EZo Translation
Professional Japanese-to-English Translation
& Linguistic Services
About
EZo Translation
Dedicated to providing you with professional, personalised, and friendly service.
Passionate about perfection.
EZo Translation is a freelance Japanese to English translation business that I own and run by myself.
I am currently based in Perth, Australia.
My time zone is AWST (UTC+8:00)
Why I started EZo Translation
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.
But isn't there an app for that?
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.
Why is translation important?
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.
Through studying Japanese for just over two decades, living in Japan for 9 years, and passing the highest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, I have become very comfortable and familiar with the Japanese language and culture.
After studying a Master of Translation Studies and gaining experience as a translator, I now also have the knowledge and skills necessary to take on the role of being a cultural and linguistic bridge between Japan and English-speaking countries.
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]
With high attention to detail and a passion for doing in-depth research, I will produce well-researched, accurate,
high-quality translations for you,
saving you time and hassle.
What languages do you translate?
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)
What does "EZo" mean?
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.
What is the logo supposed to be?
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.
Contact me
If you would like to get in touch for more information or to request a quote, please feel free to contact me via email, phone, social media, or by clicking the 'Contact me' button below.
I will respond to your query within 24 hours.
Professional Associations
Being a member of professional associations means that I will adhere to their codes of Ethics and Conduct.
It also allows me to utilise their professional development resources in order to keep my skills sharp and up-to-date.
I am currently a member of the following professional translator associations:
Member since December 2021
Member since April 2023
Ethics & Conduct
As a member of AUSIT (Australian Institute of Interpreters & Translators), I follow the AUSIT Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct.
The Code is available in PDF format and in various languages on AUSIT's website.
The Code details the values and principles that inform the conduct of professionals in the translation and interpreting industry.
Summarised, these values and principles are:
-
Professional conduct
Taking responsibility for our work, being committed to providing quality service in a respectful manner, dealing honestly and fairly, and disclosing any conflicts of interest. -
Confidentiality
Maintaining confidentiality and not disclosing information acquired in the course of our work. -
Competence
Only accepting work in which we are competent, and in language pairs for which we are qualified. -
Impartiality
Remaining unbiased and ensuring the full intent of the communication is conveyed.
Translators are not responsible for what is communicated, only for the complete and accurate transfer of the message. -
Accuracy
Using our best professional judgement in remaining faithful at all times to the meaning of a text.
Accuracy is defined as being "optimal and complete message transfer into the target language preserving the content and intent of the source text without omission or distortion." (page 5) -
Clarity of role boundaries
Maintaining clear boundaries between our tasks as facilitators of communication and any other tasks that may be undertaken by other parties involved in the assignment. In the course of our translation duties, we do not engage in other tasks such as advocacy, guidance, or advice.
(i.e., I am unable to provide legal or other advice unrelated to my duties as a translator.) -
Maintaining professional relationships
Fostering mutually respectful business relationships with the people I work with and encouraging them to become familiar with the role of a translator.
Maintaining the same professional standards when working with agencies or with individual clients.
As a translator, I endeavour to secure satisfactory working conditions for the performance of my duties, including appropriate briefing and a clear commission. I ensure that I have allocated adequate time to complete my work. -
Professional development
Committing myself to lifelong learning, continually upgrading my language and transfer skills and my contextual and cultural understanding. I keep up to date with technological advances pertinent to my practice in order to continue to provide quality service. -
Professional solidarity
Respecting and supporting my fellow professionals and upholding the reputation and trustworthiness of the profession. Practitioners have a loyalty to the profession beyond our individual interests; we support the interests of the profession and our colleagues and offer each other assistance.
Download the full AUSIT Code of Ethics & Code of Conduct:
Sources:
Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators, AUSIT Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct (November 2012),
https://ausit.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Code_Of_Ethics_Full.pdf
[Accessed 6 April 2023]
Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators, AUSIT Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct (Japanese Translation), (November 2012),
https://ausit.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Code_of_Ethics_Japanese-translation.pdf
[Accessed 6 April 2023]
