沃野の伝説と沃野の幻想

English translation: Tales of fertile lands and The illusion of fertile lands

06:31 Nov 2, 2009
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Folklore / 日本の伝承文化と精神風土
Japanese term or phrase: 沃野の伝説と沃野の幻想
ある大学で、「日本の伝承文化と精神風土」を教える科目の講義内容として、1学期は「沃野の伝説」についてやり、2学期は「沃野の幻想」についてやると書いてあるのですが、これらを英語でどのように表現すればいいのでしょうか。
よろしくお願いします。
Y. K.
Local time: 08:13
English translation:Tales of fertile lands and The illusion of fertile lands
Explanation:
From your description and the course's title, I tend to believe the professor is trying to create a poetic image for his or her course. Fertility and rice production were big issues for the early Japanese, so it doesn't seem unreasonable to me to assume one might find an emphasis on fertile lands and such in old tales that would merit the professor using such imagery. At any rate, without further details on course content a literal translation may be best (a quick question to the client would also probably be in order, or at least flagging it for them to query the professor).

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Note added at 17 hrs (2009-11-03 00:31:24 GMT)
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Looking at the other respondent's reply, I agree "tales" really should be "legends." Personally, I think the alliteration being suggested there is a little too cute, but that's really a matter of taste. At any rate, if the original poster has until Friday to get answers to this and the other two questions, on Thursday I'll be doing my weekly office day at Kokugakuin where I'm surrounded by specialists in Japanese mythology, folklore, and mythology and I can get their opinions on all of them.

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Note added at 18 hrs (2009-11-03 00:33:46 GMT)
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That should be "mythology, folklore, and Shinto." Drat.

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Note added at 3 days1 hr (2009-11-05 08:06:45 GMT)
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Discussed this with my professor of Japanese religions supervisor. He agrees with the suggestions of Joyce and myself to take the term at face value, since the ancient myths and legends are filled with stories of gods seeding the lands with rice and are generally concerned with fertility and growth. Take your pick about your preferred translation.
Selected response from:

Carl Freire
Japan
Local time: 07:13
Grading comment
Thank you for the useful information as well as the answer. It helped me a great deal.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +1Folklore of Fertile Fields & Fantasies of Fertile Fields
Joyce A
3Tales of fertile lands and The illusion of fertile lands
Carl Freire


  

Answers


6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Folklore of Fertile Fields & Fantasies of Fertile Fields


Explanation:
沃野 = "fertile fields" in the Nelson Japanese Character Dictionary

伝説 = legend or folklore in the Shougakukan Dictionary.
幻想 = fantasy, illusion, dreams in the Shougakukan Dictionary.

I felt that this way, the two course titles are poetically alliterative with all of the words beginning with the letter "f."



Joyce A
Thailand
Local time: 05:13
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yumico Tanaka (X): I prefer ”lands” to” fields”, but agree with other bits, except for the use of capitals as I think it's optional.
1 hr
  -> Thank you, Yumico. Yes, I agree with you that caps are optional. It depends on how the rest is written.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

31 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Tales of fertile lands and The illusion of fertile lands


Explanation:
From your description and the course's title, I tend to believe the professor is trying to create a poetic image for his or her course. Fertility and rice production were big issues for the early Japanese, so it doesn't seem unreasonable to me to assume one might find an emphasis on fertile lands and such in old tales that would merit the professor using such imagery. At any rate, without further details on course content a literal translation may be best (a quick question to the client would also probably be in order, or at least flagging it for them to query the professor).

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 17 hrs (2009-11-03 00:31:24 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Looking at the other respondent's reply, I agree "tales" really should be "legends." Personally, I think the alliteration being suggested there is a little too cute, but that's really a matter of taste. At any rate, if the original poster has until Friday to get answers to this and the other two questions, on Thursday I'll be doing my weekly office day at Kokugakuin where I'm surrounded by specialists in Japanese mythology, folklore, and mythology and I can get their opinions on all of them.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 hrs (2009-11-03 00:33:46 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

That should be "mythology, folklore, and Shinto." Drat.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 days1 hr (2009-11-05 08:06:45 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Discussed this with my professor of Japanese religions supervisor. He agrees with the suggestions of Joyce and myself to take the term at face value, since the ancient myths and legends are filled with stories of gods seeding the lands with rice and are generally concerned with fertility and growth. Take your pick about your preferred translation.

Carl Freire
Japan
Local time: 07:13
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Grading comment
Thank you for the useful information as well as the answer. It helped me a great deal.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



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