Health Index: Japanese translation and validation study

Purpose The Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy Health Index (FSHD-HI) is a patient-reported outcome measure developed for patients with FSHD. This study aimed to translate the FSHD-HI into Japanese (FSHD-HI-J), evaluate cultural adaptation, and examine its psychometric properties. Materials and methods We created two forward translations, integrated them into a single Japanese version, and evaluated the back-translated version of the FSHD-HI. After finalizing the translation and cultural adaptation, we conducted a survey of 66 patients with FSHD to examine the reliability and validity of the FSHD-HI-J. For psychometric evaluations, we used Cronbach’s alpha to assess internal consistency, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for test-retest reliability, and assessed validity based on the associations between FSHD-HI-J, clinical variables, and quality of life measures. Results The FSHD-HI-J was found to be clinically relevant, indicating high internal consistency and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.92 [95% confidence interval: 0.86-0.95] for the total score), as well as significant associations with clinical variables (D4Z4 repeats and functional impairment) and other quality of life measures (|rho| = 0.25-0.73). Conclusions The FSHD-HI-J is a valid and reliable patient-reported outcome measure for Japanese patients with FSHD. This validated, disease-specific patient-reported outcome is essential for future clinical practice and clinical trials.

A Japanese translation of the Swedish Universities Scales of Personality.

The Swedish Universities Scales of Personality (SSP) is a personality measurement tool with a short test battery of high psychometric quality, previously not availiable in Japanese. We translated the SSP into Japanese and administered it to 103 Japanese nationals. For 11 of the 13 SSP scales in the Japanese version of the SSP (SSP-J11), the Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.50 to 0.82 with good internal scale reliability. A principal factor analysis replicated the previous work by identifying the same three principal dimensions of Neuroticism, Aggression, and Extraversion factors. The resulting three-factor SSP-J11 shows acceptable reliability and should provide informative insights about personality traits in research and clinical practice in a Japanese context.

The Dissemination and Acceptance of Chinese Science Fiction Literature in Japan—A Case Study of the Japanese Translation of The Three-Body Problem

Liu Cixin’s “The Three-Body Problem” has received worldwide attention and brought Chinese science fiction into the vision of readers around the world. Among them, the Japanese translated version has been sold well all the way once it was released, becoming a new benchmark of Chinese science fiction literature in Japan. This paper focuses on the case of the dissemination and acceptance of the Three-Body Problem series in Japan, analyzes the reasons for its phenomenal dissemination effect, and explores the replicable and effective path for the dissemination of Chinese science fiction in Japan, with a view to providing references for the overseas dissemination of Chinese literature.

Gestational Age and Neurodevelopmental Delay in Term Births at 6 and 12 Months: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)

BackgroundIn the recent years, a high risk of developmental delay not only in very low birth weight infants and late preterm infants but also in early term infants (37–38 weeks) have increasingly been reported. However, in Japan, there are virtually no studies regarding the development delays in early term infants.MethodsThis study used the data from the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS), a birth cohort study conducted in Japan. Data were selected for analysis from the records of 104,065 fetal records. The risk of neurodevelopmental delays at 6 months and 12 months after birth was evaluated using multivariate analysis for infants of various gestational ages, using the 40th week of pregnancy as a reference value. Neurodevelopment was evaluated at 6 months and 12 months after birth using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, Japanese translation (J-ASQ-3).ResultsThe proportion of infants born at a gestational age of 37 to 38 weeks who did not reach the J-ASQ-3 score cutoff value was significantly higher in all areas at both 6 months and 12 months after birth, when compared to that of infants born at 40 weeks. The odds ratio decreased at 12 months after birth compared to that at 6 months after birth.ConclusionEarly term infants in Japan are at an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay at 12 months after birth.

A Study on Metaphor Japanese Translation Strategies in Political Literature from the Perspective of Cognitive Linguistics

From the perspective of cognitive linguistics, translation is a practical activity with cognitive attributes. Relevance theory interprets the deep structure and meaning of metaphors from the perspective of optimal relevance, providing an evaluation mechanism for metaphor research within the framework of cognitive linguistics theory. Metaphor translation is the conversion between two languages, and the cultural differences between languages inevitably hinder this conversion process, making metaphor translation a difficult task. As an indispensable expression in political literature, metaphor permeates the cultural connotations of discourse, reflects the ideology of discourse, and provides a basis for interpreting the deep structure of discourse. This article takes the metaphor and translation of discourse in political literature as the research object, and explores the Japanese translation strategies of metaphors from the perspective of cognitive linguistics.

Active vitamin D treatment in the prevention of sarcopenia in adults with prediabetes (DPVD ancillary study): a randomised controlled trial

Observational studies show inverse associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and sarcopenia incidence; however, it remains unclear whether treatment with vitamin D prevents its development. We aimed to assess whether treatment with active vitamin D (eldecalcitol [0·75 μg per day]) can reduce the development of sarcopenia among adults with prediabetes. This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial as an ancillary study was conducted at 32 clinics and hospital sites in Japan. Participants were assigned (1:1) by using a central randomisation method in which a randomisation list was made for each hospital separately using a stratified permuted block procedure. The primary endpoint was sarcopenia incidence during 3 years in the intention-to-treat population defined as weak handgrip strength (<28 kg for men and <18 kg for women) and low appendicular skeletal muscle index (<7·0 kg/m2 for men and <5·7 kg/m2 for women in bioelectrical impedance analysis). Although the usual criterion of hypercalcaemia was 10·4 mg/dL (2·6 mmol/L) or higher, hypercalcaemia that was enough to discontinue the study was defined as 11·0 mg/dL or higher. This study is registered with the UMIN clinical trials registry, UMIN000005394. A total of 1094 participants (548 in the eldecalcitol group and 546 in the placebo group; 44·2% [484 of 1094] women; mean age 60·8 [SD 9·2] years) were followed up for a median of 2·9 (IQR 2·8-3·0) years. Eldecalcitol treatment as compared with placebo showed statistically significant preventive effect on sarcopenia incidence (25 [4·6%] of 548 participants in the eldecalcitol group and 48 [8·8%] of 546 participants in the placebo group; hazard ratio 0·51; 95% CI 0·31 to 0·83; p=0·0065). The incidence of adverse events did not differ between the two groups. We found that treatment with eldecalcitol has the potential to prevent the onset of sarcopenia among people with prediabetes via increasing skeletal muscle volume and strength, which might lead to a substantial risk reduction of falls. Kitakyushu Medical Association. For the Japanese translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Japanese Translation of the Concerns of Social Reprisal Scale and Examination of the Bivalent Fear of Evaluation Model for Social Anxiety in Japan

AbstractThe bivalent fear of evaluation model explains the association of fear of evaluation and heightened social anxiety via concerns of social reprisal (CSR) and disqualification of positive social outcomes (DPSO). The constructs of the model may differ in individualistic (e.g., Australia) and collectivistic countries (e.g., Japan); however, no study has examined the model, including CSR, in collectivistic countries. This study develops the Japanese translation of the Concerns of Social Reprisal Scale (CSRS) and examines constructs of the bivalent fear of evaluation model in Japan. Overall, 496 participants completed CSR and social‐anxiety‐related questionnaires. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 1‐factor structure for the Japanese translation of the CSRS. Convergent validity and internal consistency were supported by significant relationships between social‐anxiety‐related variables and high McDonald's ω coefficient. Discriminant validity was partially supported by higher correlation between the CSRS and DPSO scale than correlation to the fear of negative evaluation scale. Path analysis revealed that the best fitting bivalent fear of evaluation model is similar to the individualistic country model, although DPSO contributes to social anxiety symptoms more than fear of positive evaluation.

Measuring the English vocabulary acquisition of Japanese learners

The measurable vocabulary knowledge of Japanese learners of English (JLEs) has yet to be fully investigated. This study, therefore, attempts a detailed investigation of JLEs’ vocabulary knowledge to clarify the relationship between the frequency of words and their difficulty level and to identify the factors that affect the difficulty of vocabulary learning. We tested 192 university-level JLEs on 1,035 verbs, requesting that they choose a correct Japanese translation. The average number of correct answers for each verb was compared with its frequency ranking. Moreover, the characteristics of verbs that received high and low percentages of correct answers were examined. The three major findings were as follows. First, the average number of correct answers was 751.97 (72.65% of the verbs investigated). Second, the average number of correct answers decreased as the frequency of the verb decreased. However, this tendency diminished beyond the 4,000-word level. Finally, not a few low-frequency verbs garnered a high percentage of correct answers; these were verbs that included affixes or were English loanwords that were possibly known to JLEs. However, other low-frequency verbs received a low percentage of correct answers because they had abstract or multiple meanings and lacked clues that could facilitate an understanding of the word’s meaning. We concluded that these were the main factors affecting the degree of difficulty in learning each vocabulary item. Regarding this study’s pedagogical implications, efficient use should be made of English-based loanwords and affixes, and university-level JLEs should intentionally learn low-frequency words.

Tendency of Translating Educationally Valued Texts from Japanese Culture into Bangla Used in Reading Literacy

No previous study has explored why the translators selected children’s literature while translating Japanese literature into Bangla. This study aims to identify the tendency of selecting Japanese texts for translation into Bangla1, which have educationally valued contents. It employed descriptive translation studies approach to prepare a periodized catalog of translated Japanese children’s literature in the quantitative section to develop a history. The qualitative part is conducted based on two recent concepts of the sociology of translations: sociology of translation process in functioning and interpreting and sociology of translation as a cultural product. This study reveals that the translators primarily select tales with moral values a child or an adult learns from the societal sectors other than the educational institutions. They intend to circulate those moral values in the target society because the contents are socially apposite and deemed socio-culturally necessary in the target region. Totto-chan is analyzed as a cultural product to explore why and to what extent it is circulated. The interpreted texts are used to enhance reading literacy in reading programs. This study establishes a fundamental basis for translation, society and education altogether in the target society focusing on Japanese literature translations. In future, this study could be used as a foundational work in the field of translation studies in Bangladesh.

Retracted: The Development Strategy of the Multimedia Fusion Mode of Big Data Technology in Japanese Translation Teaching

Retracted: The Development Strategy of the Multimedia Fusion Mode of Big Data Technology in Japanese Translation Teaching

A Study of the Assistive Nature of Artificial Intelligence Technology for Japanese Translation and Interpretation

Abstract Traditional Japanese translation methods have certain disadvantages, and the introduction of artificial intelligence technology into them can enhance the effect of Japanese interpretation and translation. In this paper, the Japanese language data of Twitter and Facebook are used as the basis to construct a Japanese language interpretation and translation corpus, and the GPT-2 model is constructed on the basis of Transformer for Japanese text translation. To optimize the Seq2Seq model for Japanese speech interpretation, the Attention mechanism is introduced to establish a Japanese speech translation model. A Japanese oral and written corpus was used to analyze the validity of the methods mentioned above. The results show that the class/form ratio in the Japanese oral/translated corpus fluctuates between [0.1231, 0.1448], but the survival rate of borrowed words under the scientific category reaches the highest of 54.14%, and the average number of occurrences of each word is between [4.35, 4.95]. Japanese verbal and translated texts had an average sentence length of 40 hours, and their translation accuracy was approximately 74.16%. The quality of translation can be effectively improved, and cultural exchange between China and Japan can be enhanced by integrating AI technology with Japanese interpretation and translation.

A Comparative Analysis of Japanese Learners’ Translation Bias Using Neurosemantic Analysis

Abstract In today’s increasingly frequent cultural exchanges between China and Japan, accurate and error-free Japanese translation has become an inevitable choice for cross-cultural communication. In this paper, based on twin neural network and attention mechanism, BiLSTM model is combined with sentence semantic similarity matching algorithm to construct a Japanese translation bias sentence semantic similarity model. The Japanese corpus data were collected and preprocessed by Python technology, and the Japanese translation corpus database was searched and counted using Wordsmith and AntConc tools. For the Japanese learners’ translation bias in the Japanese translation process, a comparative analysis was carried out in several aspects, such as end-of-sentence modal expressions, consecutive translations, and word frequency effects. The study results show that the difference in the frequency distribution of Japanese learners’ modal expressions is only 4.66% compared with that of native speakers of Japanese. Still, the difference between the two is significant at the 1% level, and the difference in the frequency of Japanese learners’ use of the modal expression “yes” is 56 sentences per 10,000 sentences. The frequency of Japanese learners’ use of successive expressions was 30.1 percentage points higher than that of native speakers. The neural semantic analysis method combined with the Japanese translation corpus can clarify the translation bias of Japanese learners in the process of Japanese translation, which can provide a reference for enhancing the translation quality of Japanese learning.

Mining Text Value in Japanese Translation Teaching Based on KH Coder Text Data

Abstract Vocabulary serves as the cornerstone of Japanese translation instruction, with the identification of high-frequency terms within educational texts yielding significant pedagogical insights. This study employs the KH-Coder software to extract feature words frequently used in Japanese translation teaching materials. Through a combination of covariate network analysis, sentiment analysis, and hierarchical clustering, the paper delves into the intrinsic textual value of these educational resources. Furthermore, it integrates both generative and discriminative approaches to conduct dependency parsing of Japanese translation. By incorporating probabilistic functions, the methodology enhances contextual understanding, ensuring that each annotation unit within a sentence is optimally tagged. Analysis of the CGTT-35 corpus through KH-Coder reveals a list of the top 50 high-frequency words in Japanese translation teaching, each appearing over 100 times. This enables students to use these frequent words and sentence structures as cues to master common phrases and familiarize themselves with core content. The approach has proven effective in enhancing students’ receptivity to Japanese translation instruction and their comprehension capabilities, offering valuable implications for teaching strategies.

Analysis of Japanese Translation Skills Based on the Perspective of Multimedia Cultural Differences

Abstract This paper screens and calculates the factors affecting the quality of Japanese translation through the gray correlation analysis method. First, the Pearson correlation coefficient is utilized to explore the correlation between each factor and translation quality, and the multicollinearity between the influencing factors is tested. A quadratic test was conducted on the influencing factors using Lasso variable selection and ridge regression methods to eliminate those with linear correlation. On this basis, Japanese translation skills are designed and practiced from the perspectives of naturalized and alienated translation strategies to address cultural differences. The correlation coefficients of the factors affecting the quality of Japanese translation ranged from 0.7017 to 0.9309. The correlation coefficient between translation integrity and average sentence length was 0.491. The overall rating of the translated texts of each student reached a maximum of 97.87 points after using the translation technique. The translation technique in this paper is more effective in Japanese translation, which provides a reference method for the translation strategy under the perspective of cultural differences between China and Japan, and also helps to effectively convey the country’s culture.

Methods and Practices of Dynamic Programming Algorithms to Promote the Fluency of Japanese Literary Metaphor Translation

Methods and Practices of Dynamic Programming Algorithms to Promote the Fluency of Japanese Literary Metaphor Translation

Practice of Japanese Publicity Translation of Chinese Ceramics from the Perspective of Skopos Theory

Practice of Japanese Publicity Translation of Chinese Ceramics from the Perspective of Skopos Theory

A Study on Japanese Translation Strategies and Methods of Sichuan-Chongqing Tourism Promotion Texts from the Perspective of Cross-cultural Pragmatics

A Study on Japanese Translation Strategies and Methods of Sichuan-Chongqing Tourism Promotion Texts from the Perspective of Cross-cultural Pragmatics

Nemeshegyi Péter SJ mint a Szentírás magyarázója

Péter Nemeshegyi SJ Interpreter of the Scripture. The one hundredth birthday of Péter Nemeshegyi SJ was celebrated with a conference by members of the Hungarian Jesuit order on 25 March 2023. On this occasion, I was asked to appraise this excellent theologian as the interpreter of the Bible. One of Father Nemeshegyi’s most important foreign mission assignments during the decades he spent in Japan was his work in the Japanese ecumenical Bible translation. His experience and impressions during this work provide encouragement and guidance to those involved in a similar enterprise in Hungary. Péter Nemeshegyi was a true Catholic interpreter of the Bible, who believed that the Biblical tradition of the church brings parts of the Holy Scriptures that seem contradictory or difficult to a higher level of synthesis. His favourite hermeneutical starting point was the assumption of God’s goodness in every interpretation of the Scriptures, as well as the Christological principle, which he may have adopted from St Augustine. He taught about the Bible very effectively and creatively in various cultural environments (such as Japan or other East Asian countries) because he always found the fitting inculturation aspects of the Gospel and used them in both his teaching and application. Keywords: Nemeshegyi, biblical interpretation, inculturation, Jesuits, foreign mission, Bible translation

Retracted: An Improved Machine Translation Model and its Application in Japanese Multi-Context Translation

Retracted: An Improved Machine Translation Model and its Application in Japanese Multi-Context Translation