Translator Reviews ( Japanese → English )

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Japanese

私がお勧めするのは、東京新宿の中村屋のビーフカレーです。
レトルトパウチなので消費期限も十分です。なにより、お湯で温めてご飯にかけるだけなので、アメリカでも簡単に日本のカレーの味をお楽しみいただけます。
カレーは日本の伝統食ではありませんが、カレーの嫌いな日本人はいません。
なぜなら日本人は子供の頃から、みんなお母さんのカレーをたくさん食べて育ちます。
日本人が寿司や天ぷらを食べるより、カレーを食べる方が圧倒的に多いです。
ガールフレンドもきっと気に入ってくれるはずです。

English

I have to recommend the beef curry of Nakamuraya in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Since it is in a sealed plastic pouch (lit. retort pouch), it has a long expiration date (lit. enough). Above all, because it only needs to be warmed in hot water then can be poured to rice, you can then conveniently enjoy the taste of Japanese curry even in the United States.
Though curry is not a traditional Japanese food, everyone loves curry (lit. there is no Japanese who hate curry).
That is because from childhood, the Japanese people grew up eating a lot of their mothers' curries.
Japanese people who eat curry is overwhelmingly more than those who eat sushi and tempura.
It may even be your girlfriend's favourite, for sure.

Reviews ( 1 )

takeshikm rated this translation result as ★★★ 03 Jan 2013 at 00:24

Hi. I saw your post at the knowledge room and would like to give you a sincere review on this translation.

1. Unnecessary explanation - (lit. ...):
   Clients may simply copy & paste your translation for their e-mail communication sometimes, so you better not put such explanation in the submission but give it in the comment box. This time the client is Japanese and asked you for translation because s/he can't understand English well. So, it is highly possible that the "(lit...)" will be copied & put into his/her reply to the customer. His/her customer will be definitely confused when receiving the reply.

2. It should be a generic example:
   the Japanese people grew up eating a lot of their mothers' curries. -> (the) Japanese people grow up eating a lot of their mother's curries.
   This is mere a generic example, so I found it little awkward that you used the past tense. And I won't put "the" article in this case either, because not all THE Japanese people eat MOTHER's curries.

[takeshikm]

Also...
3. This is a comparison between not the number of people but the amount of food we eat:
"Japanese people eat overwhelmingly more curry than sushi and tempura" could be more proper translation.

and 4. Last but not least:
ガールフレンドもきっと気に入ってくれるはずです。 simply means, "Your girlfriend will like it for sure."
If I were that customer, I would not like a seller saying, "a sealed plastic pouch curry may be your girlfriend's favorite."

I find your English itself is very good - natural and smooth, but please also admit that this translation had some parts to be improved. Sorry to hear that you are really suffering from some particular persons' irregular evaluation - I mean "Machine Translation" rating, I totally understand you because my rating also dropped from 55 to 50 once. But let's work hard and overcome the situation!

[[deleted user]]

Hi <%= markdown_username(15248,"takeshikm") %>,

Really appreciate the honest review :) However, please let me comment as well (hope you do not mind).
Regarding 1., this is the first time I heard this and I am very curious to know if you have any proof of this. Although it makes sense and I stopped using it, I will just put notes.
2. Indeed, this was a typographical error, when stating general facts, the verb should be in plain (present) form.
3. This is the only one I do not agree with. I believe the subject for this sentence is the Japanese people and not the food.
4. Your sentence is just another way of putting it, I believe, not really an issue :)

Thank you for your sincere concern. I was just really frustrated because I do this for a living and not as a hobby (for some, I think) or just to rip off people...
My score before the upgrade was in the 60s and I just feel frustrated after that. Hope we can make this place a better one for us.

Thank you :)

[takeshikm]

Hi.

for 1., of course I don't have any proof but it's just what we can give a consideration toward the clients.

Concerning 3. I read it once again. Although the subject of that sentence in the original text is Japanese, still the point is the ratio - which do you often eat: curry or sushi/tempura. We do eat both. So, it is obvious you donnot have to categorize people who eat curry or sushi/tempura.

[takeshikm]

BTW, for 1. we can at least recognize that the client might be Japanese, as s/he gave an additional comment as a reference for translators in Japanese.

[[deleted user]]

Hi again,

I had a longer more humane comment earlier but it wasn't posted so I had a shorter one (as you can see above).
Anyway, I was supposed to say that the pressure of submitting on time affects the quality of my translation...
In any case, I have taken your first point and have started stopping the usage of such. :)
For 3, sorry but I'm really going to stick with my stand. hehehe I actually think otherwise. You can actually classify people according to what they eat. :)
Anyway, I appreciate everything and I really want to put these fake translators down ;)

Take care!