Basic Analysis of Dialogue Data on Pauses and Silences in Japanimation Movies : Comparison of Original Japanese and American Animations with Their Translated Versions

抄録

This paper investigates the change in quantity and function of pauses and silences in 11 Japanimation movies in the process of translation, as compared with an equal number of American movies. The results obtained are as follows: (1) A two-way analysis of variance revealed that Japanese originals have significantly more pauses and silences than their American counterparts; (2) there is also a statistically significant difference between the number of pauses and silences in Japanese works before translation and after translation. Then, through a case study of The Castle of Cagliostro, it is pointed out that: (3) pauses and silences in Japanese animations are filled with words for the purposes (including adaptation by adding new details to the story) of explanation by emphasizing part of the visual elements or clarifying plot lines, facilitation of the flow of shots and scenes without confusing the audience, and the avoidance of unacceptably long pauses and silences. These results lead to the conclusion that the Japanese way of expression through pauses and silences is still unacceptable to North American audiences, which is considered to be a factor that suggests that there is a marked imbalance in translational attitudes between these two languages.