Yokabai: The Hakata Dialect Role Language in Translation

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the procedures applied in regional dialect translation from Japanese to English, and the shift of stereotype traits due to localization. To achieve this, I base my research around the notion of yakuwarigo ‘role language’ for stereotypical traits in fictionalised orality (Kinsui, 2003). I focus on a specific southern dialect in Japan known as the Hakata dialect. Usage of this dialect has been popularized in recent popular media, which is why I take the Japanese manga ‘comic book’ called Nisekoi ‘False Love’ (Komi, 2011-2016) as material for my case study. The manga has two existing translations, one by the official publisher VIZ Media (2014-2018), and one by several unofficial translation groups known as scanlators (2011-2016). The case study consists out of two separate comparative analyses. The first analysis is in regards to the translation procedures applied by the different translators of the manga, mainly at what kind of eye dialect was...Show moreThe aim of this thesis is to analyze the procedures applied in regional dialect translation from Japanese to English, and the shift of stereotype traits due to localization. To achieve this, I base my research around the notion of yakuwarigo ‘role language’ for stereotypical traits in fictionalised orality (Kinsui, 2003). I focus on a specific southern dialect in Japan known as the Hakata dialect. Usage of this dialect has been popularized in recent popular media, which is why I take the Japanese manga ‘comic book’ called Nisekoi ‘False Love’ (Komi, 2011-2016) as material for my case study. The manga has two existing translations, one by the official publisher VIZ Media (2014-2018), and one by several unofficial translation groups known as scanlators (2011-2016). The case study consists out of two separate comparative analyses. The first analysis is in regards to the translation procedures applied by the different translators of the manga, mainly at what kind of eye dialect was adapted throughout the whole series. The second analysis is in regards to the transference of the stereotypical traits that were present in the original Japanese version to the English versions. This analysis is done through empirical research by means of a survey; one for native and fluent Japanese speakers; one for native and fluent English speakers. Through these comparative analyses, I would like to expand on the notion of regional dialect as role language and the effects of translation thereof.Show less

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Yokabai: The Hakata Dialect Role Language in Translation