2018 Volume 14 Issue 2 Pages 18-33
This paper focused on the translation of phrases in English expressing “large quantities” to Japanese in English-Japanese conversation books (hereinafter called “EJC books”) in the second half of the 19th century. At that time, translating noun phrases, such as “much of (noun)” or “many of (noun),” was difficult for translators because the Japanese language did not have any equivalent expressions for them. To confirm this fact, the author examined approximately 150 books, and concluded the following:
1. Most of the EJC books written by English translators were translated using adverbs or adverbial phrases. This implies English translators wanted to record natural colloquial Japanese in these books for the learners.
2. Most of the EJC books written by Japanese translators were translated using adverbs or adverbial phrases, too. This implies Japanese translators wanted to use natural colloquial Japanese in these books because they were native speakers.
3. A few of the EJC books written by Japanese translators were translated literally using noun phrases. These were influenced by Kanbunkundoku, the method used to translate Chinese into Japanese. Simultaneously, this became one of the earliest examples of translations using noun phrases, such as “(noun) no ōku,” in the contemporary period. This case can be the basis for further investigation regarding new Japanese expressions generated by translations in the Meiji period.
