How many Japanese words in English are there? For sure, only a tiny number compared to from French (29% of all English words) or Latin… Read More »The Japanese Words in English: From Skosh to Suffrajitsu
Last year, I landed a tasty job – literally. I was hired to create content to promote Japanese food in the UK. The brief was… Read More »Creating Content to Promote Japanese Food: a Deliciously Fun Assignment
As infants we can acquire one or more tongues almost without effort. But how about in our teens? Twenties? Forties? Or even our eighties? In… Read More »Why you’re never too old to learn a new language!
Back in 2019, just a few months before the Covid pandemic, I went on a tourism copywriting adventure. My mission, if I chose to accept… Read More »Spirited Away to Okinawa: A Tourism Copywriting Adventure
Have you ever been asked to pen an article or blog post, or perhaps write a newsletter, on a topic that seemed a bit, well,… Read More »Help! I have to write a newsletter about a “dull” topic
Probably the simplest definition of transcreation is “translation + copywriting”. In other words, it’s a kind of translation with extra creativity… ideal for tasks such… Read More »Translation vs. Transcreation: Japanese News Tailored to English Readers
Did you know that the Japan Tourism Agency publishes a writing and style manual? It’s a priceless resource for those of us who write and… Read More »Five-star Japan Travel Content: Tips from the JTA’s Style Manual
There are everyday translation projects, unusual translation projects, and unique translation projects. Translating a memoir by Kodo Nishimura definitely fell into the last category.
As I write, it is the fifty-third of Japan’s 72 seasons – “tachibana citrus tree leaves start to turn yellow.” This seasons runs from December 2nd to… Read More »Seeking Japan’s 72 seasons in London
The title of Mari Fujimoto’s book, ikigai & and other Japanese words to live by (Modern Books), includes an interesting addition to the English language.… Read More »Ikigai and 42 other Japanese words for a mindful life