Eight Ways to Say You - Aaron

 I agree with Hirano that translating a language such as Japanese to English is not so much a word-for-word due to the structural, cultural, and grammatical differences between the languages. She emphasizes how Japanese writing tends to be more subtle compared to English, and such is shown in examples where the subject is left out and left up to interpretation based on context. Translators must also balance the originality of a text while making it accessible to readers from multiple backgrounds. For example, in the text where the character references Tokugawa and is laughed at by his peers, Japanese readers may be familiar with his historical significance, as well as Buddha. However, since an average reader outside of Japan may not know much about Tokugawa Ieyasu, Buddha was used to replace the word as an equivalent historical/ cultural figure that carries a similar authoritative tone.

With "you" specifically, Hirano identifies variations of the word 'you' that reflect nuances based on gender, social status, and relationship to the listener. An example of such is when the child says "kimi" to Tonomi, which sounds a little snobby, and Tonomi reacts angrily. Hirano translates the child's question to adjust for his tone, from "Was that your brother?" to "That was your brother, I presume?" and also captures Tonomi's reaction to "You presume indeed. You jerk." This social nuance is captured through her translation and shows the appropriate emotions, and also shows that translation isn't all about linguistic accuracy but conveying emotional and cultural significance from the original language is just as important.