Japanese Translations

[Hearts and Stars]

日本語からほんやく
Japanese Translations
れんしゅうする所
A Place to Practice

I've studied Japanese for more than two years now, and I've been to Japan to study abroad as well. Sine that time I've brought back several books, and manga that I'd like to translate on my own time to help keep up my skills while I'm away from classes and other Japanese speaking folk.

I'll post my translations for songs or manga or whatever I'm working on. If anyone wants to help me catch mistakes I'm more than willing to listen.

On a side note, I've had a few people tell me I ought not rely on just this kind of translating to keep up with my skills. Thanks for your concern but this isn't the only thing I'm doing with my Japanese. It's hard to post verbal communication, or show that I've been reading my text book, or studying flash cards. I'm looking out for myself. Thanks for your concern though.

News
20 Jan. '10 - Finished transcribing the Japanese and looking up kanji readings for chapter 1.
19 Jan. '10 - Getting started on スティグマ (Stigma).
7 Nov. '09 - Completed translation of ちびねこチョビ (Chobi the Little Cat) in 4.5 hours.

Table of Contents
ちびねこチョビ (Chobi the Little Cat) - page 1 (2nd post)
スティグマ (Stigma) - starting page 3 (posts 1 - 10)
油屋 (bathhouse?) a Spirited Away song - page 6 (post 1)
うたの小箱(こばこ) (song book) - page 6 (post 2)

[Hearts and Stars]

This will be my first translation. It's a kids book I got in Japan:

ちびねこチョビ
Chobi the Little Cat

くろねこ　メメは、　はじめて　おかあさんに　なりました。「おくさん　ケンちゃん、　これが　わたしの　こどもたちです。」 「ひだりか、　おにいさんの　サビ、　おとうとの　トビ、　いちばん　ちいさいのが、　おんなのこの　チョビです。　はじめまして。」 メメは、　こどもたちを　ならべて　しょうかい　しました。
Meme the black cat became a mother for the first time. Missus, Ken-chan, these are my children. "From the left, the big brother is Sabi, the little brother is Tobi, and the smallest one, Chobi the girl. Good to meet you." Meme lined them up, then introduced them.
ごはんの　じかんは　おおさわぎです。チョビは　ちいさいくせに、　いちばん　たくさん　たべたくて、　おじやだらけに　なりました。メメは　チョビの　からだを　なめてやりながら、　おもいました。「おかあさんに　なると、　すいぶん　いそがしいんだなあ。」
Dinner time is noisy. Chobi is a little weird, she eats the most and gets covered with food. While Meme licks Chobi's body, she thinks. "Becoming a mother is surprizingly busy, isn't it."
[じどうしゃに　きを　つけるのよ。」 メメは、　おもてどおりに　こどもたちを　つれていって、　いいました。サビと　トビは、　よく　いうことを　ききました。でも、　チョビと　きたら、　ほら　こんなに　とおくまで。メメは　おもいました。「おかあさんに　なると、　しんぱいが　いっぱい。」
"Be careful of the vehicles." That's what Meme said as she carried her children across the main street. Sabi and Tobi listened well to what was said. But look! This is how far Chobi went. Meme thought. Becoming a mother entails lots of worrying.
チョビは　おんなのこです。おしゃれさんです。かがみの　まえに　すわるのが　だいすき。しっぽを　ぴんと　たてたり、　しっぽを　くるくる　まわしたり。あっ、　たいへん！おくさんの　たいせつな　こうすいの　びんを　わってしまいました。チョビは　こうすいだらけ。こうすいの　においだらけ。もう　びくりです。くさい　においから　にげたくて、　とびあかったり　ころげたり。しょうじに　かけのぼり、　びりびり　やふいてしまいました。でも、においは　とれません。とうとう　おふろに　とびこんで、　はんぶん　おぼれてしまいました。メメは　チョビは　だいて、　あたためてやりました。
Chobi is a girl. She is fashionable. She likes to sit in front of the mirror. She points her tail up, and swings her tail in circles. Oh no, a disaster! Missus' precious perfume bottle broke. Chobi is covered in perfume. She is covered with the perfume smell. She's really surprised. She runs away from the nasty smell, then jumps up and rolls around. (Not really sure about this sentence.) But, the smell wouldn't come off. With a splash she lept into the bath, and almost drowned. Meme held and warmed Chobi up.
それでも、　チョビは　こりません。　あそびたくって　たまりません。　テーブルの　うえに　のって、　でんきに　とびついて、　ブランコあそび。あっちの　かべに　ごつん。　こっちの　とだなに　ごつん。ぎゅうにゅうと　ソースの　びんが　たおれて、　テーブルの　うえは　ぎゅうにゅうと　ソースだらけ。それでも、　チョビは　こりません。　あそびたくて　たまりません。
But still, Chobi didn't learn her lesson. She wanted to play, not be collected (by her mother?). She got up onto the table, attracted by the light, and swung on it. On a wall here - thump! On a cupboard over there - thump! The milk and sauce bottles fell. The table was covered in milk and sauce. EVEN still, Chobi didn't learn her lesson. She wanted to play, not be collected
あめの　ふっている　にわに　とびだして、　どろだらけに　なって、　かえってきました。どろあしで、　おくさんの　よそいきの　ようふくの　うえを　あるき、　ケンちゃんの　ベッドの　うえに　のって、　くーくー　ひるねを　はじめました。おくさんは　すごく　おこりました。　チョビは　ふんって　なまいきな　かおを　して、　にげだしました。
She rushed out into the garden where it was raining, got covered in mud, and then came inside. With muddy feet, she walked on top of the Missus' best clothes, got on top of Ken-chan's bed, and started napping. (What's "くーくー"? (I think it must be an onnomonopia or something.) The missus got incredibly angry. With a bold look on her face Chobi ran out.
メメが　そとから　かえってくると　おふとんの　うえに　サビと　トビが　すわっていました。　「チョビは　どこ？」　メメは　ききました。　「チョビはね、　おこられて　にげちゃった。」　サビと　トビが　いいました。メメは　チョビを　さがしに　でかけました。
Meme returned from outside and on the futon sat Sabi and Tobi. "Where's Chobi?" she asked them. "Chobi? She got mad and ran out," Sabi and Tobi said. Meme went out to look for Chobi.
メメは　チョビを　さがして　あるきました。よるに　なりました。　それでも、　メメは　チョビを　さがして　あるきました。おつきさまにも　おほしさまにも　きいてみました。　ふたりとも、　しらないと　こたえました。あさに　なりました。それでも、　チョビは　みつかりません。メメは　かえってきました。　つかれて　つかれて。　メメは　かなしくって、　かなしくっ．．．．．．。
Meme searched and walked. It became night and still Meme searched and walked. She tried asking the moon and the stars. Both answered that they do not know. It became morning. And still, she had not found Chobi. Meme went home. Tired, tired. Meme was very sad, very sad...
すると、　みゅうみゅうと　こえが　します。　チョビの　こえです。　メメが　まわりを　みまわすと、　たかい　きの　てっぺんに　チョビが　しがみついています。「こわいよう　こわいよう。」　って　ないてます。　きの　えだが　いまにも　おれそうです。メメは　おぼろうとしました。　ても、　きは　とても　たかいし、　メメは　とても　つかれていました。メメは、　おくさんと　ケンちゃんに　たのみました。　おくさんの　スカートと　ケンちゃんの　ズボンを　かわりばんこ　ひっぱって、　たのみました。
And then there was a "mew mew" voice. It's Chobi's voice. Meme looks around, and Chobi is clinging to the top of a tall tree. "I'm scared, I'm scared," Chobi cried. Any minute now Chobi is going to fall from the tree branch. Meme decided to climb, but the tree is very tall and Meme is very tired. Meme begs the missus and Ken-chan. She pulls on the missus' skirt and then on Ken-chan's pants, and begs them.
でも、　きは　すごく　たかいのです。　はしごを　かけても、　とどきません。むしとりあみを　のぼしても、　とどきません。　どうしよう　どうしよう．．．．．．。
But the three is incredibly tall. Even with a ladder, they cannot reach. Even reaching with a bug catching net, they cannot reach. What shoud be done, what should be done...
「あっ　そうだわ。」　おくさんは　サーカスに　でんわを　しました。「まかせてください。」　サーカスの　ひとは　いいました。
"Oh, is that right," the missus called the circus on the phone. "Please leave it to us," said the circus person.
チョビは　やっと　たすけられました。おくさんと　メメは、　サーカスの　ひとたちに　あやまりました。　「おさわがせして　すみません。」　チョビも、　こんどは　あやまりました。メメは　チョビの　おしりを　たたきました。　でも、　そのあとで　チョビの　かおを　なめてやりました。サビも　トビも、　チョビが　かえってきたので、　おおよろこびです。メメは　つくづく　おもいました。　「おかあさんに　なると、　なんて　いろいろ　おきるんでしょう。」
At last Chobi was helped. The missus and Meme apologized to the circus folk. "I'm sorry to bother you(not sure about this.)," Chobi apologized next time. Meme spanked Chobi's bottom. But after that she licked Chobi's face. Sabi and Tobi were both overjoyed because Chobi came back. Meme thoguht deeply. "Becoming a mother sure makes lots of crazy things happen."
いちねん　たちました。　メメは　おばあさんに　なりました。あの　いたずら　チョビが　おかあさんに　なったからです。あかちゃんねこは　ぜんぶで　よんひき。　チョビは、　おくさんと　ケンちゃんに　しょうかいしました。「ひだりから、　ソビ、　ノビ、　オビ、　いちばん　ちいさいのが　コビです。」 いちばん　ちいさい　コビは、　とても　とても　いたずらぼうずです。こんどは　チョビが　つくづく　おもいます。　「おかあさんに　なると、　たいへんだなあ。」　って。
One year passed. Meme became a grandmother. That michevious Chobi bacame a mother. All in all there were four kittens. Chobi introduced them to the missus and Ken-chan. "From the left, Sobi, Nobi, Obi, and the littlest one is Kobi." The smallest, Kobi, is a tremendous troublemaker. This time Chobi is deep in thought, "Becoming a mother is troublesome isn't it."

[PAnZuRiEL]

If the idea is to maintain and polish your language skills, shouldn't you be tackling something a bit harder than a children's book?

[Hearts and Stars]

I don't necessarily agree with that. I have several other books and manga, not to mention several songs I'd like to translate, but there are many aspects of a language that I can be maintaining or improving upon.

[Hearts and Stars]

I'm more than half way finished with this book now!

-n___n-

[Hearts and Stars]

Finished!

[Kurobana Akira]

Well done. Translating children's books is a great way to start developing you translation abilities. Tackling 'high-literature' with the small amount of experience you have so far would be ludicrous. I've translated a lot of work from Japanese to English and it can be very tedious so it's nice to work with something a bit easy at first.

Congratulations on finishing. If you ever have questions about resources or you just want to chat and compare stories about translating or living in Japan, hit me up. I'm always happy to speak with fellow travelers.

[Hearts and Stars]

Thanks! What a comforting comment. Did you see the other persons comments? I mean, I see truth in what he's said, but I'm just getting started, and I don't really see the harm in starting small.

It's not like I'm claiming to learn Japanese by watching Princess Mononoke 15 times in a row or something.

I think I may take you up on your offer for conversation. You made it sound like you have been to Japan. Is that a correct assumption?

[Kurobana Akira]

I doubt you would have been able to translate even a 'simple children's book' without any formal education. Two years is and isn't a long time to be studying Japanese. People with no real exposure to the language have a hard time understanding that it's not like other languages where you can be pretty much fluent in a matter of years. It takes lots of time and patience and thousands of pens and sheets of paper just to master kanji. There's also the whole cultural barrier thing that happens when you try to translate an idea from one language into Japanese and it can end up being incredibly rude or just unheard of.

It's a very subtle, nuanced, and context-based language with strong, deep ties into the culture.

[PAnZuRiEL]

Hearts and Stars

I mean, I see truth in what he's said, but I'm just getting started, and I don't really see the harm in starting small.

How long were you in Japan? Even if it was only for a short time, it's conceivable that your skill with the language could surpass mine, as I've never visited or lived there and my functional fluency is low. I've been translating reasonably advanced works, and I wouldn't think that a children's book would be sufficient to maintain my abilities at even the meagre maybe-middleschool level that they're at now. But I guess that's just me.

[Hearts and Stars]

Pan, I don't want to offend you, and as you quoted, I understand where you come from. I really understand what you're saying. I agree that children's books aren't the way to maintain my language skills. Certainly I've learned a lot of kanji, and if all kids books are like this one, it doesn't address kanji at all. I'm not proposing that I'm sustaining my skills solely on these books.

I'm deathly scared that I'll lose what I've learned because I haven't got someone to speak it with. I know that's the best way to keep it alive.

With all that said, I have another book that's more like a chapter book. Probably about middle school level, and several manga that I can be translating. Several of which I'm certain are way above my level and I'm not even interested in diving into those for a long while.

EDIT: I forgot to address your question. I was in Japan doing an intense language study at a university for six weeks.

[Kurobana Akira]

Any work you do with translating is good for, at the very least, maintaining your skill level. Tackling more difficult works is a good exercise for vocabulary and kanji building. Doing whatever you can to maintain and evolve your skill levels in a language is important.

That's super that you can translate intermediate works but could you hold a prolonged, meaningful conversation with a native speaker? Language programs focus on different things. I can admit that my speaking and listening skills are stronger than my reading skills because that's what I focused on in my studies. I speak in and understand colloquialisms and slang with my Tokyo friends and I'm well versed in the Hiroshima-dialect.

However, I regret that I can't read as well as I speak so that's what I'm working on.

[Hearts and Stars]

I'm dreadful at reading. I confess. The program I went to Japan through has been going on for many years and so the teachers know what's going on with the students. In fact, they are certain that our interactions and friendships with the Japanese students that come to visit us on an almost daily basis sharply increase our casual speech. They were always reminding us to be formal in class.

With that being said, I'd say I could hold a sort of primitive type of conversation in Japanese. I think I'm alright at getting the jist of what's being said, but if someone asked me to translate, the idea kind of slips from my mind.

With the Japanese students that befriended us they knew what they were getting into and frequently pitched in with their English skills, which I'm certain helped immensely in our comprehension of each other.

[PAnZuRiEL]

Hearts and Stars

Pan, I don't want to offend you

Lawl, none taken. You may have heard that internet is serious business, but between the two of us, I'm not sure I buy it. dramallama

My concern was that you seemed to be looking for excuses in the way you cleaved to Kurobana there.

Anyway, if you've got decent internet access there are any number of ways to keep up your exposure, and watching Mononoke Hime or some other animu wouldn't be among the worst of them. Translating texts can build your vocabulary just like reading in English can. But there's really no substitute for face-to-face conversation.

[Hearts and Stars]

Pan, I'm glad we understand each other. I think we're saying the same things, but not really understanding that.

I completely agree that conversation is the cornerstone for a language (go figure, right?), but at the moment, unless I pester every asian person I see, it's not as possible as I'd like. I'm making due with what I've got.