Graduation Thesis Bachelor’s Degree Case Study of Manga Translation Problems Author: Per Gyllenfjell Supervisor: Hiroko Inose Moderator: Herbert Jonsson Högskolan Dalarna Subject: Japanese 791 88 Falun Credits: 15 Sweden Tel 023-77 80 00 2 I would like to thank my supervisor, Hiroko Inose, whose invaluable help made this thesis possible. 3 Contents 1. Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... 5 2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 5 2.1. Foreword ................................................................................................................................................ 5 2.1. Background ............................................................................................................................................ 6 2.2. Earlier Studies ......................................................................................................................................... 7 2.3. Research Questions ................................................................................................................................ 8 3. Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 9 3.1. Material .................................................................................................................................................. 9 3.2. Definitions ............................................................................................................................................ 10 3.2.1 Translation Problems: .......................................................................................................................... 10 a) Ateji ...................................................................................................................................................... 10 b) Cultural Terms ...................................................................................................................................... 11 c) Foreign Language Grammatical Mistakes ............................................................................................ 11 d) Linguistical Ambiguity .......................................................................................................................... 11 e) Mimetic Words ..................................................................................................................................... 11 f) Onomatopoeia ..................................................................................................................................... 11 g) Proper Nouns ....................................................................................................................................... 11 h) Register ................................................................................................................................................ 11 i) Word Play ............................................................................................................................................. 11 j) Other .................................................................................................................................................... 11 3.2.2 Translation Techniques: ....................................................................................................................... 12 a) Compensation ...................................................................................................................................... 12 b) Correction............................................................................................................................................. 12 c) Functional Equivalent ........................................................................................................................... 12 d) Omission or complete change .............................................................................................................. 12 e) Paraphrase ........................................................................................................................................... 12 f) Partial Translation ................................................................................................................................ 12 g) Recognized Translation ........................................................................................................................ 12 h) Target Language Onomatopoeia .......................................................................................................... 12 i) Transference ........................................................................................................................................ 12 j) Using Noun ........................................................................................................................................... 13 k) Using Verb ............................................................................................................................................ 13 3.3. Method and Process of Translation ...................................................................................................... 13 3.4. Method of Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 13 4. Results ................................................................................................................................................... 14 5. Analysis .................................................................................................................................................. 15 5.1. Ateji ............................................................................................................................................................ 15 4 5.1.1. Using Transference ............................................................................................................................. 16 5.1.2. Using Compensation ........................................................................................................................... 16 5.1.3. Using a Functional Equivalent ............................................................................................................. 16 5.1.4. Using Omission or Complete Change .................................................................................................. 17 5.1.5. Using Paraphrase ................................................................................................................................ 17 5.1.6. Using Partial Translation ..................................................................................................................... 17 5.2. Cultural Terms ............................................................................................................................................ 18 5.2.1 Using Functional Equivalent ................................................................................................................. 18 5.2.2. Using Transference ............................................................................................................................. 18 5.2.3. Using Paraphrase ................................................................................................................................ 19 5.3. Foreign Language Grammatical Mistakes ................................................................................................ 19 5.3.1. Using Correction ................................................................................................................................. 19 5.4. Linguistical Ambiguity ............................................................................................................................... 20 5.5. Mimetic Words .......................................................................................................................................... 20 5.5.1. Using Paraphrase ................................................................................................................................ 21 5.5.2. Using Verb ........................................................................................................................................... 21 5.5.3. Using Functional Equivalent ................................................................................................................ 21 5.5.4. Using Noun .......................................................................................................................................... 21 5.6. Onomatopoeia ........................................................................................................................................... 22 5.6.1. Using Noun .......................................................................................................................................... 22 5.6.2. Using Verb ........................................................................................................................................... 22 5.6.3. Using Target Language Onomatopoeia ............................................................................................... 22 5.7. Proper Noun ..............................................................................................................................................