If you're requesting a translation, there is some information that will help me provide you with an accurate quote and the highest quality translation possible.

If possible, please provide as much information as you can about the following:

• Type of document (Examples: Novel, website, brochure, CV/résumé, blog post, game, video subtitles, customer survey, etc.)
  

• Topic/Industry (Examples: Business, marketing, gaming, electronics, tourism & hospitality, etc.)
  

• Format/File type What format is the file in, and what format would you like the translation to be delivered in? (Examples: Word document, Excel file, .pdf, .srt, etc.)

• Purpose of the translation The intended purpose of translating your document may affect how I translate certain words or phrases, as I try to adapt my writing style to be appropriate for each situation. For instance, if you intend to use the translation to market to international customers, I will translate using more appealing language. If you are translating something to help with finding a job, I will adapt to the conventions of the location where you are looking for a job. (Examples of translation purposes: Marketing to international customers, finding a job, to educate others, to entertain, etc.)
  

• Target audience If the translation isn't intended for personal use, please inform me of the intended target readers of the translation. The intended target audience may affect how I translate certain words or phrases. For instance, if the translation is intended for your customers, I will use politer, more appealing language. If they are unlikely to be familiar with Japanese culture, I may translate Japanese-specific concepts with supplementary explanations where necessary. If they are likely to understand jargon used in your documents, I will use jargon in the English, but if they are unlikely to understand any jargon, I will replace these with layman's terms to aid their understanding. (Examples of target audiences: International customers, international colleagues, readers/gamers in the US, etc.)
  

• English variety Would you like your translation to be in British/UK English, American/US English, or Australian English?
  

• Length Approximate number of words/characters, number of pages, length of video, etc. to be translated.
  

• Deadline* When do you need the translation returned to you by?
  

• Other Instructions Are there any style guides, glossaries, etc. that you'd like me to follow?**

*Please note that tight deadlines (less than 24 hours, or requiring the translation of more than 4000 Japanese characters per day) may attract a surcharge of an additional 25% on top of the regular fee.

**Providing any reference materials such as style guides, glossaries, or previous translations of similar materials will provide many benefits, such as:

1. Increasing the quality of the translation and ensuring that it fits any existing branding that you have.

2. Faster turnaround times. Providing me with reference materials may allow me to return your translations to you sooner, as they reduce the amount of time that I need to spend researching.

3. Cost reduction. I may offer you a discount if the reference materials you provide reduces the amount of time I need to spend doing research, etc.

I currently only offer Japanese-to-English translation of written texts.

Please note that I am not able to translate from English into Japanese.

As a professional translator, I only translate into my native language (English). So you are guaranteed to get fluent and accurate English translations.

The English variants I can translate into are:

- Australian English (en-AU)

- British English (en-GB)

- American English (en-US)

While often used interchangeably, editing and proofreading are actually different tasks!

Editing involves comparing the English translation to the Japanese source text and fixing any errors made be the original translator. It may include researching, fact-checking and rearranging paragraphs to improve readability.

Proofreading is a final check to fix minor errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting. It can be done without the Japanese source text, which is why it is charged per English word rather than per Japanese source character.

Please note: If your text requires a lot of major amendments, it will be considered to be editing rather than proofreading.

No, unfortunately I am not currently NAATI-certified, so I cannot provide NAATI-certified translations. However, I do meet the prerequisites for sitting the certification test, so I may become certified in the future.

If you require services from a NAATI-certified translator or interpreter, I recommend searching in the NAATI Online Directory.

NAATI (National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters) is the national standards and certifying authority for translators and interpreters in Australia.

Even though machine translation has improved over the years, it still struggles to translate accurately between languages as different as Japanese and English, often resulting in mistranslations, omissions and unnecessary additions to the translated text.

Machine translation can only translate literally. While it may be somewhat competent in translating technical texts, it is completely unsuitable for translating any kind of creative text.

It struggles with things like idioms and culture-specific terms. It is unable to take into account the context or the target audience, and fails to detect the significance and nuances behind wording, often completely missing any underlying messages.

While extremely cheap or even free, machine translation —as well as translations provided by non-professional translators— will often result in the problematic (but often hilarious) "Engrish".

An example of "Engrish". Photo taken at a train station in Japan.

Translation has always played an important role in facilitating communication and understanding between people who do not speak the same language. Translation continues to grow in importance as the world gets smaller and people travel and connect with others around the globe.

It's also indispensable for businesses that are looking to expand into international markets.

A study by CSA Research in 2020 found that 76% of respondents prefer purchasing products that have information available in their native language*. So having a website that's translated into multiple languages will attract more customers and increase profits!

Speaking someone's native language is important for connecting with them. It ensures your message is accurately conveyed and has the intended effect on your target audience. ​ But personally mastering every language that your audience may speak is an impossible task.

That's where translators come in!

The role of translators and interpreters is to act as a "bridge" between people who do not speak the same language in order to facilitate international understanding and cultural exchange.

Japanese culture, literature, products, and technology are becoming increasingly popular in English-speaking countries such as Australia and the U.S.

​Travel between our countries is also growing, leading to an increased need for translators and interpreters.

I founded EZo Translation to be a linguistic and cultural bridge between Japan and the English-speaking world.

Source:

CSA Research, (7 July 2020), https://csa-research.com/Blogs-Events/CSA-in-the-Media/Press-Releases/Consumers-Prefer-their-Own-Language

[Accessed 5 April 2023]

I am currently based in Perth, Australia. My time zone is AWST (UTC+8:00).

EZo is pronounced /i:zəʊ/.

It sounds like the letter "E" followed by "Zo", and is an anagram of my name, Zoe.

My name written in Japanese is ゾーイ, which becomes イーゾ (iizo, pronounced like "E-Zo") when flipped backwards. It sounds like the Japanese word 良いぞ (iizo), which means "It's great!"

I decided that EZo would be the perfect name for my freelance translation business as it represents both my name and the high quality that you can expect from my services.

The logo is made up of the letters "EZO" drawn using a single line, with antennae added to look like a butterfly hovering over a flower.

Translation transforms your text from one language into another, allowing it to start its new life with a new target audience.

Butterflies are considered symbols of transformation and new life in both Japanese and English-speaking cultures —a perfect metaphor for translation!

The flower represents the source text, which translation (the butterfly) spreads to new places for new target audiences to enjoy.