Tips on translating Japanese

0. Why is this zero? Because it’s before even step one! Make sure you have a working knowledge of Japanese. The most important things to understand is Japanese grammar, which differs from English in many cases. It is actually not so important to know all the words since that’s what dictionaries are for, but trying to translate or guess the meaning of Japanese sentences without knowing the grammatical structures doesn’t work. So this is the essential base needed.

1. Find a accurate source. If translating lyrics, try to find the original lyrics in Japanese script. Try the Japanese band site or cd booklet scans. If translating anime, listen to the anime episode in Japanese in contrast to taking the English translation from already released manga, which is what I see alot of times. The script can change in the anime version even if the storyline is the same!).

2. Translate it! This is the fun part I think, to nut things out, and express it in English, is enjoyable actually. And to provide a way for people to enjoy Japanese works of music and art without knowing the language, is something really good. Instead of trying to put our own meanings into the work, as translators, we should really try to be as accurate and authenticate as possible. It does take a lot of time, but it is worth it!