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Post by eri123 on Nov 5, 2014 2:32:15 GMT 9
Hi, I found my way here from the facebook post.
Most of the stories seem to be via Aozora but what if the story is still under copyright? How do you go about getting permission to translate it?
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Post by smith on Nov 5, 2014 8:00:49 GMT 9
The easiest way is simply to contact the author. The non-Aozora stories here are all unpublished works that I found on blogs and personal homepages. You simply find something you like, shoot the author a quick email asking if it's OK to translate the story and, if they say yes, you can go ahead and translate it.
They almost always say yes, but this has a lot to do with the stories being released on the site for free. If I was wanting to sell my translations, or submit them to a literary magazines, I'm sure that would need to be discussed as well.
I'm not too experienced with published or licensed works, but I imagine the basic concept remains true - simply contact the author and the publishing house, express interest in translating their book or story and take it from there.
(Also welcome to the forums)
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Post by elipsett on Nov 5, 2014 17:23:28 GMT 9
Getting rights to translate something can be quite interesting.
I've had books where I just call the author and get a "yes" in 30 seconds, and I have books that have been "under discussion" for 4-5 years already. When I get a chance I'll write up a more complete response and list some of the resources available, but unquestionably the best thing is just write the author up front. Getting a personal introduction by a mutual friend, or through some organization, is an enormous help in getting your foot in the door.
You do have to realize, however, that authors write for a living, and many of them do not take kindly to proposals consisting of "let me use your work for free."
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Post by elipsett on Nov 27, 2014 15:32:44 GMT 9
A little more information on rights. As mentioned above, contacting the author via their website is a great way to get the ball rolling, but a lot of authors do not have websites. Especially dead ones. There are ways to locate many of these people, too, although authors who are determined to remain hidden usually can. If you work in a particular genre you may be able to get membership in various associations. Membership qualifications vary, but generally you'll need recommendations from existing members to get in, so make it a point to meet and mingle with people in that field. You may be able to ask them for a favor. A few associations I belong to are: 日本推理作家協会 www.mystery.or.jp/日本ペンクラブ www.japanpen.or.jp/Another invaluable source is the 文藝年鑑, which is published every so often (I think every two years), and available on Amazon: www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4107500403/?tag=kurodahanpres-22
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Post by smith on Dec 12, 2014 10:50:03 GMT 9
If you have no track record to prove your skill, then no one will pick you as their translator: everything is ruthless competition---you'd do best to hone your skills first, translating classics from Aozora; it's good practice, as everybody in this community will attest. That is one seriously good piece of advice. We're all lucky Aozora Bunko even exists.
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Post by elipsett on Dec 13, 2014 11:18:21 GMT 9
As I think I mentioned somewhere, you don't need permission to translate anything, only to publish it (which includes putting it up on the web, etc.). That means you can translate a story or book by an author, and then send him the translation and ask for his blessing to publish it, making it clear that you won't publish it without. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't, but it is unlikely to hurt you to try!
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Post by smith on Dec 15, 2014 14:49:02 GMT 9
I really hate it when I translate something only to have the author never return my email or politely decline my offer.
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Post by mike on Dec 15, 2014 19:07:21 GMT 9
smithThat's how life is, unfortunately. But I think this world of literary translation in general is so unfriendly and closed to up-and-coming entrants. Unless you are a Murakami translator or something, it's so hard to transcend the meagre existence in which so many writers feel themselves trapped. Methinks translators (and writers more broadly) need to acquaint themselves, if a little, with ways to build up a passive income stream... With that kind of financial freedom comes along an even greater freedom of mind that will eventually permit them to undertake uncertain projects without expectation of gain.
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Post by smith on Dec 18, 2014 18:56:04 GMT 9
It's true. I'm pretty sure most of us (not just me) have soul crushing day-jobs we have to endure to subsidise our literary translation habits.
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Post by mike on Dec 18, 2014 23:45:08 GMT 9
smithTruer words were never spoken, but wait. You are an American expat living in Japan, right? How did you manage to get a permanent living and working permit? You came over here on the JET program, perchance? I mean I thought that, in the case of the U.S., one had to be a fully independent professional like a doctor or a lawyer, a big-time investor/businessman, or a culturally significant person (the latest being the popular comic John Oliver) to get a Green Card. Maybe, the Japanese immigration system is different. But please don't take it amiss, my friend. I am not a xenophobe. Just curious.
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Post by smith on Dec 19, 2014 8:36:17 GMT 9
I'm not American, I'm from New Zealand (though we white guys do all look the same).
In my case I am married to a Japanese national, which takes care of any visa issues. But even if I wasn't married to a Japanese girl, there are a number of different ways a foreign person can live and work in Japan. I knew one foreign guy who worked as a cook in a family restaurant. I myself worked as a lumberjack during my first trip to Japan.
A Japanese work visa requires either a university degree, or a skill set that would be considered the equivalent of a degree. You can't study cookery at university, but my friend who worked in the restaurant had years of experience working in kitchens. So while you don't quite need to be a doctor or a lawyer, Japanese immigration won't take just anyone (though they let *me* through border control, so take that with a grain of salt).
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Post by elipsett on Mar 6, 2015 15:31:14 GMT 9
I'm an immigrant from America; came over on a uni scholarship many years ago. Spent a year here studying Japanese, met people, lined up a teaching job, got a teaching visa (1 year visa), and after a year got a job at a trading company. Couple years there then went independent, and have been working for myself since. Got permanent residency along the way, although I understand it has gotten harder in recent years.
It used to be possible for any Caucasian to get a job teaching English; these days you don't have to be white, but now you usually need ESL or EFL licenses and other qualifications. And there are a whole lot more people doing commercial translation than there used to be, so rates are generally lower than they used to be.
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Post by smith on Mar 19, 2015 11:53:33 GMT 9
I sometimes wonder what the translation industry was like before Japanese became (comparatively) more commonly spoken by foreigners and things like machine translation and translation memory software weren't an issue.
I know of people who can't really speak Japanese to any meaningful level of fluency, but are able to work freelance as a translator by using a number of different programs and websites.
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Post by elipsett on Mar 19, 2015 16:05:21 GMT 9
Back in the dark ages, you mean? Yeah, when I was working on an electric typewriter or 5-inch FDD NEC with WordStar, translating was an arcane art that required competence in two languages. If you couldn't talk to (and often convince) the client face-to-face in Japanese, you were classified as "just another English teacher" and not a professional translator. Recognizing this, they also PAID translators to translate, and translation was much less of a commodity than it is now.
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Post by smith on Mar 19, 2015 16:24:09 GMT 9
Holy shit, a typewriter? That's about as old-school as I can imagine.
I often get surprised looks when I tell people that I don't use CAT tools, as if the job would be impossible without them. At the same time I have noticed more and more jobs requiring said tolls (namely TRADOS) which irks me. I kind of feel that proficiency in using CAT tolls isn't a skill as much as it is a skill replacement, though I'm told that they do help streamline the translation process. The bulk of my work comes in .pdf format, which I don't think is compatible with those tools anyway.
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