Wronged translators in U.S.-Japan politics
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21242971 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tomoko Takahashi (0000-0002-4173-9763, Soka University of America, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 99-116 |
| Publication date | 2021-05-04 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Asia Pacific Translation and Intercultural Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2330-6351 • E-ISSN: 2330-6343 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/23306343.2021.1932366 |
| OpenAlex | W3174705497 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 7 |
This paper examines how in a political context translators/interpreters can be wronged, i.e. unfairly inculpated, due to complex and subtle power relations, and how in the name of “mistranslation” they can be blamed for the negative outcomes of international negotiations. Even where the accuracy or quality of the translation may be at issue, there is still no escaping the behind-the-scenes political maneuvering that paradoxically makes the translation a secondary issue. Three instances of translation beguilement in the context of U.S.-Japan negotiations demonstrate how public officials can use translation as an excuse to provide a more palatable national narrative. Scholars and non-scholars alike have discussed these cases frequently and extensively over the past decades. Contrary to the most common explanations, this paper reveals alternative interpretations of those three famous cases labeled as “translation errors.”
Epistemology · Excuse · Interpreter · Linguistics · Narrative · Negotiation · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Computer Science · History · Interpreting and Communication in Healthcare · Law · Philosophy · Translation Studies and Practices
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |