Read Japanese Literature

Translating Japanese to English, Part 1

June 29, 2023 Season 2 Episode 11
Translating Japanese to English, Part 1
Read Japanese Literature
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Read Japanese Literature
Translating Japanese to English, Part 1
Jun 29, 2023 Season 2 Episode 11

How does a book make it from the mind of a Japanese author into the hands of an English-language reader?

In part 1 of this 2-part episode, we'll tackle the question, “Why do some Japanese books get translated into English?" How do publishers decide what gets translated? How do they decide what doesn’t get translated. And we'll take a look at Minae Mizumura's An I-Novel, translated into English by Juliet Winters Carpenter.

Please note two errors in part 1. 

1. Noriko Mizuta Lippit translated "The Smile of the Mountain Witch", assisted by Mariko Ochi. The translation appears in Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch, which is edited by Rebecca Copeland and Linda C. Ehrlich.

2. Author Astrid Lindgren and her Pippi Longstocking series are Swedish—not Norwegian. 



Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode page

Send us a Text Message.

Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.

Show Notes

How does a book make it from the mind of a Japanese author into the hands of an English-language reader?

In part 1 of this 2-part episode, we'll tackle the question, “Why do some Japanese books get translated into English?" How do publishers decide what gets translated? How do they decide what doesn’t get translated. And we'll take a look at Minae Mizumura's An I-Novel, translated into English by Juliet Winters Carpenter.

Please note two errors in part 1. 

1. Noriko Mizuta Lippit translated "The Smile of the Mountain Witch", assisted by Mariko Ochi. The translation appears in Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch, which is edited by Rebecca Copeland and Linda C. Ehrlich.

2. Author Astrid Lindgren and her Pippi Longstocking series are Swedish—not Norwegian. 



Transcript, notes and sources at the podcast episode page

Send us a Text Message.

Get in touch at www.readjapaneseliterature.com.
Support RJL on Patreon.com.
Buy your books from Bookshop.org.
All content © 2024 Read Japanese Literature.