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Japanese Translation Services

Japanese language illustrates Japan, a nation with a complex history. The language has never been universally-accepted as being related to any others, which makes its speakers a bit of a unique group. However, like Japanese culture, this language is always evolving and growing and borrows a great deal from the cultures into which it comes into contact. There are numerous outside influences on this language, and there are aspects of it which are uniquely Japanese. Too often, translators forget the importance of tradition and formality when translating this ancient tongue.

Japanese, like every other language, has specific ways of addressing people, based upon their overall status in life. This is the same linguistic characteristic that you see in the English language, where authority figures are addressed as Mr., Ms., Sir or Ma'am, while familiar compatriots are often called by their first name, or even nicknames. In Japanese, forms of formal address are very important. It's very easy, without the assistance of a professional translator, to end up starting a business letter with a salutation that amounts to "Hey You" or something equally familiar, and potentially relationship-chilling.

Japanese has borrowed heavily from the alphabets and scripts of other languages. Kanji, the traditional Chinese form of writing, is very much a part of Japanese traditional writing. This is especially seen in the calligraphic paintings of traditional Japanese art. This also brings up the important point that, in Japan, language is an art, not just a way to write contracts and to make small talk with friends. Language is held in high-regard in this nation, and those who are able to speak with eloquence and proper form are generally given a great deal of respect. This carries over to the business world, where being intelligent and respectful are prerequisites to success in every regard.

The Japanese language is the key to the Japanese economy. Japanese ads oftentimes use Romantic alphabet characters to spell out their message, which indicates a market that not only enjoys, but sometimes becomes obsessed with, imported ideas. Those ideas, however, have to be communicated in an intelligible and, most importantly, a very respectful way. The vocabulary of Japanese is also very complex, containing many words which originated from languages such as English or Dutch, but which have become characteristically Japanese over the years. This language always requires a professional, and very attentive, translator.