Sometimes I have to work on speeches for important people like ministers or chief justices. Often they request that the speech is 格調の高い, which in English translates as something like lofty, haut, high-toned, or sophisticated.
In Japanese, this means using archaic words and phrases that have literary resonance and are reserved for poets or people of importance.
In English, we just don't do this. Anyone making a speech today in the tone of Emerson or Thoreau would rightly be considered pompous at best and stupid at worst. Unwittingly, what the client is asking is this: "We'd like you to make the minister sound like a mincing ponce."
English values simplicity and clarity of message. Why use a rare word when a commonly used one will do? Why use five words when two will do? In English, the style is in the substance. In Japanese, the style is a thing of its own. For sophistication in English, less is more. In Japanese, less is less. The concepts couldn't be more opposite.
Our concept of sophistication in simplicity is their concept of low-brow. Their concept of deliberate high-tone is our concept of needless pompousness.
And the translator gets stuck in the middle.
In the past, I used to do those speeches so that they appeared sophisticated to the client, knowing full well that they'd sound ridiculous to the audience. The client was usually happy enough.
Now I try to explain the difference. Smart clients get it, but many don't.
Either way, when the request comes in for a lofty speech, you know that East and West are going to collide.
Posted by Setsunai at October 21, 2005 12:27 PMI think your second last line summed it up, smart clients get it, but many don't. Unfortunately there remains a lot English speakers who feel the weight of their words adds to their inflated self importance. And why not eh!
Posted by: Speedy at October 22, 2005 8:56 AM | Permalink to Comment