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Seeking reliable Japanese Translation

Christopher

後輩
3 Oct 2015
12
0
11
Hello & thank you in advance for your time,

I am planning to travel to Japan in the near future to study Soto-Zen,
and have recently discovered a place that may be willing to accommodate
myself during my stay (Hoshion-Shoja), however, we are having slight translation issues about the finer
details. I am seeking aid from somebody that may be willing to assist me with my queries. I would
use Google Translator, but I have heard previously of its unreliability, so I figured posting on here
would settle for more adequate results. I would like to ask the following in Japanese;

. I am a complete beginner in regards to Soto-Zen, do you except complete beginners?
. Would Hoshion-Shoja provide accommodation during my stay?
. How long would I be able to stay at Hoshion-Shoja?
. During my stay, will food be provided?
. Are there any fee's involved? i.e food, accommodation, travel etc
. I do not consume meat or dairy, are there alternative options for meals?
. I have not booked my travel to Japan as of yet, although I would be willing to do so upon my acceptance at Hoshion-Shoja

Thanks again guys!
 
Have you already contacted them? The site says that the temple has people that can speak English. How about to ask them in English?
 
Thanks for the speedy reply. I have been in contact with a gentleman by the name of Rev.Dainen Noda, who speaks very little english so it has been a struggle to identify the details.
 
Have you tried using simple sentences and basic vocabulary?

If you're using the style you used in your original post, it is probably not accessible by many non-native English speakers in Japan. Think functional, not flowery. The goal is communication, not confusion.

This question is not really about this booking, if you're unable to communicate with these people how exactly do you plan to study under them?
 
Thanks for the speedy reply. I have been in contact with a gentleman by the name of Rev.Dainen Noda, who speaks very little english so it has been a struggle to identify the details.
I see. Here's my translation for reference.

曹洞禅については全くの初心者なのですが、初心者は対象外でしょうか。
滞在期間中、宿泊場所、食事等を提供していただけますでしょうか。
滞在期間に制限はありますでしょうか。
料金に、食費、宿泊費、交通費等は含まれていますでしょうか。
肉類、乳製品等を食べないのですが、食事を選ぶことはできますでしょうか。
日本への旅行の手配はまだ行っていませんが、貴寺で受け入れていただけるならそうするつもりでおります。

The site says that the man you contacted is the chief priest of the temple. Now I wonder what you will do if they reply in Japanese... (In fact, they say they use Japanese, occasionally English in their site, but how occasionally it is...)
 
These are all good points you're making, thank you for your input. I will, along with a Japanese translation, send a simplified english version to the chief priest. Im sure there was a mistranslation due to my confusion lol. @WonkoTheSane You are completely right. I was asked to learn basic Japanese also, which I know is a mammoth task, however I am certain the difficulty in communication was down to me not clarifying clearly. I will update you on how the discussion goes. @Toritoribe Regards for the translation.
 
There are useful on line APIs for learning Japanese. Pimsleur Approach may be of use to you as well. You should be prepared to be self-sufficient if you come. Research, research, research. Show yourself to be capable and worthy of instruction.
 
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