Comment on Carpenter Readings - Yang

Jumping into the Pond

I can see how it'll be difficult to translate Japanese onomatopoeia like わくわく and どきどき, as they mean almost the same thing but there are cultural nuances that separate them. I thought translating the former as "excited" and the latter as "pitter-patter" was very fitting. 

I think foreigners usually pronounce Watanabe as "wah-tah-nah-bee," instead of "what a nibble," but that's just based on my experiences. Perhaps Ryu can confirm if that is true or not :)

"Pa pa pa" was certainly a difficult one to translate. I liked the idea of using a similar alliteration to convey the meaning of the onomatopoeia, such as "pop pop pop." Personally, I definitely prefer "faster than popcorn pops" to the translation Carpenter decided to go with, "Rarin' to go."

It's ironic how she says that the translator is "in control," but then she gives countless examples of what the translator is not allowed to do. 

I thought the wordplay between "thumbs-up" and "thumb through the homework" was a very smart way to translate the original wordplay between "ひかず" and "引くって." I definitely would not have thought of that at all.

Based on all the examples she gave about technical terms that required expertise in a specific area, it seems like it is definitely beneficial to ask for help when the text describes something you're not particularly familiar with, such as the bikers or the cameras in her case.

True Collaboration on A True Novel

It's very cool to see Prof. Elliott interviewing a well-known translator like Carpenter. 

I think it's very smart of Mizumura to put explanations regarding Japanese concepts that could be confusing to Western readers in the book. This way, the differences between the cultures can be mitigated, and it prevents the translator from having to do the explaining and as a result not staying true to the original text. 

This process of collaborated translation between the writer (Mizumura) and the translator (Carpenter) is very interesting to see, as the responsibility usually falls on the translator solely, with limited communication with the author. It's good to see that they have become close friends due to the collaboration, going beyond just partners in the business of translation.

I agree with the addition of the sentence regarding the "Japanese prudishness" of not wearing shorts. Japanese people seem to have a weird correlation between shorts and childishness. To this day, I see many tourists in Japan wearing shorts and being outed as tourists almost instantly, with myself being an offender as well. This is definitely something that the average Western reader would be unaware of, whereas most Japanese people will hold the same notion. I do think that refusing to wear shorts during the hottest days of summer is stupid and that shorts shouldn't be something that only children can wear.