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Subject:Cultural lesson From:Richard Lippincott <rlippinc -at- BEV -dot- ETN -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 13 Dec 1994 08:38:42 EST
Speaking about Japanese to English translations, I thought I'd brilliantly
figured out a problem Karen Kay was having, and I said:
> Ah, that would suggest that my original question may have been valid. If the
> original Japanese was -clear- who the actor is, you'd have less problem with
> the passive voice.
Then Karen responded with;
>But Japanese doesn't *specify* actors. That's the way the language
>works.
I had no idea that this was true. Knowing this now sheds some insight into the
problems of translating from Japanese to English. I had been reading some of
Karen's comments on Japanese in the "He/She" thread, but must have overlooked
this information if it's been posted before.
Well, if I'm supposed to learn one new thing every day, I guess this means I
can go home now!
Rick Lippincott
Eaton Semiconductor
Beverly, MA
rlippinc -at- bev -dot- etn -dot- com
