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I write Jooster novels in Japanese. https://www.pixiv.net/users/16673396

[searivermountain]

Mid-awakening y.m. Discover a rare fish.

[sunaneko-jw]

I am a Japanese Jooster fan, and sorry if my translation is wrong.

In Japan, there are two types of translations for the works of Wodehouse. One is the translation by Tamaki Morimura, which is used for the manga version, and the other is by Masakatsu Iwanaga and Taiichi Koyama.

It seems Morimura's version gives weight to recreate the flavor and character images, while Iwanaga and Koyama forcus on replacing exactly what original text means with Japanese.

Now, regarding the part that all Jooster fans frame and display, "I'm fond of Mr. Wooster...," Iwanaga and Koyama's translation is, ”大好きなウースター様のことですから、お顔を見るとくじけそうな気持ちになりました.”

In this case, the term "大好き（Dai suki）" strongly express the sense of affection. In Japan, it's not common for someone of lower status to describe someone of higher status as "大好き," making it a frank and affectionate expression. It could be interpreted as Jeeves, being the older character, having a deep affection for the favorable young man, Bertie.

Of course, it's also possible to interpret it as "I love him," indicating a strong sense of love. In other words, Iwanaga and Koyama's translation conveys a meaning like, "I have a very good feeling (friendship, affection or love) about Mr. Wooster, so when I saw his despairing face, I almost faltered (in my determination to train him with severe methods)."

On the other hand, Morimura's translation is, "わたくしはウースター様が好きでございます。あの方のお顔を拝見して、わたくしはもう少しで心とろけるところであったと、認めるものでございます."

The phrase "好き（Suki）" is used in a wide range, from a confession of hidden love to a simple expression of goodwill. So, while it may sound slightly more serious than "大好き", the difference from Iwanaga and Koyama's translation is not significant.

The issue arises in the subsequent part. Morimura translates "I admit I came very near to melting," using the imagery of "melt" as "心とろける(kokoro torokeru)" ("my heart felt like it was about to melt").

The problem is that the Japanese phrase "心とろける（herart + melt）" does not necessarily imply a wavering of resolve or a softening of emotions; rather, it carries a strong image of entrancement or in ecstasy. In other words, while Iwanaga and Koyama's translation allows for the imagining of gentle Jeeves, Morimura's translation opens the door to envisioning sadistic Jeeves who is enraptured by Bertie's despairing face. I don't know what the word "melting" exactly means in English, but translation is indeed fascinating!

Which do you prefer?

The gentle Jeeves hesitating to train the beloved Mr. Wooster

The sadistic Jeeves, enchantedly gazing at Mr. Wooster's despairing face

Voting ended onNov 15, 2023

Note that both Jeeves will carry out the training as planned.

Japanese version of this blog :

日本におけるウッドハウス作品の翻訳には2種類あります。漫画版の元になった森村たまき訳と岩永正勝・小山太一訳です。

私は英語に詳しくないので間違っているかもしれませんが、森村訳が比較的雰囲気やキャラのイメージ重視なのに対し、岩永・小山訳は原文に書いてあることだけをシンプルに日本語に置き換えた感じです。

さて、全世界のJoosterファンが額縁に入れて飾っている"I'm fond of Mr.Wooster…"の部分ですが、岩永・小山訳は「大好きなウースター様のことですから、お顔を見るとくじけそうな気持になりました」です。この場合の「大好き」はかなり強い親愛の情を示す言葉です。日本では通常身分の低い者が身分の高い人を「大好き」と形容することはあまりないので、フランクかつ親しみのこもった言い方と言えます。年長者であるジーヴスが好ましい若者のバーティに強い親愛の情を持っている、という解釈なのかもしれません。もちろん、「愛している」という意味に解釈することも可能です。つまり、岩永・小山訳は「私はウースター様をとても好ましく思っているので、彼の絶望した顔を見て（彼をひどい目に合わせて調教しようという決意が）くじけそうになった」ぐらいの意味です。

一方、森村訳は「わたくしはウースター様が好きでございます。あの方のお顔を拝見して、わたくしはもう少しで心とろけるところであったと、認めるものでございます」です。「私は（人名）が好きです」は秘めたる愛の告白から単なる好意の表明まで幅広く使われますので、「大好きなウースター様」より若干真剣な告白に聞こえるものの、岩永・小山訳とそこまで違いはありません。問題はその後です。森村訳は"I admit I came very near to melting"のmeltのイメージをそのまま用いて「心がとろけそうだった」と訳しています。問題は日本語の「心とろける」に決意が鈍るとか感情が和らぐという意味があまりなく、うっとりする、恍惚とするようなイメージが強いことです。つまり、岩永・小山訳では善人（ぶっている）ジーヴスが想像できる一方、森村訳では大好きなウースター様の絶望した顔を見てうっとりするサディストのジーヴスが想像可能だということです。翻訳って面白いですね。

あなたはどちらの訳が好きですか？

大好きなウースター様への調教を躊躇する優しいジーヴス

ウースター様が好きなので絶望顔をうっとり眺めるジーヴス

なお、どちらも調教は予定通り行います

[transtranslations]

Nobody Expects The Japanese Jooster: Some Fun Translation Notes

Hey, guys. Are y'all aware that in the Japanese translation of "Bertie Changes His Mind", the line where Jeeves says "I'm fond of Mr. Wooster" is translated as 「私はウースター様が好きでございます」 (or, "watakushi wa Wooster-sama ga suki de gozaimasu")? Because I'm sure not normal about this.

Tl;dr: this line now reads like a love confession. (If an amusingly keigo-ridden love confession, because even in his internal dialogue Jeeves is physically incapable of not sounding aggressively polite.) More under the cut.

Now, please note that I am not fluent in Japanese, so take all my words with a grain of salt. But I have, at the very least studied it for several years, am currently living in Japan, and have listened to a great number of Japanese love songs. And this is how I would like to share that if you "ga suki" a person, this can and very often does mean you are in love with them.

Technically, "suki" just means "like". If you like apples, you'd say "ringo ga suki". If say, tennis is your favorite sport, you'd say "tenisu wa watashi no ichiban suki na supootsu" - with "ichiban suki" literally meaning "number one like". "Daisuki", or "big like", is the one that is often used for love - but boy is just plain "suki" used a hell of a lot.

Take this translation of "Ano Yume o Nazotte" (or "Tracing That Dream"), for example. Here, the translator has written it literally as "I like you", but contextually the song makes it pretty probable that it's a confession of romantic love. Or have a look at the Project Diva translation of "Suki Kirai" ("Like-Dislike" or "Love-Hate"), which makes "suki"'s usage in romantic love quite clear. There's even a whole conversation about the subject of love confession and translation in The Great Ace Attorney - this links to a fan-translated Let's Play so the original Japanese dialogue is visible, but the conversation happens similarly in the official localized version, though it manifests a bit differently. Regardless, both versions discuss "suki" as used to confess feelings of love.

What I'm saying is, wow, holy shit, Tamaki Morimura made a rather strong choice when using "suki". Because no matter the intent, that potential implication is absolutely going to be present in a reader's mind. And if you're wondering why I know this in the first place, it's because this line is used (in very slightly altered form, as "Wooster-sama" is exchanged for "the young master") in the manga, Please, Jeeves, which in large part uses Morimura's translation for its text, and... well. Let's just say our good pal Bun Katsuta seems to rather leaned into that with the expression.

Yeah.

And this goes in tandem with other aspects of the manga, like an added line that, to my knowledge, is not present anywhere in the original text (certainly not in the story that chapter adapts, "Jeeves in the Springtime"), in which Jeeves says that Bertie's shortcomings do not prevent him from being "beloved as a person". Not to mention the other choices the manga makes, such as having Jeeves wink at Bertie incessantly, or occasionally having hearts float around Bertie when he talks about Jeeves, or the panel at the end of "Without the Option where I swear to God it looks like Jeeves is trying to reach for Bertie's hand.

So, between the official translation and the manga adaptation, I'm not saying we have a Spanish Destiel situation on our hands... but I'm certainly implying it.

(My final note is that this is one of the favorite book series of Empress Emeritus Michiko. Which, with this added context, is very funny to me. I wish she had an open email address so I could ask her if she thinks they're in love.)

[toko-93]

weedy butterfly

[toko-93]

[biwa-noki]

LOG2

[biwa-noki]

LOG.

[toko-93]

The people have received word that a vampire has wandered into the village and are searching for him with vampire hunters.

Jeeves, too, is patrolling the garden on his master's orders when he discovers a young gentleman shivering in a corner of the garden.

This lovely vampire usually hides his true identity and lives as an upper class gentleman in London.

Upon hearing this, Jeeves immediately tenders his resignation and comes under Bertie's employment.

This is @sunaneko-jw 's vampire AU that I have drawn several times. I really love this story!🥰

Sorry if the English in the lines is wrong.

[toko-93]

When there was still no one who cared about him the most.

[toko-93]

I like the sheep metaphor that Bertie often uses!😊

[toko-93]

“Jeeves！You are a marvel！！❤️❤❤”

I think Jeeves likes the praise he gets from Bertie.

Jeeves is called "Bertie's Keeper," but I think Jeeves is dog-like too!😁

[toko-93]

“Thought of anything, Jeeves?”

“Not yet, sir, I regret to say.”

I thought it was only in the drama version that Bertie stripped naked in front of Jeeves, but a careful reading of the novel shows that Bertie stripped and changed in front of Jeeves after his bath.😳("The code of woosters" chapter5 )

It's very aristocratic of Bertie to have no qualms about showing his servants his nakedness!

[toko-93]

I love the story that develops when some trouble causes them to sleep together and they unintentionally embrace each other in their sleep. Everyone please write more🥺

[toko-93]

Oh,sir…

I think Jeeves is quite the romantic, so I think he'd like this kind of courtship.

[toko-93]

Absence of master.

[toko-93]

From @sunaneko-jw 's wonderful Halloween novel.🎃

summary:Bertie, dressed as a pastor, is approached at a somewhat familiar jentleman in devil's disguise in a costume party.

（actually tried it, Bertie caved in in less than two minutes.）

I love the story of bad Jeeves seducing his master🥰Thanks for writing a great novel!

[toko-93]

master and servant

With both of them wearing black suits it was hard to draw with a pencil!😅I must learn to draw on iPad……