What is difficult about certified japanese translation services?
Humans have unique characteristics that make them different from each other. In the same way, each language has its own characteristics. From writing style to grammar, there are aspects of languages that cannot be understood by non-natives. This is why translation is such a difficult job. Converting one vernacular into another is neither easy nor simple. However, there are language combinations that are relatively easier due to the similarities between the two vernaculars. Over the years, many vernaculars have taken loan words from each other. But then there are those that have remained unchanged, and that’s what makes them unique.
The Japanese Language:
It is the national language of Japan today, but not much is known about its origin. Even its relationship with other vernaculars has not been established. It has no articles, and the nouns in it do not have gender. Contrary to popular belief, the Japanese language is not genetically related to Chinese. However, it has taken a lot of loan words from the latter in recent years. The writing system also utilizes Chinese characters known as kanji. It has nearly 130 million native speakers.
If you are a fan of anime, then you must know at least a couple of Japanese words. But the language itself is quite complex. In fact, it is considered one of the most difficult to learn languages in the world. But that’s not where its complexity ends. It is also quite challenging to translate this tongue.
Certified Japanese Translation:
If someone from Japan wants to immigrate to the US or study in a foreign university, they will have to get their document translated. However, official documents cannot be accompanied by simple translations. Whenever a birth certificate or academic degree is in question, authorities only accept certified translations. Although there are a number of native experts who can provide people with high-quality services, that doesn’t mean that it is an easy task.
What is Difficult About Certified Japanese Translation Services?
So, why is translating Japanese difficult? Well, there are a number of reasons. Here are a few of them:
- Corresponding Words:
The biggest challenge that linguistic experts have to face is the fact that there are many Japanese words that don’t have any corresponding words in English. This is why it can be difficult to translate the intended meaning in English. When linguistic experts are working with simple papers, they can make creative decisions. But when it comes to official documents, they cannot make a lot of changes, which is why it gets quite challenging to translate the text accurately.
- Singular Plural:
In Japanese, the nouns do not differentiate between singular and plural forms. Although translators can try to guess the form by reading the document, sometimes even the context does not help. This can lead to inaccurate linguistic results. And such mistakes will not be accepted by the authorities.
- Gender Pronouns:
In Japanese, people can be referred to in a generic way, which would not give any clue about their gender. As a result, the translator will have no idea which gender pronoun to use. This is in contrast with English, where gender pronouns are common.
- Complicated Writing System:
Kanji is not only unique but also quite complicated. It is the strokes that indicate the meaning of a letter. Even some native speakers are not familiar with all the kanji characters. However, an experienced native translator will not have any trouble handling a document written in kanji.
- Cultural Aspects:
Every culture is different. But that difference is great between the culture of Japan and that of the US. In the former culture, politeness and formality are given a lot of importance. These aspects are also a huge part of Japanese, which is why accurately interpreting them can be a problem. In a vernacular like English, where there aren’t a lot of separate words for addressing people, it can be a challenge to accurately translate the essence of Japanese.
- Subjects and Verbs:
Unlike English, verbs often show up at the end of the sentence in Japanese. What’s more confusing is that subjects are often missing. People have to listen to the speaker and figure out the subject on their own. This can also create a huge problem for translators because they may fail to make the right guess about the subject.
Who Can Translate Japanese?
Despite the challenges, translating Japanese is not impossible; you just have to find the right expert. If you can’t find a native expert on your own, it is better to get in touch with an agency instead. Do your research and choose an agency that has the best track record with its clients. If they offer affordable rates, then they are definitely a good choice for you. Make sure that they have experienced native translators on their team. You can hand over your Japanese documents to them, and they will be able to provide you with accurate certified translations.
No job in this world is easy. Every aspect of society’s life is complex, and we are wrong to think that we can explain such matters easily. Whether it is the life of an individual or the story of a society, you cannot summarize them into a few words. This is why there are experts in every field. They study their profession thoroughly so they can help out others. So, whenever you need help with something complex, get in touch with the experts.
