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Just a reminder to never trust Google Translate (lemmy.world)

submitted 6 months ago by hypertown@lemmy.world to c/japaneselanguage@sopuli.xyz

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[-] megane_kun@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I agree about being able to grasp the gist of the message with some basic Japanese, but IDK about being able to actually read the message.

　お願い

　この先は危険ですので、これ以上前へ行かないようお願い致します。

There are some parts of the message that I don't think is included in basic Japanese lessons:

危険 → dangerous
以上 → exceeding, beyond
行かないよう → probably related to the V+ようだ construction, which with the following bit, might be a polite way of making a request.
お願い致します → probably some polite way of saying ‘please’

If I were to translate the message with my meager self-taught Japanese, I'd probably render it as something like

Request

Because of the danger ahead, not going beyond here is humbly requested.

Though I don't think that fully captures the nuance of the message itself.

[-] hypertown@lemmy.world 2 points 6 months ago

True those words are N4 but some decks on Anki will include those since those are common words.

But even if you use only N5 decks you can guess the meaning. When I was starting I barely understood a thing and yet I was able to guess the meaning. You just get: "please ahead **** **** don't go ****". "Yeah it probably means to not go any further." I mean true, you can't fully read the message but enough to get the meaning.

Your translation isn't bad but I'd say it's too literal. I'd translate it to something like this:

It's dangerous beyond this point, please don't go any further.

Though keep in mind I'm no expert and this could probably be translated better :p

[-] megane_kun@lemm.ee 1 points 6 months ago

Thanks! About the translation, yeah, my primary concern is putting across the wording of the original, that's why it became too literal. You know, that basic Japanese newbie learner tendency to be too literal.

I am also a bit stumped about the grammar used for the last sentence, but I'm guessing it's some polite construction which wouldn't affect the English translation too much.

this post was submitted on 14 Jun 2024

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