Accessibility Statement Skip Navigation
  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing
  • Login
  • GDPR
  • Create a Free Account
Return to PRWeb homepage
  • News
  • Resources
  • Contact
When typing in this field, a list of search results will appear and be automatically updated as you type.

Searching for your content...

No results found. Please change your search terms and try again.
  • News in Focus
      • Browse News Releases

      • All News Releases
      • Multimedia Gallery

      • All Multimedia
      • All Photos
      • All Videos
  • Business & Money
      • Auto & Transportation

      • Aerospace, Defense
      • Air Freight
      • Airlines & Aviation
      • Automotive
      • Maritime & Shipbuilding
      • Railroads and Intermodal Transportation
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Transportation, Trucking & Railroad
      • Travel
      • Trucking and Road Transportation
      • View All Auto & Transportation

      • Business Technology

      • Blockchain
      • Broadcast Tech
      • Computer & Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Components
      • Electronic Design Automation
      • Financial Technology
      • High Tech Security
      • Internet Technology
      • Nanotechnology
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Semiconductors
      • View All Business Technology

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Financial Services & Investing

      • Accounting News & Issues
      • Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers
      • Banking & Financial Services
      • Bankruptcy
      • Bond & Stock Ratings
      • Conference Call Announcements
      • Contracts
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Dividends
      • Earnings
      • Earnings Forecasts & Projections
      • Financing Agreements
      • Insurance
      • Investments Opinions
      • Joint Ventures
      • Mutual Funds
      • Private Placement
      • Real Estate
      • Restructuring & Recapitalization
      • Sales Reports
      • Shareholder Activism
      • Shareholder Meetings
      • Stock Offering
      • Stock Split
      • Venture Capital
      • View All Financial Services & Investing

      • General Business

      • Awards
      • Commercial Real Estate
      • Corporate Expansion
      • Earnings
      • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
      • Human Resource & Workforce Management
      • Licensing
      • New Products & Services
      • Obituaries
      • Outsourcing Businesses
      • Overseas Real Estate (non-US)
      • Personnel Announcements
      • Real Estate Transactions
      • Residential Real Estate
      • Small Business Services
      • Socially Responsible Investing
      • Surveys, Polls and Research
      • Trade Show News
      • View All General Business

  • Science & Tech
      • Consumer Technology

      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Blockchain
      • Cloud Computing/Internet of Things
      • Computer Electronics
      • Computer Hardware
      • Computer Software
      • Consumer Electronics
      • Cryptocurrency
      • Data Analytics
      • Electronic Commerce
      • Electronic Gaming
      • Financial Technology
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Multimedia & Internet
      • Peripherals
      • Social Media
      • STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Math)
      • Supply Chain/Logistics
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Consumer Technology

      • Energy & Natural Resources

      • Alternative Energies
      • Chemical
      • Electrical Utilities
      • Gas
      • General Manufacturing
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Oil & Energy
      • Oil and Gas Discoveries
      • Utilities
      • Water Utilities
      • View All Energy & Natural Resources

      • Environ­ment

      • Conservation & Recycling
      • Environmental Issues
      • Environmental Policy
      • Environmental Products & Services
      • Green Technology
      • Natural Disasters
      • View All Environ­ment

      • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Aerospace & Defense
      • Agriculture
      • Chemical
      • Construction & Building
      • General Manufacturing
      • HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning)
      • Machinery
      • Machine Tools, Metalworking and Metallurgy
      • Mining
      • Mining & Metals
      • Paper, Forest Products & Containers
      • Precious Metals
      • Textiles
      • Tobacco
      • View All Heavy Industry & Manufacturing

      • Telecomm­unications

      • Carriers and Services
      • Mobile Entertainment
      • Networks
      • Peripherals
      • Telecommunications Equipment
      • Telecommunications Industry
      • VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol)
      • Wireless Communications
      • View All Telecomm­unications

  • Lifestyle & Health
      • Consumer Products & Retail

      • Animals & Pets
      • Beers, Wines and Spirits
      • Beverages
      • Bridal Services
      • Cannabis
      • Cosmetics and Personal Care
      • Fashion
      • Food & Beverages
      • Furniture and Furnishings
      • Home Improvement
      • Household, Consumer & Cosmetics
      • Household Products
      • Jewelry
      • Non-Alcoholic Beverages
      • Office Products
      • Organic Food
      • Product Recalls
      • Restaurants
      • Retail
      • Supermarkets
      • Toys
      • View All Consumer Products & Retail

      • Entertain­ment & Media

      • Advertising
      • Art
      • Books
      • Entertainment
      • Film and Motion Picture
      • Magazines
      • Music
      • Publishing & Information Services
      • Radio & Podcast
      • Television
      • View All Entertain­ment & Media

      • Health

      • Biometrics
      • Biotechnology
      • Clinical Trials & Medical Discoveries
      • Dentistry
      • FDA Approval
      • Fitness/Wellness
      • Health Care & Hospitals
      • Health Insurance
      • Infection Control
      • International Medical Approval
      • Medical Equipment
      • Medical Pharmaceuticals
      • Mental Health
      • Pharmaceuticals
      • Supplementary Medicine
      • View All Health

      • Sports

      • General Sports
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Sporting Events
      • Sports Equipment & Accessories
      • View All Sports

      • Travel

      • Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions
      • Gambling & Casinos
      • Hotels and Resorts
      • Leisure & Tourism
      • Outdoors, Camping & Hiking
      • Passenger Aviation
      • Travel Industry
      • View All Travel

  • Policy & Public Interest
      • Policy & Public Interest

      • Advocacy Group Opinion
      • Animal Welfare
      • Congressional & Presidential Campaigns
      • Corporate Social Responsibility
      • Domestic Policy
      • Economic News, Trends, Analysis
      • Education
      • Environmental
      • European Government
      • FDA Approval
      • Federal and State Legislation
      • Federal Executive Branch & Agency
      • Foreign Policy & International Affairs
      • Homeland Security
      • Labor & Union
      • Legal Issues
      • Natural Disasters
      • Not For Profit
      • Patent Law
      • Public Safety
      • Trade Policy
      • U.S. State Policy
      • View All Policy & Public Interest

  • People & Culture
      • People & Culture

      • Aboriginal, First Nations & Native American
      • African American
      • Asian American
      • Children
      • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • Hispanic
      • Lesbian, Gay & Bisexual
      • Men's Interest
      • People with Disabilities
      • Religion
      • Senior Citizens
      • Veterans
      • Women
      • View All People & Culture

  • Hamburger menu
  • Cision PRWeb provides efficient communication tools to continuously engage with target audiences across multiple online channels
  • Create a Free Account
    • ALL CONTACT INFO
    • Contact Us


      11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday

  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • News in Focus
    • Browse All News
    • Multimedia Gallery
  • Business & Money
    • Auto & Transportation
    • Business Technology
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Financial Services & Investing
    • General Business
  • Science & Tech
    • Consumer Technology
    • Energy & Natural Resources
    • Environ­ment
    • Heavy Industry & Manufacturing
    • Telecomm­unications
  • Lifestyle & Health
    • Consumer Products & Retail
    • Entertain­ment & Media
    • Health
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • Policy & Public Interest
  • People & Culture
    • People & Culture
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR
  • Send a Release
  • Sign up
  • Log in
  • Resources
  • RSS
  • GDPR

Merrill Brink News Reviews and Opinion on Mar 27, 2015: Japanese Legal Translations: Unique Challenges in the Japanese Language
  • USA - English


News provided by

Merrill Brink International

Mar 27, 2015, 15:00 ET

Share this article

Share toX

Share this article

Share toX

Merrill Brink
Merrill Brink

London, UK (PRWEB UK) 27 March 2015 -- Japanese has been cited by native English speakers as one of the most difficult languages to learn. Certain aspects of the Japanese language that take the most time for learners to become accustomed to, such as its reliance on context for meaning, also make it challenging to translate Japanese documents. These difficulties are often compounded in legal translations because of the precision and specific requirements that must be adhered to regarding legal matters.

Japanese sentences are usually written without spaces between words and the meanings of many kanji depend on context, making it imperative that a translator is familiar with the subject matter and has a native-level understanding of Japanese grammar.

Post this

A comprehensive explanation of the intricacies of the Japanese language is beyond the scope of this article. However, the following sections describe key ways in which the nature of the Japanese language mandates expert treatment relating to legal translation projects.

Japanese Writing Systems
Written Japanese consists of three sets of characters: the kanji characters borrowed from Chinese; the katakana syllabary, which is used to represent foreign words phonetically; and the hiragana syllabary, which contains the syllables that make up Japanese words and particles that function like English prepositions. Japanese sentences are usually written without spaces between words and the meanings of many kanji depend on context, making it imperative that a translator is familiar with the subject matter and has a native-level understanding of Japanese grammar. This is necessary to minimise the potential for costly translation errors. This proficiency is helpful when searching and reading through older printed documents like patents filed in past decades.1 Each kanji can contain dozens of small strokes, which makes them difficult to read in documents with small print; smudged or poor-quality printouts; or in photocopies of handwritten material. Determining which kanji the writer has used requires a thorough understanding of the thousands of characters used in written Japanese.

Vocabulary
In-depth knowledge of Japanese writing systems is mandatory for understanding words that are native to Japan and those that are borrowed from other languages. Although many loaned words in Japanese are borrowed from English, some originate from other languages such as German or French. For example, ankēto (アンケート), meaning “questionnaire,” is derived from the French enquête; arubaito (アルバイト), or “part-time work,” comes from the German Arbeit.2,3 Thus, reading and writing non-Japanese words in Japanese texts requires an understanding of katakana as well as the ability to recognise words that have been borrowed from languages other than English. It is also crucial to know the connotation of words, regardless of their origins, to accurately understand and convey ideas in Japanese. Although taisaku (たいさく), for instance, literally means “countermeasure” or “against measure,” it can have either a negative or positive connotation depending on context and, therefore, can be translated as either “measure” or “countermeasure.”4

Japanese Grammar in Legal Translations
Perhaps even more problematic than writing systems or vocabulary for Japanese legal translators is Japanese grammar, which differs in many respects from English grammar. One of the most obvious distinctions between English and Japanese sentence structure is that Japanese sentences often omit their subjects if the meaning is clear from context or prior sentences. In legal documents, where accuracy is key, the lack of clarity around “who is doing what to whom” can prove troublesome.5 The use of the same conjugations for present- and future-tense verbs may also result in confusion, particularly when context does not explicitly state whether the sentence refers to present or future instances of the event in question.6 In such cases, fluency in Japanese and a knowledge regarding the type of legal document being translated can greatly enhance the chances for correct interpretation.

These aspects of Japanese make it nearly impossible for anyone who does not have a native familiarity with the language and pertinent legal experience to translate legal materials accurately. To ensure the highest quality translation results, consider partnering with a language services provider that employs a network of skilled translators. This will help to prevent costly misunderstandings and protect your company against litigation in years to come.

References
1 Steve Vlasta Vitek, “Linguistic Problems with Translation of Japanese Patents to English,” Translation Journal 11 No. 2 (2007), Web.
2 Samuel E. Martin, ed. Tuttle Concise Japanese Dictionary (North Claredon, Vermont: Tuttle Publishing, 2012).
3 Mitsubishi Corporation, Japanese Business Language (New York: Routledge, 2011).
4 Hiro Iwamura, “Memoir of International Trade Law: Issues of Translating WTO Safeguard Provisions into Japanese,” Asian-Pacific Law & Policy Journal 5 (2004): 188–221.
5 Iwamura, page 202.
6 Iwamura, page 205.

Full article: http://www.merrillbrink.com/unique-challenges-in-the-japanese-language-translation-03232015.htm

About Merrill Brink® International

Merrill Brink International (http://www.merrillbrink.com) is a leading provider of complete translation and language solutions for global companies and law firms, with special expertise in serving the legal, financial, life sciences, software, heavy machinery and corporate markets. A proven leader with more than 30 years of experience, Merrill Brink offers a wide range of language solutions including translation, localisation, desktop publishing and globalisation services.

Merrill Brink is recognised in the industry for its commitment to quality and its pioneering approach of leveraging technology to reduce costs, eliminate redundant processes and accelerate translation life cycles. Merrill Brink is certified to ISO 9001:2008; ISO/IEC 27001:2005 and ISO 13485:2003, and compliant to EN 15038:2006 and ISO 14971:2007.Together, these standards provide assurance that the most stringent process and quality standards for translation are followed. Merrill Brink International is a wholly owned subsidiary of Merrill Corporation.

Vanessa Lontoc, Merrill Brink International, http://www.merrillbrink.com, +1 (917) 720-5598, [email protected]

Modal title

Merrill Brink
Merrill Brink
Merrill Brink

Contact PRWeb

  • 11AM ET Sunday – 8PM ET Friday
  • Contact Us

About PRWeb

  • About PRWeb
  • Partners
  • Partnership Programs
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Resources

Why PRWeb

  • Why PRWeb
  • How It Works
  • Who Uses It
  • Pricing

Accounts

  • Create a Free Account
  • Log in
  • Contact Us

Do not sell or share my personal information:

  • Submit via [email protected] 
  • Call Privacy toll-free: 877-297-8921

Contact Cision

Products

About

My Services
  • All News Releases
  • Online Member Center
  • ProfNet
Cision Distribution Helpline
888-776-0942
  • Legal
  • Site Map
  • RSS
  • Cookie Settings
Copyright © 2025 Cision US Inc.