A Study on the Translation of Cultural Terms in Japanese Children's Literature, "Garasu no Usagi"

Abstract

   A study on the translation of cultural terms in Japanese children's literature, "Garasu no Usagi" aims to study the strategies used for translating the cultural terms of the Japanese children's literature "Garasu no Usagi" (Glass Rabbit) in two translated versions: the translations by Bussaba Banjongmanee and by Kamchai Laisamit.

   The results found 194 cultural terms, classified into six categories: 53 personal names, 95 place names, 22 object names, 11 food names, 1 plant name, and 12 other related cultural terms. Transliteration was the most common method for translating personal and place names in both versions. Both versions employed transliteration and the addition of explanatory words or phrases for the object and food names. For the translating of plant names, Kamchai Laisamit used transliteration method, while Bussaba Banjongmanee employed transliteration and adding explanatory words or phrases. In both versions, the most common method for translating other related cultural terms was transliteration. In terms of the use of different idiomatic expressions between the two versions, it was found that in Bussaba Banjongmanee's version, the translation tended to use the domestication method. This means to emphasize on the cultural adaptation to make the translation easier for readers, as it is children's literature that the target is a young audience. Meanwhile, in Kamchai Laisamit's version, a strong inclination towards fidelity to the original text and preserving the source culture are more prioritized. This version employed the foreignization method to maintain the cultural issues of the original text allowing readers to experience the original cultural essence.