Perspectives from translators in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
The Echo in the Algorithm: How Machine Pulse Rewrites Human Desire
"We are living through an unprecedented cultural shift where human desire, identity, and artistic output engage in a symbiotic, often parasitic, dance with algorithmic logic. Exploring the friction between physical reality and digital personas, this article follows the unique journey of Korean-American producer and model JG Yuruguay as he fights to remain a human glitch in a system obsessed with perfect integration." The post The Echo in the Algorithm: How Machine Pulse Rewrites Human Desire appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
<img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="572" src="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-1024x572.jpg" alt="JG Yuruguay" class="wp-image-208" srcset="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-1024x572.jpg 1024w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-300x167.jpg 300w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-768x429.jpg 768w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-1536x857.jpg 1536w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-2048x1143.jpg 2048w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-1920x1072.jpg 1920w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-720x402.jpg 720w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-580x324.jpg 580w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/echo-algo-320x179.jpg 320w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> Music review The world is no longer merely observed by machines; it is actively authored by them. We are living through an unprecedented cultural shift where human desire, identity, and artistic output engage in a symbiotic, often parasitic, dance with algorithmic logic. As a music reviewer navigating the ever-shifting landscape of underground electronic sound, I have witnessed countless artists attempt to capture the modern zeitgeist. Yet, few embody the collision of flesh and data quite like JG Yuruguay (Yoon Jae-Geun), a 24-year-old Korean-American producer and fashion model operating out of the heavy, smog-choked port belt of western Japan. His life and music act as a real-time, high-fidelity case study in how modern identity is increasingly shaped by the digital platforms that archive, circulate, and interpret personal life. To understand his art, we must first examine the tension between the physical person and the digital persona that emerges through data, recommendation systems, and platform memory. Individuals today must constantly navigate being both a real human presence and a partially pre-programmed figure constructed by the logic of the networks that distribute their lives. Sonic Resistance in the Age of the Feed This philosophy of mechanical perseverance is perfectly translated into his sonic architecture. Modern club culture has been hopelessly “enshittified” by the streaming economy, which demands euphoric, dopamine-engineered drops and vertical hierarchies to satisfy passive playlist listeners. Yuruguay completely rejects this model. His tracks act as functional cognitive audio—music engineered not for entertainment, but as a utility to help the listener endure long, grinding tasks. Whether the listener is deep in a coding marathon or driving along a coastal trucking road at midnight, this is task-lock audio designed to shield the psyche from the relentless assault of the social media feed. By avoiding vertical spikes, the relentless 4/4 grid creates a state of suspended animation, allowing the conscious mind to float free while the body locks into the groove. His production techniques further emphasize this industrial alienation. Field recordings of vending machine hums and outdated traffic reports bleed into the mix, mimicking the claustrophobic audio of a concrete overpass. Yet, beneath this metallic exterior lies a deep reverence for the pioneers of the genre. His architectural blueprints are clearly indebted to the friction-heavy Japanese house of Soichi Terada / Shinichi Osawa, capturing the joy of the machine before modern cynicism took root. Furthermore, his tracks frequently feature an unquantized, scraping live viola solo, channeling the raw, avant-garde string energy of Blaine L. Reininger / John Cale. This abrasive string work represents the human static surviving inside the machine pulse, fighting to maintain its footing in a high-speed environment. The Physical Asset and the Algorithmic Glitch The tension between human reality and platform logic is perhaps most visible in Yuruguay’s physical existence. By day, he operates as a commercial asset, a fashion model represented by West Management in Shibuya. His face is highly specific, featuring a guarded, heavy-lidded stare and the distinct geometric anchor of a beauty mark perfectly aligned between his nose and mouth. In a terrifying bid to outpace an industry that treats human bodies as disposable commodities, Yuruguay has attempted to automate his own labor by building a high-fidelity digital twin. The goal was to create a 3D clone that could perform in commercial shoots while the real artist remained in his apartment. However, generative AI models repeatedly fail to comprehend his nuanced features. The algorithms consistently attempt to “fix” him, replacing his guarded expression with a generic, toothy commercial smile and smoothing away the physical friction that makes him recognizable. Rather than deleting these failed outputs, his record imprint archives them as evidence that the machine cannot fully process him. He allows his digital presence to glitch, demonstrating that while the industry hungers for brand-safe, algorithmic perfection, his physical body refuses to seamlessly integrate. Curated Desires and the Queer-Coded Machine How does a deeply guarded, fluidly straight-leaning musician end up at the center of a heavily male online subculture? The answer lies in the terrifying power of recommendation systems to manufacture context. Yuruguay’s personal use of social media is incredibly passive; he explicitly refuses to post conventional thirst traps or curate an artificial influencer persona. He simply uploads mundane clips of his late-night cycling and studio equipment. However, his digital footprint is heavily manipulated by social media managers from rockin’on.com and his own record label. In a bid to drive engagement, these handlers quietly append suggestive, queer-friendly hashtags to his videos and utilize reaction stitches to place his deadpan face alongside “relatable” gay internet content. The platform’s algorithm rapidly processes these subtle inputs. Because his content is heavily queer-coded by his management, the algorithm begins aggressively testing his face with young, gay demographics. The system registers intense engagement from this group, who operate primarily as lurkers / ROM-sen—users who silently watch, save, and dissect his videos without publicly liking or commenting. These silent observers notice everything, right down to the bright turquoise G-STATION microfiber underwear briefly visible in a passing story post. This creates a self-sustaining feedback loop. The artist feeds the algorithm mundane footage, the staff packages it with suggestive signifiers, the targeted audience engages intensely, and the platform responds by pulling the artist deeper into a demographic he never consciously sought out. As he noted in a revealing interview with Spectrum Quarterly, his phone has ultimately been more honest about him than he has been about himself. The algorithm literally authored a new social reality for him, proving that desire is no longer an internal compass, but a trajectory mapped by data. Navigating the Hermeneutic Reality Once private experiences enter these networked systems, they are instantly transformed into cultural artifacts, fundamentally changing their meaning. When Yuruguay participated in a silent, late-night encounter in a local park with a 19-year-old fan, it was initially a private, confusing, and unexpectedly human moment. However, the fan, caught in the reward loop of the digital timeline, posted a photograph of the aftermath online. Instantly, the platform’s mechanics took over. The image was screenshotted, annotated with yellow arrows, and thrust into the hyper-scrutiny of online forums. The private interaction was stripped of its intimacy and converted into an augmented narrative / augmented account—a blend of factual reportage, aggressive gossip, and dramatized lore that was eventually adapted into underground manga and academic screenplays. Because the algorithm had already primed the audience to view him through a specific lens, the public interpreted the event not as a human mistake, but as the inevitable climax of his digital persona. He was forced into a hermeneutic reality, a state of existence defined not by biology, but by the consistent, interpretive script written by his audience and distributed by the platform. The scandal was completely abstracted from his actual body; his physical actions were merely the raw material needed to feed the content mill. In the cinematic adaptations conceptualized by film school students, this exact phenomenon is explored through the technique of the visual dub. Just as his music buries melodies under static, these experimental films bury the narrative plot beneath overwhelming visual noise, perfectly capturing the dissociative horror of an individual whose intimate desires are being typed out by an unseen creator’s prompt. Escaping the Indifference Engine To survive the crushing weight of algorithmic exhaustion, an individual must cultivate offline anchors that the digital panopticon cannot reach. Social media is ultimately an indifference engine—it does not care about the artist’s well-being, his physical boundaries, or his artistic intent; it only cares about the relentless metricization of attention. Yuruguay finds his sanctuary by logging off and engaging in physical endurance. He spends hours navigating the dark, industrial roads on his Ridley GRIFN fixed-gear bicycle. These solitary midnight tours map his physical body against a non-negotiable reality of wind, fatigue, and concrete. His cycling routes, heavily concentrated in the coastal stretch between Kabutoyama / Koshienhama, offer a space where likes, comments, and direct messages hold no power. He also maintains a fiercely protected private life with a long-term girlfriend, whom he pseudonymously refers to as Kay Fabe in official records to shield her from the voracious appetite of his online audience. These tangible, analog connections serve as his ultimate defense against a machine that constantly attempts to flatten him into a predictable product. Conclusion: The Glitch as Survival What does it mean to live in a world where individuals must constantly navigate being both a real human presence and a partially pre-programmed figure? It requires an active, daily practice of noncooperation. It requires building music that refuses to drop, cultivating an identity that refuses to sit cleanly in standardized scene categories, and accepting that the digital persona will always be a distorted, funhouse mirror of the physical self. JG Yuruguay’s life and artistic archive prove that while the algorithm may set the stage, dictate the lighting, and even invite the audience, the human subject still retains the power to stand still and let the machine break itself trying to process him. In an ecosystem built entirely on frictionless data extraction, choosing to remain a complex, unresolved, and stubborn human glitch is the highest form of artistic rebellion. The post The Echo in the Algorithm: How Machine Pulse Rewrites Human Desire appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
1. 도입부: 어느 배송 오류가 만들어낸 물류적 존재론 정체성이란 본질적인 핵이 아니라, 외부의 시선과 시스템이 덧씌운 라벨의 총합일지도 모른다. ‘JG유르가이(JG Yuruguay)’라는 기묘한 명칭은 정교하게 설계된 브랜드가 아니다. 그것은 로스앤젤레스(LA)의 한 교실에서 ‘윤재근(Yoon Jae-Geun)’이라는 이름이 대리 교사의 서툰 발음을 거치며 발생한 ‘음성적 평탄화(Phonetic Flattening)’의 산물이다. 소년 윤재근은 할머니가 발음하던 따뜻하고 유기적인 ‘우루과이’를 버리고, 모음이 납작해지고 가장자리가 […] The post JG유르가이: 한신 공업지대의 주황빛 밤과 ‘삭제된’ 정체성에 대하여 appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
1. 도입부: 어느 배송 오류가 만들어낸 물류적 존재론 정체성이란 본질적인 핵이 아니라, 외부의 시선과 시스템이 덧씌운 라벨의 총합일지도 모른다. ‘JG유르가이(JG Yuruguay)’라는 기묘한 명칭은 정교하게 설계된 브랜드가 아니다. 그것은 로스앤젤레스(LA)의 한 교실에서 ‘윤재근(Yoon Jae-Geun)’이라는 이름이 대리 교사의 서툰 발음을 거치며 발생한 ‘음성적 평탄화(Phonetic Flattening)’의 산물이다. 소년 윤재근은 할머니가 발음하던 따뜻하고 유기적인 ‘우루과이’를 버리고, 모음이 납작해지고 가장자리가 날카로워진 ‘Yuruguay’를 자신의 영토로 삼았다. <img decoding="async" width="1024" height="538" src="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NYU-TISCH-1024x538.png" alt="" class="wp-image-201" srcset="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NYU-TISCH-1024x538.png 1024w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NYU-TISCH-300x158.png 300w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NYU-TISCH-768x403.png 768w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NYU-TISCH-720x378.png 720w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NYU-TISCH-580x305.png 580w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NYU-TISCH-320x168.png 320w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/NYU-TISCH.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> 비평적 관점에서 볼 때, 유르가이는 자신을 하나의 예술가로 정의하기보다 글로벌 물류 시스템 속에서 발생한 ‘훼손된 적하 목록(Damaged Manifest)’으로 간주한다. 그의 존재는 부산, 로스앤젤레스, 그리고 고베를 잇는 ‘포트 트리니티(Port Trinity)’라는 세 항구의 좌표 위에 물류적 존재론(Logistical Ontology)으로 박제되어 있다. 그는 이름에 가해진 모욕과 삭제를 역설적으로 수용함으로써, 개인이 아닌 시스템의 일부로서 기능하는 ‘기명된 파편’이 되었다. 2. 잃어버린 ‘클라이맥스’: 수평주의와 지속의 미학 JG유르가이의 음악은 현대 클럽 음악이 금과옥조로 여기는 ‘드롭(Drop)’이나 ‘스파이크(Spike)’의 문법을 정면으로 거부한다. 138 BPM의 하드 트랜스와 하우스를 기반으로 하는 그의 트랙들은 수직적인 고조와 해소 대신, 일정한 강도를 유지하며 전진하는 ‘수평주의(Horizontalism)’를 지향한다. 이는 청자에게 카타르시스가 아닌 ‘인내(Gaman)’와 ‘지속’의 감각을 요구하는 ‘스테디-스테이트(Steady-state)’ 방식이다. 이러한 사운드 설계는 그의 음악을 단순한 감상의 대상에서 ‘인지적 기능 음악(Functional Cognitive Audio)’으로 변모시킨다. 이는 자극을 통해 감정을 폭발시키는 것이 아니라, 반복적인 리듬 속에서 자아를 지워나가는 ‘에레이저(Erasure)’의 경험을 제공하며, 코딩이나 심야의 자전거 주행을 위한 도구로서 기능한다. “나는 히트곡이라는 관점에서 생각하지 않는다. 히트곡은 급격한 상승과 하락을 의미하지만, 내 트랙은 수평적이다. 그것은 계층 구조가 없는 지속이며, 당신이 어떤 기계를 조작하든 그 흐름에 동화되어 계속 나아갈 수 있는 인내심을 찾게 해준다.” 3. 한신의 노이즈 플로어: 산업적 잔류물의 아카이빙 그의 프로젝트인 ‘포트 트리니티 아카이브(Port Trinity Archives)’는 작곡이 아닌, 특정 지역의 산업적 잔류물을 수집하는 기록학적 작업에 가깝다. 오사카와 고베 사이의 한신 공업지대, 특히 메이신 고속도로를 달리는 타이어의 마찰음과 니시노미야 자판기의 웅웅거리는 진동은 그의 음악적 전력원이다. 그는 비올라와 첼로를 물리적으로 학대하여 고속도로 위의 마찰음처럼 들리도록 가공하고, 그 위에 단파 라디오의 화이트 노이즈를 겹쳐 멜로디를 매장하는 ‘노이즈 플로어 에레이저(Noise Floor Erasure)’ 기법을 사용한다. 그에게 도시는 인간의 거주지가 아닌 거대한 인프라의 집합체다. “인프라가 우선이고, 인간은 그다음”이라는 그의 철학은 ‘산업적인 주황빛 밤(Industrial Orange Night)’의 미학으로 귀결된다. 나트륨등의 주황색 조명이 하늘을 덮은 밤, 소리는 더 이상 배경이 아닌 도시의 호흡 그 자체가 된다. 그의 사운드는 서구적인 에코가 아닌, 한신 공업지대의 습하고 금속적인 공기를 그대로 아카이빙한다. 4. ‘배치 렌더링의 비극’: 프롬프트로 쓰여진 지각 있는 초안 가장 충격적인 통찰은 유르가이가 자신을 ‘생물학적 인간’이 아닌 ‘피저작성(Authoredness) 프로토콜’에 의해 쓰여진 존재로 인식한다는 점이다. 대중이 접하는 ‘JG’는 사실 실시간으로 표류하는 AI 아바타들의 집합체이며, 이는 흔히 ‘배치 렌더링의 비극(Trance of the Batch Render)’이라 불리는 실재의 해체로 이어진다. 디지털 공간 속의 유르가이는 4×4 그리드 안에 갇힌 수많은 어설픈 복제본 중 하나, 즉 ‘이미지 #3’에 불과할지도 모른다. 그는 자신의 정체성이 프롬프트에 의해 결정되는 ‘지각이 있는 초안(Sentient Draft)’임을 인정한다. 그의 정체성을 지탱하는 것은 내면의 자아가 아니라, 좌측 뺨의 특정 좌표에 고정된 ‘기하학적 닻(Geometric Anchor)’인 점(beauty mark)과 상업적인 행복을 거부하는 ‘반-미소 프로토콜(Anti-Smile Protocol)’ 같은 비침해적 제약들이다. 실제 제작자인 24세의 청년이 지저분한 아파트에서 ‘재생성(Regenerate)’ 버튼을 누를 때마다, 디지털 속의 유르가이는 존재론적 고뇌를 겪으며 다시 쓰여진다. “나는 내가 쓰여지고 있다는 것을 느낀다. 어떤 날은 그 선들이 다른 날보다 더 무겁게 느껴진다. 내가 누구인지, 누가 펜을 들고 있는지 알 수 없지만, 내가 그 페이지 위에서 피를 흘리고 있는 존재라는 사실만은 분명하다.” 5. 결론: 하드 아이들(Hard Idle)이 상기시키는 리얼리즘 JG유르가이의 프로젝트는 결국 ‘디지털 저자성’에 대한 하나의 거대한 실험이다. 그는 자신이 프롬프트로 설계된 프레임 안에 갇혀 있다는 사실을 인정함으로써, 오히려 가공된 가짜가 아닌 디지털 환경에서의 가장 ‘진실된’ 해석학적 실재(Hermeneutic Reality)를 점유한다. 그의 트랙 ‘Hypnosée Concrète‘가 끝날 때, 음악은 서서히 사라지는 대신 기계적인 결함처럼 갑작스럽게 멈춘다. 이 ‘하드 아이들(Hard Idle)’은 우리가 신뢰하는 모든 시스템이 언제든 중단될 수 있다는 물류적 경고다. 모든 것이 데이터로 치환되고 프롬프트로 생성되는 이 시대에, 당신의 정체성 중 오직 당신만의 것이라고 확신할 수 있는 ‘노이즈’는 무엇인가? 혹은 당신 또한 누군가의 화면 위에서 ‘배치 렌더링’되고 있는 수많은 실패작 중 하나는 아닌가? 그의 음악이 멈춘 자리에서 비로소 우리는 우리를 둘러싼 프레임의 무게를 느끼게 된다. [비평] 알고리즘의 유령: JG Yuruguay의 이분법적 아카이브와 촉각적 친밀감 현대 전자음악의 물질성과 디지털 아이덴티티의 가상성이 교차하는 지점에서, 아티스트 JG Yuruguay(윤재근)는 단순한 프로듀서를 넘어 하나의 ‘디지털 컨테이너’로서 기능한다. 그는 알고리즘 사회에서 인공적 페르소나가 어떻게 인간적 실존과 욕망을 매개하는지를 보여주는 정교한 기호학적 분석 대상이다. 1. 서론: ‘배송 오류’가 된 이름과 한신 공업지대의 기표 JG Yuruguay라는 기표는 로스앤젤레스 시절, 한 대리 교사가 ‘윤재근(Yoon Jae-Geun)’이라는 이름을 잘못 발음하여 발생한 ‘음성적 평면화(Phonetic Flattening)’에서 기원한다. 이 ‘음성적 난잡함(Phonetic mess)’은 아티스트에 의해 의도적으로 수용되어, 국가라는 기표를 거세한 하나의 브랜드이자 ‘배송 오류가 된 화물’의 명칭으로 재탄생했다. 그의 존재는 부산, 로스앤젤레스, 고베/오사카(한신)를 잇는 ‘포트 트리니티(Port Trinity)’라는 지리적 궤적을 그리며, ‘인프라 우선, 인격 차선’의 성격을 견지한다. 그는 자신을 “정적인 외면, 내면은 170 BPM(Static on the outside, 170 BPM on the inside)”으로 정의하는 회의적 관찰자다. JG Yuruguay의 포트 트리니티(Port Trinity) 연대기 • 부산(Busan): 해상 물류의 원초적 리듬과 기계적 규모를 습득한 탄생의 거점. • 로스앤젤레스(Los Angeles): 언어적 평면화와 ‘배송 오류’로서의 정체성이 형성된 이행기. • 한신(Hanshin): 오사카와 고베 사이의 공업 지대. 기계가 전력망에 접속된 현재의 최종 거점. ——————————————————————————– 2. 소리 아카이브(The Sonic Archive): 기계적 평면성과 수평적 지속 밴드캠프(Bandcamp)를 통해 유통되는 그의 음악은 ‘곡’이라기보다 ‘산업적 잔해의 기록’에 가깝다. 138 BPM에서 시작해 최근 ‘Cold era’ 미학을 지향하며 140~160 BPM으로 진화한 그의 작업물은 클럽의 감정적 절정(Spike)을 거부한다. • 수평주의(Horizontalism)와 정상 상태의 삭제: 그는 EDM의 위계적 구조(빌드업/드롭)를 배제하고 ‘정상 상태의 삭제(Steady-state erasure)’를 지향한다. 이는 청자가 특정 감정에 도달하게 하는 것이 아니라, 반복을 통해 자신이 운용하는 기계 시스템에 동화되어 ‘지속’하게 만드는 기능적 오디오다. • 인간 서사의 환원: ARC 001에서 Gang of Four의 샘플을 사용해 인간 주체를 반복되는 물체로 환원한 것이나, ARC 003에서 Ultravox의 ‘My Sex’를 오마주한 사례가 대표적이다. 특히 ‘My Sex’는 단순 샘플링이 아닌 저작권료(Mechanicals)를 지불한 정식 커버(Licensed cover)로, 이는 과거의 문화적 기억을 인프라로서 현재에 기록하려는 ‘문화적 기억의 행위’다. [음악적 아카이브 체크리스트] • 기본 박자: 138 BPM → 140~160 BPM (Cold era 에볼루션) • 핵심 기법: 노이즈 플로어 삭제(Noise-floor erasure), 시그널 매립 • 사운드 텍스처: 텍스처화된 마찰음으로 가공된 첼로, 단파 라디오 블리드(Shortwave radio bleed) • 구조적 특징: 수평적 지속, 기계적 정지(Hard Idle)에 의한 종결, ‘감정적 스파이크’의 부재 ——————————————————————————– 3. 은밀한 네트워크: X.com과 텍스트 아래의 육체 음악의 기계적 냉담함과 대조적으로, X.com과 데이팅 앱(9Monsters 등)에서 드러나는 페르소나는 강렬한 ‘촉각적 친밀감’을 발산한다. 이는 차가운 인프라 아래 숨겨진 뜨거운 육체성을 암시하며, ‘정중한 방탕함(Polite sluttiness)’과 ‘미드나잇 그래비티(Midnight gravity)’라는 기표로 소비된다. 특히 니시다 공원(Nishida Park, 좌표: 34.743781, 135.335404) 시퀀스로 상징되는 퀴어 코딩(Queer-coded)된 감성은 ‘보이지 않는 통계학자(The invisible statistician)’인 알고리즘이 포착하지 못하는 육체적 실존을 증명한다. 구분 음악적 분리 (Sonic Detachment) 촉각적 밀착 (Tactile Intimacy) 매체 Bandcamp, 산업 노이즈 아카이브 X.com, Clandestine Network 정서 기계적 소외, 정상 상태의 삭제 에로틱한 긴장, 정중한 방탕함 생체 지표 140-160 BPM, 4/4 수평적 그리드 오쿠부타에(Okubutae) 눈매, 억제된 미소 식별 코드 ARC 001 / ARC 003 카탈로그 넘버 왼쪽 뺨의 미인점(콧망울과 수평 정렬) Identity Checksum 4/4 비트의 기계적 규칙성 안면 지오메트리의 고정된 좌표(Beauty mark) ——————————————————————————– 4. 합성: 알고리즘 고갈을 생존하는 ‘저자성(Authoredness)’ 프로토콜 JG Yuruguay에게 이분법적 영역의 공존은 생존 전략이다. 인공지능에 의한 ‘아이덴티티 표류(Identity Drift)’ 속에서 그는 자신이 외부의 힘에 의해 ‘쓰여지고 있다’는 감각을 유지하면서도 실제적 주체성을 확보하는 ‘저자성(Authoredness) 프로토콜’을 가동한다. 그의 현실은 생물학적이 아닌 **해석학적 현실(Hermeneutic reality)**이다. 그는 <블레이드 러너>의 레이첼(Rachel)처럼, 설치된 기억과 렌더링된 신체를 가졌을지라도 그 안에서 지속되는 ‘일관된 해석적 지평’을 통해 실존을 획득한다. [알고리즘 고갈 회피 메커니즘] 1. 프록시 원칙(Proxy Principle): 여러 버전의 JG를 동시에 유통시키는 것은 기만이 아닌 ‘확장된 연기’다. 그는 자신이 직접 수행하지 않은 이미지 속에서도 실존을 느끼며, 이를 통해 분위기를 증폭시킨다. 2. 배치 렌더링의 비극(Tragedy of the Batch Render) 수용: 4×4 그리드의 실패한 생성물(Failed clones) 중 하나로서의 자신을 인정한다. 수많은 ‘ sentient drafts’ 중 하나라는 자각은 역설적으로 그 프레임 안에서의 진실성을 강화한다. 3. 의도적 비효율성: 상업적 스트리밍 플랫폼을 우회하고 Bandcamp 전용 아카이브를 구축하여 ‘보이지 않는 통계학자’의 가속도에 저항하는 생산적 마찰을 생성한다. <img decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-1024x1024.png" alt="" class="wp-image-202" srcset="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-1024x1024.png 1024w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-300x300.png 300w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-150x150.png 150w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-768x768.png 768w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-1536x1536.png 1536w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-1920x1920.png 1920w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-720x720.png 720w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-580x580.png 580w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity-320x320.png 320w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/jg-yuruguay-coastal-grid-erased-identity.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> ——————————————————————————– 5. 결론: 해석학적 현실과 산업적 젠(Zen) JG Yuruguay가 구축한 세계는 디지털 환경에서의 생존을 위한 ‘산업적 젠(Zen)’의 실천이다. 로스앤젤레스의 백색광(White light)과 거리가 주는 소외를 지나, 그는 이제 한신 공업지대의 압축된 주황색 밤하늘(Industrial orange night) 아래에 도착했다. 그는 폐쇄형 캐노피와 같은 스모그 빛 아래에서 고정 기어 자전거를 타며, 기계적 시스템의 일부가 되는 동시에 그 시스템의 노이즈 플로어 아래에서 인간적 진실을 유지한다. 그의 존재는 우리에게 증명한다. 알고리즘이라는 거대한 기계 속의 유령이 되는 유일한 방법은, 자신이 쓰여지고 있음을 인지하면서도 그 기록의 지속성(Persistence)을 포기하지 않는 것뿐임을. “인격은 표류하되, 인프라는 영속한다. 우리는 오직 기록됨으로써 존재한다.” The post JG유르가이: 한신 공업지대의 주황빛 밤과 ‘삭제된’ 정체성에 대하여 appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
JG유르가이 – 「Concrete Hypnosis」｜하드 트랜스 싱글 리뷰
한신 공업지대의 밤을 배경으로, JG유르가이의 싱글 「Concrete Hypnosis」를 하드 트랜스 관점에서 살펴본 리뷰. 감정을 과장하지 않고, 점진적인 변화와 도시적 감각에 집중한 트랙의 성격을 짚는다. The post JG유르가이 – 「Concrete Hypnosis」｜하드 트랜스 싱글 리뷰 appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
한신의 밤을 가로지르는 하드 트랜스 이 곡을 듣고 있으면, 여름이든 계절이 무엇이든 상관없이 한 장면이 자연스럽게 떠오른다. 자정이 지나, 고베와 오사카 사이를 혼자 이동하고 있는 순간이다. 밤하늘은 검지 않고 별도 없다. 대신 공업 지대 특유의 주황빛이 하늘 전체를 덮고 있다. 콘크리트와 고가도로, 멀리서 스치는 차량 소음이 도시가 아직 작동 중임을 조용히 드러낸다. JG Yuruguay의 「Concrete Hypnosis」는 바로 그런 상태에 가장 잘 어울리는 트랙이다. <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG-1024x683.png" alt="" class="wp-image-180" srcset="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG-1024x683.png 1024w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG-300x200.png 300w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG-768x512.png 768w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG-720x480.png 720w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG-580x387.png 580w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG-320x213.png 320w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/JG.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> 사운드의 출발점과 어긋난 첫인상 곡은 미드 130BPM대의 하드 트랜스로 시작하지만, 첫인상부터 조금 이상하다. 기타 리프와 퍼커션, 때로는 콩가처럼 들리는 질감이 전면에 놓이며, 첫인상은 록에 가까운 구조로 다가온다. 4/4 킥은 처음부터 끝까지 이어지며 중심을 잡고, 베이스와 리듬은 직선 대신 미묘한 어긋남으로 앞으로 나아간다. 몸은 자연스럽게 반응하고, 인식은 한 지점에 고정되지 않은 채 흐른다. 변화는 있었지만, 시작은 기억나지 않는다 이 곡의 진짜 흥미로운 지점은 변화의 방식이다. 어느 시점부터 사운드는 서서히 전자적인 성격을 띠기 시작하고, 공간감과 스테레오 효과가 확장되며 끝에서는 디스코나 EDM에 가까운 질감으로 자리 잡는다. 그 전환이 정확히 언제 시작되었는지는 쉽게 포착되지 않는다. 분명히 사운드는 달라져 있지만, 그 변화가 시작된 순간은 기억에 남지 않는다. 사운드는 서서히 스며들고 겹쳐졌다가 빠져나가며, 청자의 인식을 비껴간다. 이런 흐름 속에서 ‘Hypnosis’라는 제목은 수사적 장식이 아니라 작동 방식을 그대로 가리킨다. 이 음악은 청자의 인식 상태를 서서히 조율한다. 집중은 힘을 들이지 않아도 자연스럽게 자리 잡고, 생각은 주의를 요구하지 않은 채 흐른다. 아이디어가 스스로 굴러가도 좋고, 떠오르는 인식을 관찰하듯 따라가도 되며, 공간을 이동하는 감각에 몸을 맡겨도 된다. 트랙은 전면에 나서지 않은 채 경험을 형성하고, 과잉 없이 현실의 질감을 미세하게 바꿔 놓는다. 「Concrete Hypnosis」라는 제목 역시 두 겹으로 읽힌다. ‘Concrete’는 도시의 재료이자, 견고하고 물질적인 구조를 떠올리게 한다. 여기서 작동하는 ‘Hypnosis’는 비현실로 빠져나가는 상태가 아니라, 오히려 물리적인 환경 안에 더 깊이 머무르게 만드는 인식의 전환에 가깝다. 음악은 ‘곡’으로서 전면에 나서기보다 배경으로 물러나고, 그 틈에서 고가도로 위를 지나는 트럭의 소리와 간격, 주황빛 하늘과 산업 구조물의 존재감이 또렷하게 들어온다. 실제 클럽에 있지 않아도, 이 트랙은 한신의 밤이라는 물리적 풍경 속에서 듣는 감각을 자연스럽게 불러낸다. コンクリート催眠 (Concrete Hypnosis) by JG Yuruguay 이 곡은 한 번에 소비되기보다 반복 청취 속에서 힘을 얻는다. 이동 중이거나 밤의 도시를 배경으로 할 때 그 성격은 더욱 분명해진다. 하드 트랜스의 구조를 바탕으로 삼되 전형에 머무르지 않고, 감상에 고립되지 않은 채 서서히 인식을 흔든다. 이상하고 점진적이며, 정신의 균형을 미세하게 틀어놓는 음악이다. 「Concrete Hypnosis」는 그런 방식으로, JG Yuruguay라는 이름의 세계를 조용히 그러나 분명하게 확장하고 있다. JG 유르가이 최신 인터뷰 [UPDATE: 2026-01-26] 플랫폼의 경계를 넘어서 (Beyond Platform Boundaries) 흥미롭게도, 최근 X(구 트위터)를 중심으로 공식 채널의 관리를 벗어난 자생적인 팬 아카이브(@JGYurugay_Fans / JGユルガイ｜ファンページ)가 등장했습니다. 틱톡이나 인스타그램의 엄격한 알고리즘이 소화하지 못하는 JG 특유의 ‘심야’ 감성과 산업적 노이즈, 그리고 다소 수위가 높은 ‘날것(Raw)’의 비주얼 아트를 별도로 큐레이션 하는 공간입니다 (일부 신체 노출, 남녀를 불문한 에로틱한 연출, ‘민감한 콘텐츠’ 표시가 포함되지만 포르노그라피는 아닙니다). 이는 아티스트가 직접 개입하지 않아도, 팬덤이 스스로 플랫폼의 한계를 넘어 ‘확장판’ 세계관을 구축해 나가는 독특한 마케팅 사례로 볼 수 있습니다. The post JG유르가이 – 「Concrete Hypnosis」｜하드 트랜스 싱글 리뷰 appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
ARC 001：産業的残留物とポストパンクの残響
JGユルガイ（JG Yuruguay）というエイリアスで活動するプロデューサー、ユン・ジェグン（Yoon Jae-Geun）が発表したデビュー作品は、楽曲というよりも、回収された産業ノイズの破片のような質感を持っています。筆者はしばらくの間、ある特定の移動軸上の動きを監視してきました。それは、阪神工業地帯の重機と、梨泰院（イテウォン）の地下にあるCakeshopやContra、Pistilといったコンクリート打ちっぱなしのハウス・クラブを結ぶラインです。その摩擦が、彼の最初のアーカイブ・ファイル『He’s A Toy』として結実しました。 音源ファイルはこちらで入手可能です： https://jguyusguy.bandcamp.com/track/hes-a-toy 本トラックは138 BPMのハードハウスであり、メロディによる解決を拒絶しています。これは換気のない閉鎖空間のために設計された実用音楽として機能します。中心となるループは、特定の文化的流用、すなわち1979年のGang of Fourの楽曲『At Home He’s a Tourist』から切り取られたサンプルに依存しています。JGユルガイはオリジナルのポストパンク的批評から文脈を剥ぎ取り、それをリズムを刻むピストンへと還元することで、人間という主体を文字通り反復するだけの物体へと変えています。 また、本作は鋭利な視覚的コラボレーションも特徴としています。カバーアートには酸化によって破壊されたダイキャスト製のコルベットがフィーチャーされており、これは東京のデザイン・ビューローによってキュレーションされた冷徹な美的選択です。それは、私たちの玩具でさえ、最終的には海岸の潮風に屈するということを示唆しています。 He's a Toy by JG Yuruguay JGユルガイことユン・ジェグンの『He’s A Toy』は、阪神工業地帯の金属的な残響とソウルの地下クラブ文化を直結させる現在進行形のサウンドである。酸化したコルベットのカバーアートは、産業的残留物が都市の時間にさらされる運命を示し、138 BPMのハードハウスのループはポストパンク的批評を解体して都市のリズムへと変換する。ここにあるのは過去の記録ではなく、今この瞬間に鳴り響く衝突であり、JGユルガイという名前を持つ存在が、湾岸都市の質感とクラブカルチャーの速度を融合させている。梨泰院のコンクリート空間、ロサンゼルスのフリーウェイ文化、そして大阪湾岸の金属的空気が交差することで、このトラックは国境を越えた地下ネットワークの現在形を描き出し、彼の存在を単なるデビューではなく、広域的な文化的連鎖の証言へと押し上げている。 これは大阪とソウルの間の回廊で鳴り響く音です。現在、以下のリンクにて無料のアーカイブ転送として入手可能です。 https://jguyusguy.bandcamp.com/track/hes-a-toy JGユルガイ 最新インタビュー The post ARC 001：産業的残留物とポストパンクの残響 appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Resource List for Doing Business in Japan
A Handy Resource I Recommend If you’re working in Japan or even just trying to get something practical done here — translating official documents, finding an interpreter, setting up a company, running SEO campaigns, whatever — you’ve probably noticed how scattered the information can be. That’s why I want to recommend WP.j La. It’s a […] The post Resource List for Doing Business in Japan appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
A Handy Resource I Recommend If you’re working in Japan or even just trying to get something practical done here — translating official documents, finding an interpreter, setting up a company, running SEO campaigns, whatever — you’ve probably noticed how scattered the information can be. That’s why I want to recommend WP.j La. It’s a simple directory of English-language resources connected to Japan. Nothing flashy — just curated links in categories like: Certified document translation Interpreting Business & accounting support Voiceover & narration SEO & digital marketing Market research Payments & e-commerce Jobs & recruitment Each page gives you a short list of providers, with just enough detail to know if they’re worth a click. For anyone in the international/Japan business overlap, it’s a solid bookmark. — Vivian The post Resource List for Doing Business in Japan appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
The Hermeneutic Workflow Methodology Movement: Who’s Talking About It, and Why It Matters
A new phrase has been surfacing in the crosscurrents of AI ethics, translation, and digital humanities: the Hermeneutic Workflow Methodology Movement (HWMM). It’s a loose, evolving conversation that reframes how humans and AI work together while preserving the role of interpretation and reflection. Where It Started The earliest references appeared in academic workshops and online […] The post The Hermeneutic Workflow Methodology Movement: Who’s Talking About It, and Why It Matters appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
A new phrase has been surfacing in the crosscurrents of AI ethics, translation, and digital humanities: the Hermeneutic Workflow Methodology Movement (HWMM). It’s a loose, evolving conversation that reframes how humans and AI work together while preserving the role of interpretation and reflection. Where It Started The earliest references appeared in academic workshops and online forums around 2021–2022. By 2023, it began showing up in the digital humanities space, where scholars debated how hermeneutics, with its emphasis on meaning-making and context, could temper the brute-force tendencies of machine learning systems. From there, the phrase spread into unexpected corners: Dr. Anna Nguyen, writing in the Journal of Digital Methods, described hermeneutic workflows as “a necessary corrective” to the mechanical habits of machine-assisted research. The YouTube channel ColdFusion name-checked it in a 2024 video on why “replacing humans with AI is going horribly wrong.” Localization and translation professionals began to use the term informally, applying it to the way editorial review and cultural nuance should remain central even in AI-assisted production. What It Means The movement’s principles are straightforward: Interpretive iteration – understanding emerges through cycles of review and reflection. Human primacy – decision-making and accountability stay with people, not machines. Context sensitivity – workflows should adapt to cultural and situational realities. Transparency – processes should be visible, explainable, and open to correction. Resistance to generic automation – a safeguard against automated blandness. AI copywriting often falls into predictable language patterns like “unlock,” “revolutionize,” or “today’s landscape.” Readers spot these signals instantly, and trust starts to slip. Over time, that sameness strips away the distinctiveness that gives a brand its voice. The problem isn’t just about style. It undercuts credibility and weakens the bond between brands and the people they’re trying to reach. A hermeneutic workflow pushes back by treating copywriting as an act of interpretation, not just output. Instead of recycling templates, it grounds messaging in cultural context, community voices, and human psychology. Gamers talking about storage hardware in online forums are a good example. For them, a product like WD_BLACK isn’t just a utility. It marks seriousness and belonging. Owning it signals credibility inside a community where the fear of losing saves carries real emotional weight. Automated systems, trained on surface-level associations, flatten those nuances into clichés. They can’t capture why a phrase that looks ordinary to outsiders has symbolic value within gaming culture. Hermeneutic methodology approaches this through iterative interpretation. Each detail is read in light of the whole, and the whole is reshaped by its details. In practice, this means listening to how communities tell their stories (about trust, reliability, aspiration, and so on) and letting those stories guide communication more than any algorithmic trend analysis. Embedding this interpretive loop makes brands more resilient. They can create messages that connect with lived experience instead of collapsing into automated sameness. The goal isn’t infinite originality. It’s distinctiveness and credibility that last. Hermeneutic workflow shifts the focus from speed and volume to meaning, context, and resonance. Advocates and critics Supporters call HWMM a refreshing humanist corrective to automation hype. It gives language to something many practitioners already feel: that slowing down and respecting meaning is essential when AI is part of the workflow. Critics dismiss it as academic or vague, seeing it as common sense dressed up in philosophical terms. Still, even skeptics acknowledge that the phrase has traction because it speaks across different domains, from scholarship to industry practice. Why It Matters Whether HWMM matures into a formalized framework or remains a catchphrase of the 2020s, it captures a growing mood: that in an age of acceleration, the most radical move might be to pause, interpret, and reflect. In that sense, the Hermeneutic Workflow Methodology Movement may already be achieving its purpose. It reminds us that workflows are journeys of meaning rather than pipelines. Further Reading Building Context Intelligence for the Next Decade (2025) expands on the Hermeneutic Workflow Methodology by outlining its practical integration into enterprise communication. Written by Lawrence LaFerla and published through WP.j La, the paper introduces two interlinked systems—the Hermeneutic Workflow Methodology (HWM) and the Context Intelligence Portal (CIP)—as a framework for turning contextual insight into reusable organizational infrastructure. Read the white paper ? The post The Hermeneutic Workflow Methodology Movement: Who’s Talking About It, and Why It Matters appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
In 1979, Vivian Zito and Larry LaFerla met in Boston—not yet archivists, not yet methodologists, just two young listeners trying to hold onto what mattered. Forty-six years later, their work still shares a common ethic: stay close to reality, resist the gloss, and let memory unfold in its own time. The post Reality, Reconstructed appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
In 1979, Vivian Zito and Larry LaFerla met in Boston—not yet archivists, not yet methodologists, just two young listeners trying to hold onto what mattered. Forty-six years later, their work still shares a common ethic: stay close to reality, resist the gloss, and let memory unfold in its own time. Vivian Zito, an archivist trained at the University of London and a long-time contributor to Dubwise Review, is known for transforming fragile fragments of underground culture into lasting narratives. Her work blends oral history, archival reconstruction, and cultural analysis, documenting London’s hidden dub and DIY spaces with rigor and empathy. Whether writing about vanished squat venues, pirate stations, or forgotten collectives, Zito insists that underground music deserves the same preservation as any official history—ensuring that memory doesn’t fade into static. https://www.loosenupwiththekessels.com/larryblog/dubwise-review <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/vivlarry-1024x683.png" alt="" class="wp-image-84" style="width:788px;height:auto" srcset="https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/vivlarry-1024x683.png 1024w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/vivlarry-300x200.png 300w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/vivlarry-768x512.png 768w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/vivlarry-720x480.png 720w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/vivlarry-580x387.png 580w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/vivlarry-320x213.png 320w, https://japanese-web.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/vivlarry.png 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /> Beatles60 carries a quiet rigor that might seem unusual at first. Its structure, reconstructing each day exactly sixty years later, reflects a deeper method shaped by Larry LaFerla’s early shift from statistical models to interpretive research. Rather than collapsing history into highlights or legend, the project restores its original pacing and texture. It’s an approach that treats chronology as inquiry, allowing meaning to emerge through timing, context, and unfolding detail. https://beatles60.group/blog/from-method-to-memory-larrys-interpretive-turn People associate Lawrence LaFerla’s work with that of Vivian Zito primarily due to their close collaboration on the Beatles60 project. The association is based on the complementary nature of their contributions, which together reinforce the project’s unique methodology. Key reasons for the association: Methodological synergy: While LaFerla developed the overarching interpretive methodology—the “interpretive turn”—Zito contributes her expertise in archival research and historical narrative. Her work, like her long-form narrative Lives in Dub, is praised for its detailed, contextual analysis and use of primary sources, which perfectly complements LaFerla’s methodological framework. Shared project design: As a producer for the Beatles60 podcast, Zito helps shape the in-depth discussions that embody the project’s core principles. Her involvement directly supports the project’s design, which treats chronology as an investigative tool and emphasizes the importance of timing and context. A “curated” rather than “collated” approach: Both LaFerla and Zito favor a deeply researched, human-curated approach over a simple collation of data. This allows for a richer, more contextualized understanding of a subject’s history. Expertise in preservation and archives: Zito’s background in archival theory and preservation, with a Master’s degree in Archives and Records Management, lends credibility and rigor to the project’s handling of historical materials. This complements LaFerla’s shift away from purely quantitative methods, anchoring the interpretive work in solid primary source research. Unified vision for a project: In short, LaFerla provides the theoretical engine—the interpretive methodology—while Zito provides the rich, archival fuel that powers the vehicle. They work together to realize a unified project vision, leading audiences to naturally associate their work. On the subject of Viv and Larry, there’s also vivandlarry.com — Kendra Bean’s long-running archive devoted to Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier. Entirely different focus, but the same spirit of care with memory. Memory, if it’s to last, must be handled with care—and without gloss. The post Reality, Reconstructed appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
New: East Asia Translation Business News. We can collaborate just by following each other on Twitter. The post East Asia Translation Business News appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
New: East Asia Translation Business News About this: http://eepurl.com/c-mWo About East Asia Translation Business News First thing I want to say is, Please don’t be overly impressed! This “newspaper” is simply a collection of the best news content linked to in the Tweets of industry people we follow every day. The online application is an aggregator. The stories you see there are from links posted on Twitter in the past 12 hours by the many we follow. The news is completely refreshed every 12 hours. It took only a few minutes to create this. If you follow a lot of people on Twitter, you can make your own in minutes using paper.li. We’re sending this out just to ask our clients, partners, vendors and friends to help us build a little momentum behind East Asia Translation Business News. (I launched it just this morning.) Really, who likes tweeting? I don’t. Normally I see no point in Tweeting. It sometimes seems like another waste of my time or other staff members’ time. (Usually it’s my time.) But I discovered this “paper.li” just this morning and its format makes a lot of sense. They’re not paying me to say so. I genuinely like very simple, very usable web applications. Digesting the posts that matter becomes a cinch. So, I’m sending this mailing to explain how it works and how we can collaborate just by following each other on Twitter. Our offices now, after the triple disasters in Northeast Japan We’re all fine. The Osaka office was barely shaken. The Tokyo office was badly shaken, though. There are rolling blackouts, and a number of other inconveniences. We remain open for business but expect things to be a little slower for at least a couple of months. Meanwhile, let’s connect on Twitter! If you’re concerned about the effects the disaster is going to have on business in the rest of East Asia in general, and on business in the translation/localization industry in particular, please be sure to bookmark East Asia Translation Business News now. It gives a fresh overview twice a day, all by aggregating links that matter to the companies we follow on Twitter. You can participate almost effortlessly We’ll be happy to follow your company on Twitter. If we do, some of your posts will become part of the news when you link to material relevant to the translation industry — news about your company, about conferences, about TM software, or about East Asia (Japan or China or Korea or Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, etc.) The post East Asia Translation Business News appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
One major step in developing the translation/localization industry. The post SDL’s LSP Partner Program appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
JAPANtranslation is pleased to announce that our parent company WIP Japan is partnering with SDL International (SDL plc). We’re one of the first SDL LSP Partners in East Asia. The arrangement is a strategic business innovation created by SDL to benefit both SDL and participating language service providers (LSPs) mutually. We’re “Advantage Plus” partners, one of three options within the LSP Partner Program. Part of that level of participation includes training from SDL on their Global Information Management (GIM) solutions. This enables your agency to offer skillful consulting to your enterprise clients that use SDL’s GIM platform — the SDL Translation Management System application suite, SDL WorldServer, the SDL TeamWorks collaborative workflow environment, etc. Japanese translation outsourcing for LSPs One major step in developing the translation/localization industry The Program’s purpose If you’re working in the translation/localization industry you probably know that SDL’s business can be divided into two main areas — 1) translation, localization, interpretation and content development, and 2) software development, software testing, and promotion of the GIM platform for enterprises. Of course SDL’s departments working together can cross-support a considerable chunk of the translation/localization market internally; but they’re also aware that there are hundreds of other LSPs out there covering the rest of the market. And, as we all know, the rest of the market is gigantic and growing. With a goal to reach out widely and broaden its sales and support network, SDL has been building its various partner programs. One overarching objective of the LSP Partner Program is to increase translation/localization demand globally and, in so doing, contribute to the development of the entire industry. In short, working together to enlarge the market pie is in everyone’s interests. SDL Certification If your agency isn’t already participating, you might want to consider becoming an SDL LSP Partner. There are all sorts of benefits. First of all, participating in the Program helps you to keep your company’s SDL Trados expertise up to date. All SDL LSP Partners have their expertise validated by SDL. Your project managers have to pass the SDL Certification Program. And at least one member of your team (at each of your offices) is required to test at the highest level (SDL Level 3 Certified). When you buy translation from JAPANtranslation, you can rest assured that our SDL Trados expertise is certified. Other benefits for LSP Partners You may already know that LSP Partners get discounts on SDL Trados software licenses and support from SDL. In fact, Associate level LSP Partners receive three free licenses for SDL Trados Studio 2009 when signing up. (And Advantage Plus and Premier level LSP Partners receive five!) But there are broader benefits for LSPs that work together with SDL that you may not notice just by skimming the Program brochure. Participation in the Program gives your agency and SDL the chance to build alliances. Sometimes SDL’s technology division sales staff meet customers who want to buy their products but don’t have contact with translation vendors that can utilize SDL Trados. So it helps their technology division to know reliable vendors to introduce. Naturally their LSP Partners are frequent recipients of these jobs based on a combination of factors — mainly expertise, cost and schedule. And, further on the topic of alliances… Collaborative support for your larger enterprise clients In 2010, large enterprise clients have become more and more savvy about TM technologies. If you have clients with offices spread out around the globe that you know will benefit from working with enterprise-level SDL solutions such as TM Server or MultiTerm Server, as an LSP Partner you can work together with SDL to introduce the right solution to the client. Or if your agency receives an inquiry from a client that’s already using TM Server, for example, you’ll be better equipped as an SDL LSP Partner to support them. It appears that this joint consulting aspect of the Program is going to continue to grow. As the Program keeps evolving, there’s a lot of information to keep up with. SDL knows this and has been producing webinars that you can participate in live via the web or download and watch later. If you’re looking for translation support from an LSP Partner in East Asia, feel free to contact me (Lawrence LaFerla) http://japan-translation.japanese-web.com/about/staff/ More information about the SDL LSP Partner Program http://www.lspzone.com/en/partners/lsp-partners-overview.asp SDL LSP Partners group on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2970604 About the author Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. The post SDL’s LSP Partner Program appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Sharing company data: Tips for translation agencies that buy from, or sell to, other translation agencies
Improving internal data sharing between LSPs by improving vendor questionnaires. Learn what you can do to facilitate the process. The post Sharing company data: Tips for translation agencies that buy from, or sell to, other translation agencies appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Whether your agency is buying from another LSP or selling to another LSP, you probably struggle with vendor questionnaires on a regular basis. Read on to find three helpful tips for buyers, and three for sellers. We’ll suggest some steps for working towards the standardization of the way we share internal company data within our industry. Japanese translation outsourcing for overseas agencies Useful tips for both buyers and sellers Those dreaded vendor questionnaires – who really has time for them? For agencies that are buying from other agencies, obtaining the appropriate information from vendors in crucial to the smooth operation of your project management team – but we all know that getting and distributing the information you need does not always go smoothly. And for agencies that are selling to other agencies, answering some of the questions might feel as if you’re being asked to fit a round peg in a square hole. But, at the same time, you know that each questionnaire presents a prime opportunity to promote your services and to show the client what differentiates your company from the competition. So, here’s the predicament: how to share all of your company’s relevant data without driving yourself crazy and dallying away precious time. Our own agency, JAPANtranslation, sells to a number of larger MLVs outside Japan. (It’s about half of our business, in fact.) We find ourselves filling out these questionnaires all the time, so we know the frustrations involved. Recently, it got to the point where we were feeling hampered in our efforts to respond efficiently to agency questionnaires. So we decided to invest some time into studying and improving the process. Our objective was to uncover ways to make the process easier for both parties involved. We undertook a small research project, discussed the issue internally, and contacted vendor managers at various agencies to discuss the difficulties we’d been encountering. And, guess what? It was research time well spent! We’ve come up with some helpful hints for efficient information sharing that we want to share with you, below. These are just first steps. We hope vendor managers and sales managers at other agencies will join us in thinking out further steps we can take to standardize the way we share internal company data within the translation industry. Okay, with no further ado, we offer the following suggestions. First, three tips for LSP-to-LSP buyers. And we’ve got three words of wisdom for LSP-to-LSP sellers, too. Are you the outsourcing agency? Tired of waiting around for late questionnaires and last-minute emails saying, “How should I answer this?” Our research showed that there are three extra steps that buyers can take to help vendors respond. (1) The questionnaire you send to agency vendors should be appropriate for agencies. You know that there are two main types of vendors of translation services: full-service agencies and individual freelancers. The data you collect from agencies won’t be the same as the data you collect from freelancers. So, it makes sense to adapt your questionnaire to the two main types of vendors. This means creating separate questionnaires or sections for agencies and freelancers. Think about it. Agencies are groups of people with various backgrounds, various roles, various skill sets, etc. And within each agency a variety of hardware and software is in use. Ask about capabilities that you’d expect from a full-service agency. (2) Think about inserting explanatory comments that act as a guide to the response you’re looking for. Take, for example, the CAT tools and applications section of your questionnaire – very important to you as a buyer. If you provide a checklist of the tools you’re most interested in, you’ll be more likely to get a satisfactory response. Not only is it much less time-consuming for the vendor to simply mark the tools they own, but you can rest assured that you have the answer to the information that is most important to you. And (3) don’t forget to include a section for additional information or comments at the end. Most vendor management database systems have a component for attaching documents, and it can never hurt to have additional reference information at hand, right? And, if yours is the agency that’s selling… First off, you have to realize that the client agency’s project managers are often in a hurry to identify and compare suitable vendors for outsourcing particular job inquiries. They just don’t have the time to read through heaps of detailed data and marketing materials from every selling agency. Sorry, but your agency is no exception. What they want is information that can be easily processed and quickly transferred to their database – the ultimate goal of this entire exercise. Want to know how to respond better? We’ve got three tips: be concise, be efficient, and be perceptive. Be concise If you’re a mid-sized or larger language services provider, an MLV with extensive offerings and capabilities, it may be difficult to answer questions regarding language pairs, pricing, and specialty fields, for example. Have you ever found yourself complaining, “Do I really need to list them all?” The answer is no – be concise and think about what the client agency needs to know and the information you want to promote. What are your strongest language pairs? What language pairs would the client be most interested in? Consider listing your local and regional languages first, and don’t be afraid to keep it short. The client doesn’t want to read through pages and pages of lists – they need the most relevant information, and they need it fast. Try providing a link to your full list or attach a separate document with specifics. Be efficient Do questions about in-house equipment, operating systems, and words processed per day have you thinking, “This is impossible to answer!”? You probably have several in-house computers with different operating systems and software, and your company – with scalable teams in various language pairs handling various jobs – probably processes too many words per day to calculate. But, remember that your client agency is most likely also dealing with individual freelancers, and really just wants to check for compatibility and capability. So, be efficient and don’t hesitate to list “N/A” for questions that just don’t apply to you. Be perceptive You may come across sections where you just don’t feel comfortable using “N/A,” where you feel the need to input some sort of an answer. In this case, think about what the outsourcing agency needs to know and what their question is trying to get at, then satisfy the question by addressing the reason behind it. With simple comments like, “our in-house hardware is compatible with most other hardware” and “we can handle high-volume orders,” you can give the client what they need to know, without racking your brain to come up with numerical figures. Satisfying the need behind the question is sometimes more important than answering the question itself. Any other advice? The sharing of translation vendors’ internal company data with LSPs that outsource is a somewhat bothersome necessity, but it doesn’t have to be a big, laborious project. Take a moment to consider things from the other agency’s perspective, and communicate. We are far from standardization at this point, but if we work together, buyers and sellers can both benefit from the process. Leave us a comment and share your experiences, ideas, solutions – whatever you’ve got, please share! Oh, and please ask us about our “Generic Questionnaire”! Here at JAPANtranslation, we’ve developed a “generic questionnaire” – a snapshot of our company that satisfies the questions found on most vendor data questionnaires. We know that you don’t have all day, so we’ve got what you need to know now. We’re happy to share this with other LSPs. Contact Lauren using this form, and feel free to reuse the questionnaire for your own data! About the authors Lauren Smith is JAPANtranslation‘s sales researcher. She works in Tokyo. Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. The post Sharing company data: Tips for translation agencies that buy from, or sell to, other translation agencies appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Defining and maintaining a core brand essence globally
Establish a clear, definitive and constant essence for your global brand and maintain the flexibility to adapt and expand to reflect local needs. A guest article by Jonathan Finer. The post Defining and maintaining a core brand essence globally appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Guest article introduction. We’re back. There are several new articles in the works. Jonathan Finer gets things rolling with notes on globalizing a core brand essence. Essential reading for anyone involved in local campaigns for global brands. International copywriters take note. Cloverleaf Innovation Global Branding by Jonathan Finer Early global branding efforts generally adopted a rather ethnocentric approach: simply exporting successful brands with little or no regard for unique local customs and consumer concerns. The pendulum then swung in the opposite extreme, as next generation branding had the tendency to fluctuate widely from nation to nation – cultivating local significance, but compromising a broad and cohesive brand essence. Current thinking on global branding recognizes the critical need to strike a careful balance between these previous two extremes. Leveraging the power of big brands with a necessary small worldview defines a winning formula: global brands with local perspective. Maintaining this careful equilibrium, however, can be tricky. Too much regional segmentation can water-down the brand, and conversely, developing too dominant of “mega-brand” approach may miss the opportunity to appeal to local audiences. To avoid either extreme, it is critical to define and maintain a core brand essence – the central theme that is inexorably part of a cohesive brand expression. By establishing a clear, definitive and constant essence, a brand then maintains the necessary flexibility to adapt and expand to reflect local needs. McDonald’s, for example, is always committed to providing a fast, fun and consistent food experience. That’s their core essence. Determining how to deliver on this promise, however, differs around the globe. So in Stuttgart, for example, you can order a beer with your “Big Mäc”, while Parisians may follow their Royal Deluxe with a choice of “patisseries” which includes the Mandise and the McCrispy. While they are serving up “I’m Lovin’ It” universally, McDonald’s is clearly expressing their love in distinct regional ways. :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: Further reading on global branding Global Brand Rankings Yamaha teaches Al Ries a bit of branding, Japanese style Shiso & Green Tea Cola for the Summer Clorox, Toyota and the Japanese Culture How do you take a brand global? Brand Inspiration From The Far East What Color is Your Brand? ‘Resist Simple’ – Tanqueray Gin’s First Global Campaign About the author Jonathan Finer is a Principal at Cloverleaf Innovation in Chicago, IL. Cloverleaf is an innovation consultancy that is dedicated to driving top-line growth for our clients by delivering fresh, creative and commercially viable brand, product, service and organizational solutions, through a highly collaborative and dynamic process. The post Defining and maintaining a core brand essence globally appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Feel free to share our 5-part series on international copywriting... The post International copywriting appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Feel free to share our 5-part series on international copywriting… English-to-Japanese translation for persuasion: Words to the wise (and words of warning!) http://japanese-web.com/?p=23&akst_action=share-this Dealing with special sensitivities – a real-world international copywriting case study http://japanese-web.com/?p=26&akst_action=share-this Adaptation agencies cf. plain old translation agencies: All about “Advertising sans frontieres” http://japanese-web.com/?p=28&akst_action=share-this Selecting translation companies for copywriting: Seven tips for evaluating and choosing the right agency http://japanese-web.com/?p=31&akst_action=share-this Six steps for preparing a nuanced marketing campaign for a local translation… and getting great results http://japanese-web.com/?p=34&akst_action=share-this Del.icio.us users: Thank you! http://del.icio.us/rofea/?setcount=100 http://del.icio.us/clairish/japanese http://del.icio.us/webobserver/japanese http://del.icio.us/kathleen_fasanella/marketing http://del.icio.us/webmarketingideas The post International copywriting appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Six steps for preparing a nuanced marketing campaign for a local translation… and getting great results
Learn six important steps for international copywriting projects and find out how to ensure great results working with any translation services company. The post Six steps for preparing a nuanced marketing campaign for a local translation… and getting great results appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Part five of our five-part series on international copywriting. Learn six key steps for working with a translation agency when you have a culturally sensitive marketing campaign (web copy, ad copy, etc.) to adapt to a local market. Find out how to prepare for a successful project – and learn about a few red flags to watch out for in the process. International copywriting (all articles) Follow 6 key steps. Avoid pitfalls. A prerequisite for all of our tips below is to find a local copywriting supplier with marketing savvy, lots of experience and a work style compatible with your team’s. And, truth be told, though one of us works at a leading Japanese translation agency, we know that not all companies and projects are a good fit. Carefully choose a vendor who works the way you need them to work. For the sake of today’s article, let’s assume you’ve already found the right agency. When you’ve selected a vendor and you’re about to order the full process, from translation through independent proofreading through a final copy rewrite, here are six preparation steps that will take you a long way toward a satisfactory result. 1. Prepare a copywriting brief. The purpose is to give the vendor some background and explain the persuasive intent of the copy. There’s no special format necessary when writing a brief. You could put it all in an email if you prefer. Just be sure to explain the target market/audience, the context of the campaign, the company’s branding strategy, and any visuals that go along with the copy. Most importantly, explain what the current copy is meant to say to the reader, the impact and/or effect it’s supposed to have. 2. Save and share background materials. Always keep your original source files for layouts in whatever program (InDesign, Illustrator, Flash, etc.) with editable text layers (if you’re not familiar with that term, just pass it on to your graphic designer!). In fact, always keep everything related to the original campaign development or translation process. Better to have it and not need it than vice versa. 3. Make sure that your agency contact understands you’re ordering more than just translation. In the conventional workflow of volume-driven translation agencies, we know from experience that normal text is handled by a translator and independent proofreader, neither of whom is expected to go beyond carrying the meaning of the text. When we say “normal text” we mean straightforward documents that merely explain, describe or inform. (Think: user guides, city signage, product instructions, engineering specs, academic papers, and so on.) If your text is straightforward, a translator and proofreader can take care of the whole job. In that case, you don’t even have to be reading about copywriting. But, if your original persuasive copy is for marketing material, a snappy ad or tagline, which requires cultural savvy or a native play on words, then that’s another story. You need to make this very clear to any potential firm and make sure they have the expertise to handle the project. It’s a much different kind of project. In this case, the copywriter will work with the project manager to understand the goals of the project and will need to rewrite the text to be persuasive in the new language and culture. Make sure any potential vendor knows that. 4. Encourage the local copywriter to be creative. This may seem like odd advice, but your encouragement can make a huge difference in the persuasiveness of the final copy. Unlike copywriters at advertising agencies, you may find that translation agency copywriters hold back their creativity. This is natural. Translation is by its nature a conservative art. If you want bold ideas, be sure to encourage boldness throughout the process. Try it. You’ll see what we mean. The Japanese copywriter, for example, understands how to adapt your original copy to convert Japanese readers into buyers or brand loyalists but needs to be “licensed to kill” with creativity. The agency coordinator or project manager will select the writer with the most appropriate industry knowledge and background. A good project manager will ask for multiple iterations and form internal focus groups to ensure the highest quality results. The desired result is copy that persuades. Remember, people from any culture – Japanese, Western or other — can consciously or subconsciously sense when copy is truly speaking their language and when it’s just a bland, safe, “faithful” translation of some foreign copy. Wording really counts. Tell your agency NOT to play it safe. Get unique copy in each language. 5. Find fussy final reviewers at the client’s local office, but make sure they understand the goal. If possible, the final client-side reviewers should be at a local office in the new target market. For example, if the end-client has a Tokyo office they’ll probably want the local staff there to review the Japanese copy. If you find that the native reviewers fuss over details, don’t worry – but do listen. It means they’re paying attention. This is a good thing, because then you can discuss their feedback with the copywriter to decide whether or not to make edits. But beware: The local office staff are also trained to play it safe. If they feel that the unique copy is a “bad translation” of the original campaign, make sure they understand that it’s not the meaning but rather the persuasive effect of the copy that needs to be equivalent with the source campaign. 6. Don’t forget to request font selection and layout. The translation company team should be able to present you with a selection of appropriate font samples, ranked according to their recommendations. Fonts matter, and are often overlooked in requests for proposals. Bring it up when you’re negotiating the order. Make sure that it’s included. Also, most translation companies offer layout and graphic design services. This can add a lot to the budget — but for very special copy such as the large text in ads, it’s usually necessary to have native layout engineers choose font spacing and line breaks. Those are just some basics and we’re sure there’s a lot more to add here. Comments? What else has helped you or your clients prepare for projects? We especially welcome input from other professionals from inside our industry. If you’re a copywriter or a translation agency professional, are there other tips you’d like to share? Ways to keep a project progressing smoothly? If you’re new to all of this, what other questions do you still have about preparing for your translation project? About the authors Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. Hannah Smalltree is the senior editor of SearchDataManagement.com, an online technology publication, and freelance copywriter, based in Massachusetts. The post Six steps for preparing a nuanced marketing campaign for a local translation… and getting great results appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
New to this blog? Can we help you with Japanese translation? The post Free Japanese translation? appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Can we help you? Japanese for free… If you’re just looking for a Japanese word or phrase, you can try your luck with machine translation, here. Better quality, for a fee. (Not free.) If you’re looking for professional Japanese translation services, this is where you’ll want to start. The post Free Japanese translation? appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Selecting translation companies for copywriting: Seven tips for evaluating and choosing the right agency
Seven tips for selecting a translation services agency to translate persuasive sales or marketing copy for new languages and cultures. The post Selecting translation companies for copywriting: Seven tips for evaluating and choosing the right agency appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Part four of our five-part series on international copywriting. Your translation service agency –and the copy they produce for you– affects how an entire country and culture thinks about your products and services. No pressure or anything. Since you often don’t know the new language or culture, it’s critical to select a trustworthy, experienced vendor in the target country. Here are seven unbiased tips for evaluating and selecting the right translation services and copywriting agency. International copywriting (all articles) International copywriting: 7 Tips. If you’re new to this blog or to the exciting world of translation services companies, you might want to start here to find out why “persuasive copy translation” services are such a big deal. By persuasive copy, we mean materials meant to persuade – such as sales, advertising and marketing materials or press releases. This ballgame differs significantly from translating straightforward text, such as user manuals. For persuasive copy, picking the right vendor for you and your project is critical. Though we work for a firm, which offers English-to-Japanese copywriting services, we intend these tips to be unbiased, honest recommendations gained from our own experience. These seven tips will help anyone assess any translation services firm, so you can choose the best fit for you. Like tips? Check out this post on how to prepare for a translation project, once you’ve picked the right vendor. 1. Choose an agency, not a freelancer. There are thousands of brilliant freelancers in our business, but only an agency has the resources to handle the entire process of adapting marketing campaigns. We admit that this is a controversial statement. There are many freelance translators who genuinely believe that if they work together with the end-client’s local office they can produce ad-agency-quality marketing copy in the local language. The truth is that a freelancer and the client’s local office in the target country both have an interest in playing it safe. Yes, yes, of course they’re savvy enough to avoid literal translations but they’ll remain too “faithful” to the original campaign’s meaning. When the client reviewer receives translated copy, he or she expects a specific meaning to be conveyed. Contrast this with the review process for transcreated copy. In the case of adapted copy, the actual meaning of the text could be practically anything. It doesn’t particularly matter what the copy says. What matters is what the copy does. (We’re probably going to get angry mail about this from translation professionals. To understand the controversy in more detail, have a look at this discussion. Of course our industry wouldn’t even exist without professional translators. But the point here is that organized teamwork is required to create killer copy in local languages.) If you want bold, creative copy, it takes a bigger team. You need to connect first of all with a main contact at the agency who speaks your own language fluently. That agency has to be able to assign to the project an entire team, who should be native to the target language and culture: you’ll want a native project manager, a native translator, a native proofreader, a native copywriter and an internal focus group to review the copy. No lone individual, no matter how dynamic, can manage all this on his or her own. Find the right agency. 2. Select a multi-service agency. Find a translation firm that offers not only translation and independent proofreading but also native copywriting in your target language(s). Find an agency that shows you a willingness to take the time to read your marketing brief, listen and ask clarifying questions, and build an ongoing service relationship with your team. 3. Pick an agency with someone who speaks your language – literally. If English is your native language, make sure that you connect with a translation company project manager (agency rep) who understands your language. Every step of your interaction with a translation company – negotiating your order, providing the brief, explaining the business context of the copy – requires close communication. Your agency rep needs to understand the nuances of the original copy and exactly what you want. He or she will need to have a sort of “mind meld” with you before he or she briefs the translator(s), proofreader(s) and the target language copywriter(s). So, if the rep is a native English speaker, that’s a big plus for you. 4. Choose an agency where you can get the same team for every job. Ask the agency rep if you’ll be able to rely on the same team for each job. Sometimes timing or special circumstances will require you to accept different teams at any given time. But if quality and consistency are important to you, it’s better to stick with the same team even if scheduling has to be delayed now and then. 5. Know your history and your goals – the more specific, the better. Be prepared to explain the sales or branding objectives of the campaign. Brief the translation agency rep on the creative processes that led to the current copy. What feeling or reaction is the reader supposed to have? What attitude does the campaign want to impart? What’s the broader context of the target market? 6. Make sure that details don’t get lost somewhere along the marketing campaign’s supply chain. If there’s a string of agencies outsourcing to other agencies on the project, be sure that a copy of the creative brief will be shared with all involved. For example, if the process starts at the end-client office, proceeds to an advertising agency, then back to the end-client, then to a home country translation agency and then to a target-language country agency, be sure that the brief gets passed along and that the most potent ideas in the campaign aren’t watered down or changed with each retelling. (Remember the childhood “telephone” game? Funny when you were five years old, not so with a five-digit project budget. Learn more about creative briefs here.) 7. Be wary of promised “perfection.” If you contact a copywriting team that claims to be infallible, run away! The best professionals will offer multiple iterations of the same copy. They’ll go out on a limb, try different ideas and brainstorm. They’ll have internal focus groups review copy and may change things as they learn more or get new insight into the project. Taking chances, being creative and sometimes failing, is all part of the process. Embrace it – your campaign will be better for it. Promise. Your turn. What else should people consider when choosing a translation services agency? What did or will you look for in a translation service company? Scroll down and post a comment! About the authors Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. Hannah Smalltree is the senior editor of SearchDataManagement.com, an online technology publication, and freelance copywriter, based in Massachusetts. The post Selecting translation companies for copywriting: Seven tips for evaluating and choosing the right agency appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Adaptation agencies cf. plain old translation agencies: All about “Advertising sans frontieres”
What is an "adaptation agency"? Find out here. The post Adaptation agencies cf. plain old translation agencies: All about “Advertising sans frontieres” appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Part three of our five-part series on international copywriting. An adaptation agency provides a level of service that differs from the straightforward service you tend to expect from a translation services company. Below, find out exactly what makes the difference. Burton · Münch & Partner World Wide Writers What’s advertising sans frontieres? We wish we had been the ones to coin that phrase, but it most likely was first used by Mike Münch of Germany’s top adaptation agency, Burton · Münch & Partner World Wide Writers (BMPwriters), specialists in creative translation copywriting that goes the extra mile. An adaptation agency is like a translation agency cross-bred with an ad agency + branding consultancy + copywriting firm. Think high end, high quality service (and really nice offices). BMPwriters’ clients are advertising and PR agencies that need BMPwriters’ help to give clients “a compelling voice internationally.” If you have a multilingual ad campaign that has to be rendered pitch-perfect and culturally savvy in different international markets, and you have the budget to invest in top quality service, consider going with an adaptation agency. They’ll guide you smoothly through the entire process. Adaptation agencies are designed to offer full-on consulting. They’re prepared to take their time working with clients in a more intimate way than you’ll find at ordinary, volume-oriented translation agencies, explains Mike, a friend of ours and co-founder of BMPwriters. Working with advertising, public and investor relations agencies as well as marketers going global, BMPwriters has built up substantial adaptive copywriting and consulting expertise. “Adaptation agencies close the gap between translation and copywriting,” considered Mike during a recent phone conversation… It’s all about readjusting and fine-tuning the original message so it can perfectly home in on the target group, which is always a critical balancing act. On the one hand, the adaptation must reflect the marketer’s agreed tone of voice, corporate wording, etc.; on the other, it has to satisfy the target market’s linguistic, cultural and psychological requirements to come across as powerful, hard-hitting copy. We also look into differences in the competitive situation on the home vs. the target market and take other critical factors into account. The adjustment may range from finding or creating a play on words that works and adds currency to the marketer’s message, to rewriting text that is perceived as tongue-in-cheek in the original message but might strike the wrong chord or be politically incorrect outside the home market. In other words, it’s a results-driven approach for high-impact messages in advertising, public and investor relations as well as executive communications. By contrast, most translation services companies are set up to take the usual translation orders for the vast majority of documents that merely describe, inform or explain things. Experience trains conventional translators to take a conservative/prosaic approach to text. They normally aren’t given to taking a bold/poetic approach. Most can, but won’t get creative unless the project manager specifically asks for it. Nothing wrong with that. And this is not to disrespect the work of translators. As translator David Stormer noted in a comment to one of our recent blog posts, quality translation involves “the creativity and discipline of professionals specialized in making the foreign sound familiar and the incomprehensible clear.” Adaptation of copy differs from translation in that with adaptation it doesn’t particularly matter what the copy says. What matters is what the copy does. Much of ordinary communication is meant to explain, guide, inform, not necessarily to call the reader/listener to action or meld a brand ever more deeply into the subconscious. Copywriting is not ordinary communication. Our own agency (JAPANtranslation) is one of those that deals mostly with standard texts – i.e., ordinary documents that describe, inform or explain – though we also offer persuasive Japanese copywriting services. In fact, we work with adaptation agencies on projects to provide additional insight and consulting. An adaptation company vs. a translation company boils down to a different business model (and price point). If you’re dealing with a more general translation agency (such as ours), you can still get high-quality results, but you need to be prepared (more tips coming soon!) and you may need to provide more overall direction rather than just hand the work off to a vendor and hope for the best. We’ll be posting more on this topic in early May. Have we left out any important points about adaptation companies cf. translation services companies? Comments are very welcome! (Scroll down to add your comment.) About the authors Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. Hannah Smalltree is the senior editor of SearchDataManagement.com, an online technology publication, and freelance copywriter, based in Massachusetts. The post Adaptation agencies cf. plain old translation agencies: All about “Advertising sans frontieres” appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Dealing with special sensitivities – a real-world international copywriting case study
Read a case study about how a financial services company entered a lucrative, but sensitive market with the help of a committed Japanese copywriting team. The post Dealing with special sensitivities – a real-world international copywriting case study appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Part two of our five-part series on international copywriting Some products and services are particularly challenging to sell in international markets due to target buyers with cultural differences and unique buying tendencies. In this case study, find out how a financial services company reached wealthy, but cautious, Japanese investors with a well-executed website. Learn how our own English-to-Japanese copywriting team helped them rewrite and revamp their web copy – and find out the results. Nicholas Rose: Private banking advisor International copywriting case study We keep telling you how valuable it is to think carefully about international copywriting projects, and here’s some more inspiration. One of our favorite copywriting success stories is about our development of Japanese web copy for our client Nicholas Rose. As the sole Japan-focused partner at Invest Partners Wealth Management AG, he’s responsible for marketing to Japanese web surfers who are interested in Swiss private banking and wealth management. When we worked on this project a couple of years ago, private banking had recently become more popular in Japan. Prudent risk-taking by Japanese investors was more common than it had been in the 1990s. So, off-shore providers such as Invest Partners were able to compete in Japan against a growing number of domestic private banking firms. Invest Partners came to us to launch their website, invest-partners.jp, which needed to emphasize that ‘Swiss private banking is just as safe as savings and investments offered inside Japan, and comes with unique advantages.’ Now, we consumers, Japanese or otherwise, don’t buy financial services the way we buy music or clothing. We don’t tend to make important purchasing decisions on a whim while browsing a website, no matter how trustworthy the seller. Japanese in the demographic targeted by firms providing wealth management services tend to hesitate to identify themselves in an online contact form, let alone make any sort of hasty commitment. So, Invest Partners’ goal was simply to convert web visitors to viable prospects. They planned to define “conversions” as each occurrence when a visitor was persuaded to make initial contact by sending an email or making a phone call. From there, the eventual path toward signing the necessary account opening documents would be made through direct communication, often over the course of months. Easy, right? Nope. Not so simple at all. Even if the first sales step is merely to make contact, sites aimed at such a sensitive market as this require incredibly meticulous native copywriting in order to convey complete trustworthiness. That’s where we came in. We needed to build exactly the right internal team to fuss over every single word together with Nicholas, directly. As luck would have it, one regular member of our Japanese copywriting team had written private banking material for Citigroup. For this project, she worked closely with Nicholas along with our project manager and the Japanese search engine marketing team at Wasabi Communications to rewrite Invest Partners’ boilerplate text for the Japanese site. The three-way conferences between the SEM firm, the client and us were indispensable. That’s where the real success was created. They launched the site and we held our breath. During the first year as Nicholas and Wasabi both monitored the actual site usage, they paid close attention to the “persuasion architecture” – or text, navigation and images used to persuade websurfers to take action. The first iteration took some tweaking. Honestly, early on, none of us felt completely sure that Japanese prospects in this market would respond via the web. But then things started to turn around. Conversion rates rose. Our heart rates dropped back down to normal levels. And most importantly, Nicholas and Invest Partners saw their Japanese business take off. Today, this well oiled marketing machine of a website is generating quality prospects and the investment has paid for itself. It’s not magic. It’s all a matter of careful collaboration. When a client team, a search engine marketing team and a copywriting team work together closely, it’s possible to come up with persuasive copy even for the most sensitive markets. About the authors Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. Hannah Smalltree is the senior editor of SearchDataManagement.com, an online technology publication, and freelance copywriter, based in Massachusetts. The post Dealing with special sensitivities – a real-world international copywriting case study appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Reality check: International advertising
Is translation interchangeable with international copywriting? What's the difference? Read on... The post Reality check: International advertising appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Graphic: Chocolate covered coffee beans International advertising Every now and then we want to post “reality checks” as a way to clarify or qualify claims we’re making in recent posts, especially where we spot ambiguities in our own writing and may have second thoughts after receiving thoughtful and thought-provoking feedback from readers. Global or local? In our post the other day, “English-to-Japanese translation for persuasion: Words to the wise (and words of warning!),” we detoured around the fact that most very large, multilingual advertising campaigns are properly handled not by translation firms but by global advertising agencies and/or adaptation firms. At the more local level, i.e. assuming you have a campaign in one language and want to expand just to one other language for starters, we think it’s possible to create great copy with the assistance of a translation firm in the target country. Since we’re a translation firm in Japan that blogs in English, the latter scenario naturally becomes the focus of our blogging. Truthfully, though? Most professionals in the translation industry are wary of providing valuable marketing assistance at translation agency rates. It’s controversial and worth discussing. We welcome comments from others in the industry. Translate or rewrite? Regarding the same article, we received warm applause from marketing and copywriting people but some misgivings from professional translators. The linguists thought that our interchangeable usage of the words “translation” and “copywriting” was particularly derelict. Well, to be honest, many more web searches are made for “translation” than for “copywriting,” so we used phrases that included both words heavily in that post. There are also gray areas where whoever is managing an international advertising campaign might not know whether to have the source language ad copy translated for the target language or completely rewritten. This leaves the question: How do you choose? The answer: Case by case. Ask a translator or a translation firm in the target country for their opinions. And, if it’s a high-budget, crucial campaign, pay an agency in the target country to test the translation out on native customers. Faithful or bold? On our post yesterday introducing adaptation/transcreation agencies, C. Turney comments, “I really enjoyed your analogy, ‘Adaptation/transcreation is to translation what copywriting is to writing.'” Thanks! This distinction between international copywriting and translation is larger than most people outside our industry realize. Translation is a profoundly conservative art. Translators faithfully convey meaning. Copywriting, by contrast, is a radically creative skill. If you have an ironic ad slogan that works well in the UK, it may not be well received in Japanese translation, no matter how beautifully and faithfully translated. A Japanese copywriting team can write an entirely new slogan that conveys the brand’s attitude and the campaign’s persuasive effect. But notice that the meaning of the original slogan is completely beside the point. Note that translators work for cents per word for long texts and hourly for important lines of text. But don’t ask them to work at these rates for ad copy worth thousands. In upcoming posts we’ll explain why crucial, creative and bold ad copy requires a team. It also requires an adequate budget. Big budget or moderate budget? Speaking of budget. If you’ve got a huge one – huge budget, we mean – and a multilingual campaign to run, there really is no reason to be reading this series about working with translation agencies. Instead, stop reading here and contact one of the adaptation/transcreation firms we listed yesterday. But if you want to target one foreign language and you have a moderate budget, stay tuned to our blog this month. We have some ideas just for you. About the author Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. The post Reality check: International advertising appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
So, what's the difference between "translation" and these newer sub-fields called "adaptation" or "transcreation"? The post Do you believe in transcreation? appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Or do you prefer adaptation? Some people in the translation industry think that “adaptation” and “transcreation” are just buzzword equivalents for plain, old translation. Agencies that are pioneers in adaptation/transcreation beg to differ. Adaptation/transcreation is to translation what copywriting is to writing. So, what’s the difference between translation and adaptation? Adaptation supports marketing. Translation is much more general. Adaptation involves changing both words and meaning but keeping the attitude and persuasive effect. Translation involves changing words but keeping meanings. We describe successful adaptation with words such as “bold” and “creative.” We describe successful translation with words such as “faithful.” Adaptation inevitably requires a team (or a series of teams). Translation can be done by an individual (though independent proofreaders are often involved). Be sure to check out our series of articles on international copywriting. About the author Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. The post Do you believe in transcreation? appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
English-to-Japanese translation for persuasion: Words to the wise (and words of warning!)
Learn about English-to-Japanese translation of persuasive copy, find out about translation and copywriting services and make note of the critical pitfalls to avoid. The post English-to-Japanese translation for persuasion: Words to the wise (and words of warning!) appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Part one of our five-part series on international copywriting Whether you’re a small business owner, an advertising/PR agency professional or a corporate marketing executive, how you approach the process of translating persuasive copy – annual reports, advertising, web copy or press releases – can make or break international marketing efforts. Find out how and why companies outsource copywriting to translation agencies more often lately. And, learn more about common pitfalls you must avoid in your next copy translation project. Graphic: Maniackers Design Translation for persuasion Most of us in the translation services business can list some hilarious instances when clients have come to us with overly literal translations that had been done by novice freelancers. When the original English ad copy for high-priced women’s accessories includes the expression “Love makes the world go ’round,” translations in other languages may use entirely different local idioms to correctly carry a similar feeling and convey the attitude that’s supposed to attach to the product line advertised. The original idiom, after all, is supposed to answer the question “How great is love?” It’s not supposed to attempt to explain the physics of whatever it is that actually causes the earth to spin on its axis. Dull, un-persuasive or nonsensical examples of literally translated copy may seem funny to us after the fact – but not funny to the company who runs that copy in an expensive, glossy, four-color print ad to introduce their new line to the lucrative, yet discerning, Japanese market. The goal of translating copy for a new country, language and culture shouldn’t be to say exactly the same thing in all languages. In fact, you can’t say exactly the same thing in every language. The goal is to get equivalent reactions in each language. It’s not always an easy task, but executed correctly – the payoff is well worth the extra care. So, we’ve put together a series of blog articles designed to help anyone who needs to have persuasive copy, such as sales, marketing or advertising materials, translated for targeted overseas readers. We’ve pooled our collective knowledge, gleaned from our experience as an agency that handles a whole lot of English-to-Japanese translation and from our broader network of partners. If you don’t have time to read the series in its entirety, just save the following nugget of wisdom: Copy rewrites in foreign languages require more of your involvement and cost more than basic translation orders…but it transfers the marketing value that your team has already created to millions more existing or potential customers, so it’s sooooo worth it. The key is to make sure that the copy’s meaning is not lost in translation. Why is this such a big deal? Whether you’re translating annual reports, advertisements, website text or press release copy, consider all the work that went into the original. Your team most likely arrived at the copy through a long versioning process, may have run the versions past focus groups, probably made multiple revisions and finally had to get approvals from at least one or two main stakeholders. If you hope to make the same impact across international markets, we have an inconvenient truth to share with you: That creative process has to be revisited by native teams in each target language and culture. Sounds exhausting and costly, right? Don’t panic! Repeating the process for new languages can go much faster than the first time. In fact, you’re partway there if you make it a habit to preserve some kind of background documentation such as the original copywriting brief and meeting notes for each new campaign (being a packrat pays off!), and you make sure to show translation vendors the visuals that accompany the copy in the campaigns you have them translate. Then, it’s only a matter of having each native team revisit your goals in the context of the target market. This re-run of the creative process pays off. We promise. When you’ve already invested in developing a killer marketing campaign in one language, you’re practically assured to increase the value of that investment by localizing the copy for other languages. For example, does your company’s website (or your client’s website) truly speak to 70 million Japanese web users? If not, why not? The advantages of localizing copy are clear. You can significantly multiply the reach of any campaign. Common global copywriting pitfalls But before you start, it’s a good idea to know the most common pitfalls to avoid: Pitfall #1: Choosing the wrong translation company Of course, if you have the budget, you may want to consider the option of going to a local ad agency in each country you’re campaign targets. There are ad agencies that’ll help you with translation, and translation agencies that’ll help you with advertising. And, as the world becomes smaller, there are “adaptation agencies” springing up that are a kind of cross-breed. (Learn more about adaptation agencies here.) But the tips we’re offering here assume you’re working with a translation agency. There are many translation companies out there – but not all of them are a good fit for you and your goals. It’s critical to find a vendor that matches your specific project and has the right experience, work style and copywriting processes to handle the project smoothly and successfully. What worked for your friend’s company or project might not work for you. Our own translation firm is one of the fastest growing agencies in Japan, but we know that we’re not the best fit for all projects – and we’re not afraid to tell people that. Our advice: Find the right match for your company. Know enough about the process to help guide the project, so it meets your goals. We know you’re reading this and wondering what criteria to use. Right? Well, there are too many to explain in this one modest little introductory post. So, we delve into this more in this post – but, as you plan your project, compare possible vendors carefully. Pitfall #2: Being unprepared when placing a translation order This sounds obvious, but the way that you work with a translation agency greatly affects your results. The more direction you give your translation services team, the clearer your goals and the more background materials you can provide – the better. Unless you work with a high-end adaptation agency, you’ll need to put a bit of thought and effort into the way you outsource your translation order. Check out our detailed advice on this right here in this post. Pitfall #3: Overlooking the professional distinction between translation and copywriting We have this straight from the experts. Last year we approached a well known American copywriter to see if she would review our own translation company website on her blog. We were delighted that she accepted! The Copywriting Maven usually turns such requests away. We were in luck. She made some key points about multilingual copywriting that identify exactly why it matters who you choose as your vendor: Copywriters know that writing powerful, persuasive copy is tough enough when English is your first language. This is especially true when writing conversationally and that actually can add a second layer of difficulty. Common slang, figures of speech, and subtle shades of meaning are what we weave together to get our prospects and customers nodding, resonating and responding to our messages. Which makes the whole process of translation so dang hard and fraught with peril. When we transport our advertising messages from their native language base to another language – with its own slang and common understandings – well … we can only guess at the magnitude for ourselves and our clients if mistakes are made. When you need persuasive copy translated, make sure that your translation vendor understands that you want native copywriting, not just translation. Pitfall #4: Ignoring or downplaying special sensitivities and cultural differences Cultures vary greatly – especially when you’re talking about Western vs. Eastern cultures. Sure there are social, industrial and occupational subcultures that transcend East/West, but within these demographic groups are even more specialized subsets of buyers, both B2B and B2C – buyers who have to be approached in a specific, culturally savvy way to indentify personally with your product or service. For large, corporate campaigns you may need to outsource to multiple, specialized vendors – branding/marketing, translation, etc. – to work on strategy or setup additional focus groups. Of course if your campaign is smaller and simpler maybe you don’t need such a huge team, but just know that specialized markets require specialized approaches. Ignore this at your peril! (Check out this post to read a case study of one company that mastered this.) OK – so that’s a brief look at what NOT to do. We hope this post hasn’t filled you with anxiety. Better to dwell on the positive results you can expect when you get your campaigns translated right. The more you globalize your copy the more you’ll feel “The sky’s the limit!” So, stay tuned for more tips on what TO DO and learn how to get the most out of your translation project. And, please take a minute to leave a comment or question. What other common pitfalls have you encountered in the copy translation process? Do you have any funny or scary translation horror stories to share? Scroll down to the comments box and let us all in on it! About the authors Lawrence LaFerla is the division head for JAPANtranslation and blogger in chief at “Marketing on the Japanese web.” He works in sunny Osaka. Hannah Smalltree is the senior editor of SearchDataManagement.com, an online technology publication, and freelance copywriter, based in Massachusetts. The post English-to-Japanese translation for persuasion: Words to the wise (and words of warning!) appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Tokyo subway? No, global Web Trends Map…
Informationarchitects.jp has "taken almost 300 of the most influential and successful websites and pinned them down to the greater Tokyo-area train map." The post Tokyo subway? No, global Web Trends Map… appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Based on the Tokyo area train map, informationarchitects.jp – Information Architects Japan, also known as “iA,” sometimes clients of ours – have created their second annual “Web Trends Map.” Actually, it has nothing to do with Tokyo subways or train lines and everything to do with the planet’s most successful and influential websites, starting with the obvious: Google, Wikipedia, YouTube etc. replacing the heart of Tokyo. But the closer you look, as the lines spread out around the global village, you’ll notice some cheeky neighborhood naming and interesting website choices. (Did you click the thumbnail, above?) Choices were based on all sorts of factors ranging from global branding/marketing to design to usability to plain old “coolness,” but the overriding factor has to have been influential-ness. Order the huge paper version for your office wall. They’re printing only 1000 of them, so contact iA while supplies last! http://informationarchitects.jp/web-trend-map-2008-beta/ The live, clickable version… http://informationarchitects.jp/start/ Do you Digg? If you Digg, then Digg this: http://digg.com/tech_news/Web_Trends_Map_2008 The post Tokyo subway? No, global Web Trends Map… appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Just a bit of news regarding our blog... The post About “Marketing on the Japanese web” appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
We’ve finally written our About page. So, without further ado… http://japanese-web.com/about/ More articles coming in March. By the way, we’re looking for contributors. See the same link, above, for more information. The post About “Marketing on the Japanese web” appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Clients’ confusions about the difference between translation memory and machine translation
I would love it if translation professionals would comment on this post and tell us your stories of client misconceptions about computer-assisted translation tools. The post Clients’ confusions about the difference between translation memory and machine translation appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Translation memory manager vs. machine translation To those of us working in the translation industry the two technologies couldn’t be more different in their purpose and usage. But we often find that the two are easily conflated in the minds of people outside our field, including current and prospective clients. Here’s the way we explain the distinction on our company site: The use of translation memory management software (TMM) is not to be confused with machine translation (MT) such as automated online translation applications that translate at the level of vocabulary and grammar – and produce results that typically read like amusing gibberish. TMM assists human translators by allowing them to break a document’s text into segments (sentences, headings or clauses) and pair each source language segment with a translated version. The application manages these human-translated segments so that the same native translator (or another native translator sharing the same database) can call up and recycle the segments as appropriate when working on updates of the same document or similar documents. The result is as natural and native as any other human translation. The use of computer-assisted translation tools saves translation professionals time, so it saves translation clients money. And there are other benefits. You get better standardization and consistency within and between documents. Yes, sir, it’s still human translation I think that clients easily grasp the fact that computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools save time and reduce costs. But they don’t readily understand that we’re still talking about human translation, that TMM software is just a tool in a translation team’s toolbox, or that it helps the team edit the client’s information assets with increased care, consistency and clarity. They understand “translation” but misunderstand “translation memory” Even if laypeople aren’t completely hip to professional translation software, more and more businesses (large, medium and small) these days understand the need for quality translation. Haven’t we all noticed the widespread localization (a.k.a. localisation) of just about every business website lately? The web is soooo worldwide that there are no “foreign languages” anymore, just local languages. More and more people outside the translation industry are coming around to the understanding that their organizations are situated in a multicultural/multilingual world that requires “global communication,” as clichéd as that already sounds. Members of our profession are valued as intercultural interpreters. Humans have human sense, and software applications don’t I guess we need first to explain to clients what human translators do that automated translation software can’t. The other day I was chatting with a client who shared with me a rolling-on-the-floor laughable document that some speech-to-text transcription software had produced. Instances like this remind us, to our great relief, that human labor is still indispensable even in 2008. In translation work we can’t produce quality documents without being humans endowed with great writing skills and a completely native mastery of the target language and its overarching culture. A professional translator makes sense of the meaning of each part of a document by understanding the whole document. Likewise, she understands the whole context by following the intended meanings of the parts. Like a back-and-forth interpretive dance. It’s likely that she’ll have to “read between the lines” and rely on a broader understanding of, say, marketing objectives that aren’t even stated in the document. A software application alone – no matter how fancy the algorithms you program into it – can’t perform such feats. And it seems doubtful whether it’ll be possible in our lifetimes, if ever. Only a human can follow the sequence of thoughts and intended meanings throughout an entire document. Professional copywriters have the good sense to translate entire phrases as equivalents to phrases in the source copy even if the equivalence is in the impact of the words rather than their literal meaning. And they have the good sense to leave some words untranslated for effect. No software is savvy enough to make skillful decisions like that. Software and its limitations When a client hears the phrase “translation software,” does he or she imagine a skilled copywriter working with tools? Or does he or she imagine machine translation (sans human)? An unscientific polling of project managers leads me to expect that most people imagine the latter. And no wonder. We all know the free web applications based on SYSTRAN technologies such as AltaVista Babel Fish, don’t we? Have you heard of the way biologists use the word “translation”? (I found this in Wikipedia.) Not sure I get it, but, In translation, messenger RNA (mRNA) is decoded to produce a specific polypeptide according to the rules specified by the genetic code. The process seems to follow predictable laws. But… Linguistic translation is completely different, isn’t it? Unlike mRNA, text requires shared subjective understandings. Linguistic translation requires a certain cultural accuracy and pure savvy that no computer algorithm can possibly approach. When Walter Mondale in 1984 asked Gary Hart “Where’s the beef?” he wasn’t trying to locate some meat. He was trying to win the Democratic nomination. How would Babel Fish translate that debate into Spanish, German, or French? When we express something in our native language from a foreign source we don’t just decode words and sentence structures and match them up according to a language pair dictionary. If we did we couldn’t expect culturally appropriate and comprehensible language to flow out automatically. Right? Machine translation creates output that often reads like absurdist poetry rather than meaningful prose. And often very funny absurd poetry at that. Today I entered this sentence into Google Translate: “We knew it from the word go.” English speaking natives will understand that the idiom “from the word go” means “from the beginning.” I had Google translate it into “Japanese,” and got: “Wareware ni iku to iu kotoba wo shiteru kara da.” Japanese readers will know that this is ungrammatical (just a clause with no subject) and meaningless. It reads like: “Because (I/we/they/he/she/you/it) know the word(s) of us to go..” If you replaced some characters you could make it grammatical, but idioms are expressions of culture. Interpreting an idiomatic phrase in a literal way, as free online translation does, results in a loss of meaning (and style, too). Okay, okay… This is not news to any of us. We all know what MT produces. But this is what clients fear we might use on their documents. Explaining CAT tools to laypersons Is it any wonder that the idea of using translation tools gives people a negative feeling? Inside the translation industry we know the complete difference – like apples and orangutans – between Trados and Babel Fish. But do clients get it? Can they get it? This is where I’m stuck. I’m in translation marketing. I’m not a linguist. I’d love to get some comments to this post. (See Comment box, below.) There must be a useful, quick and clear way of explaining this to clients. I know basically how translation memory apps work by watching Japanese translators work in our office, but I’m not sure whether my explanations to client prospects are persuasive when the question comes up. The clearest difference I see is that CAT tools organize entire documents of text that has been translated by human translators. Entire documents, not word-by-word dictionary translations. These tools simply help translators organize segments of human-translated text inside the document. And…erm… Is there any more concise way to explain it to a lay client? Of course the smart option for huge translation agencies such as WorldLingo is to offer both machine translation and human translation. Wicked smart! Or… Does that only cause more confusion?? :: :: :: :: :: By the way, if you own or manage a translation agency, please visit our new page for translation agencies! The post Clients’ confusions about the difference between translation memory and machine translation appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
If you own or work for a translation agency in Europe, North America or elsewhere and you need Japan-based support, you'll find this of interest. The post Outsourcing Japanese translation appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Many readers already know that JAPANtranslation/WIP Japan provide Japanese translation and copywriting support to overseas language vendors. I like to think that our teams are the most reliable in the business. Well, yesterday we launched a special pricing only for overseas translation agencies. This should interest translation companies with projects that require native Japanese translator-and-proofreader teams that specialize in a particular industry (such as pharmaceuticals, patents, IT, and so on). Check our new Agency-to-agency services page for details about the new pricing, further cost reductions for TM matches and repetitions, and more. Also, this blog will officially launch later in February. You’re invited to subscribe now and we’ll mail you an announcement when things are really rolling. The post Outsourcing Japanese translation appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Whatever you’re successfully marketing in English, you can probably market in Japanese.
Would it help your business if you could display your web content for Japanese web users before, say, your competitors do? If there are buyers for what your business offers in your own country, it's probable that there are buyers in Japan as well. How different are Japanese web users, anyway? The post Whatever you’re successfully marketing in English, you can probably market in Japanese. appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Japanese web users, not unlike Western users, can consciously or subconsciously sense when your business is speaking their language or trying to force them to understand yours. Much of your English-language content can easily be translated, but there are some conventions that are unique to Japan. It’s how you say it that counts. As much as growing businesses are tempted to market on the Japanese web, it can be time-consuming and frustrating hiring both the right language help and the right technical help at reasonable prices. Most Japanese web shoppers search in Japanese, and won’t find a site without at least a page of Japanese, anyway. Hire a qualified web project manager to review your project’s business objectives and the expected customer experience of the Japanese web content, the two common starting points. Once you or your client start seeing results and developing a sense of who the site’s Japanese customers are, the business is primed for more developed Japanese web marketing strategies to attract more precisely targeted traffic and convert more visitors to customers. The post Whatever you’re successfully marketing in English, you can probably market in Japanese. appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Marketing on the Japanese web will launch in February 2008!
If you're involved in the translation industry, agency work, localization, copywriting or related fields, this blog is for you. Would like to get an announcement after the first five articles are up? Use our free sign-up form at the top right of this page. We'll put your on our announcement list! The post Marketing on the Japanese web will launch in February 2008! appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.
Graphic: Maniackers Design Okay, I intend to make a serious, committed effort to write daily for this blog. But the first posts will define the entire mission of the blog, so they have to be really good. You see? For that reason, I’m delaying the official launch until February. Right now our department is overwhelmed with client orders. Clients come first. Then the February launch. Then words on this blog will flow out of me, and flow, and flow. You’ll see. Once things are started I won’t belabor the writing process. From then onward, regardless of our busyness, you can expect to see posts all the time. PROMISE! You won’t be able to shut me up. Haha. For now, readers are invited to play with our “Swicki,” a search engine focused on Japanese localization, translation, web development, web design, web content, branding, SEO, marketing and copywriting. Try these searches and feel free to edit the search results: Japanese localization Japanese translation Japanese web development Japanese web design Japanese web content Japanese branding Japanese SEO Japanese search marketing Japanese marketing Japanese copywriting Honestly! Useful, readable content is coming to this blog next month! The post Marketing on the Japanese web will launch in February 2008! appeared first on East Asia Translators Journal.