Presenter: Allyson Sigman
Session Title: Katakana or Kanji? Using Load Words in Japanese Interpreting
Review Author: audra lincoln
Presenter Allyson Sigma used her wealth of interpreting experience to offer a dedicated discussion on a common EN>JP interpreting quandary: when to use a loan word and when to use a native word. The idea for this session came to her after noticing a number of instances where she would choose a native word and her boothmate a loan word (or vice versa). Allyson gave several possible reasons why there might be such confusion, including how Japan used to have a system for coining Japanese words in lieu of using katakana loan words. The crux of the issue, she explained, is twofold. First is knowing what all the options for equivalence are; second is knowing which equivalence is appropriate for your assignment.
Allyson explained how interpreters can find not just any equivalent, but one that will resonate with the audience and satisfy the client’s needs. Her first suggestion was to use reliable sources, but also pay attention to how common any candidate equivalent term is. Allyson made a crucial point by explaining that you may have found the perfect equivalent, but only in one obscure source. Unless your audience overlaps the audience of that one source, you run the risk of using a word that doesn’t meaningfully communicate to your intended audience. By understanding who your audience is, you can choose sources that are likely to give you the best equivalents–from academic journals and textbooks to specialist blogs and industry-specific publications and more.
To select the best equivalents, interpreters therefore must consider several factors about their audience, including: age, education, area of residence, and knowledge of the speaker’s topic. An interpreter who knows their audience can better select what terms to prepare for the booth. Going back to the young audience example, younger Japanese have grown up in a era where katakana loanwords have proliferated the language so a katakana equivalent may be more meaningful to them than a kanji word. Client-centric factors can also drive your decision to use katakana or kanji, like whether your client is looking for/offering investment opportunities, wanting to discuss business operations, or trying to sell a product. If an interpreted encounter is going to touch on legal topics, for example, having the native Japanese word ready to go may be the best way to satisfy the client’s needs.
Allyson’s session was a delight to attend. Despite some technical difficulties, her deep knowledge of the subject matter and friendly, engaging demeanor helped her seamlessly present her topic. She provided clear background information on the topic and her experience with the question over whether to use kanji or katakana, then went through a detailed account of all the information an interpreter can use for preparation prior to stepping into the booth.
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