I’ve running a new series called “TransLiterary Lab” (文学翻訳ラボ) where I do analysis and translation of short excerpts of Japanese literature. You can see more information about this series in this post. In this fourth episode I will continue from the previous episode and do a little more analysis and translation of 夢十夜 from Natsume… Read More »
In all the languages I have studied, it’s fairly common for certain expressions to have special meanings that extend beyond the literal meaning, and Japanese is no exception. In this post I would like to go over a particular word with an extended meaning that I thought was especially interesting: 噛み砕く (kamikudaku). 噛み砕く is a… Read More »
I’ve been a fairly avid reader all of my life, but I’ve found that after a few months has passed I tend to remember only a small fraction of what I read––perhaps because of my reading speed. Or maybe it’s just how my mind works. While a majority of my reading time has been devoted… Read More »
I’ve recently started a new series called “TransLiterary Lab” (文学翻訳ラボ) where I do analysis and translation of short excerpts of Japanese literature. You can see more information about this series in this post. In this third episode I will discuss and translate a little of 夢十夜 from Natsume Soseki (夏目漱石) for which you can the… Read More »
Most, if not all languages contain asymmetricities. I attribute this to the fact that grammar in languages is generally shaped over time by a series of small adjustments (which I think of as a type of evolution) as opposed to purposeful rules created by explicit decisions. But whatever the reason, to master a language we… Read More »
I’ve decided to start a new series called “TransLiterary Lab” (文学翻訳ラボ) where I do analysis and translation of short excerpts of Japanese literature. You can see more information about this series in this post. In this second episode I will continue where I left off in episode one, and translate a little more of Akutagawa… Read More »
I give special value to vocabulary words or expressions that I have learned through interaction with native speakers. No matter how much you read or watch forms of Japanese media (books, manga, movies, etc.), it just seems there are some things you have to experience yourself by using Japanese in daily life. In this post,… Read More »
I enjoy writing articles on this blog as well as doing translation of various Japanese works, and was considering writing more articles where I analyze passages and talk about translation details. However, some time ago I hit upon an idea that would be much more fun and potentially more educational than a simple article. Now,… Read More »
In this post I’d like to go over the connecting expression “〜ものの” (~mono no), which is especially useful for those of you interested in Japanese literature. The meaning of this relatively simple: 〜ものの is used after a phrase in order to express a contrast with what comes after. In English we express this with words… Read More »
The more I study Japanese the more I am attracted by Japan’s literature that boasts a certain mystique hard to find in western fiction. In addition to the many differences between the English and Japanese languages themselves, Japan has a culture that goes back several thousands of years, giving an extra depth to its literary… Read More »