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"structure"　and "computers"

Japanese translation: 構造とコンピューター

14:09 Nov 16, 2012
English to Japanese translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Computers (general) / computer languages
English term or phrase: "structure"　and "computers"
I have a problem. I noticed some translation is strange in a homepage presented as model case. I may not be able to understand the paragraph. What do you think about the paragraph below?

Quote - For the last 20 or so years, structure has been the watchword in computer programming. Structure has always been consistent with our view of computers. Computers are designed and built by scientists, engineers, and, to a large degree, other computers. This has led our philosophies about computer languages down a path of immaculate planning, organization, and structure. - End quote

I think this English doesn't specifically describe computer languages or computers. If this paragraph is presented as trial, nobody answered precise Japanese. Though inappropriate expressions this paragraph has, let me show my translation.

『今までのおよそ20年間、プログラミングの世界では構造化が重視されてきました。コンピューターの世界で、一貫して階層化が図られてきたのに似ています。科学者や技術者がコンピューターを設計し製造してきましたが、その過程でさまざまなコンピューター言語が作られてきました。言語の考案には構造化が必要で、綿密な計画や取り組みが重要であるということが認識されるようになったのです。』

Structured language is starting at ALGOL58, there are actually more than 50 years of history. There are more than 40 years from Smalltalk in an object-oriented language. I think this author does not know the history of the computer. In this paragraph "structure" is the most difficult to translate. I regard "structure" as "structured"or "hierarchical". And I also regard "computers" as "computer languages" in some case. Could anyone point out my translation is reasonable or not? If I'm wrong, how do you translate "structure" and "computers" in Japanese?
genpeikasai
Japan
Local time: 03:48
Japanese translation:構造とコンピューター
Explanation:
I have a feeling that you do not understand everything in this text. The English is perfectly fine, there are no "inappropriate expressions".

When the author writes "structure", he means just that, the noun itself, so that would be simply 構造.
構造化 means "structured", "having a structure", and it is normally used as an adjective with another noun, such as 構造化言語 - structured language, or 構造化プログラミング - structured programming.
Here, the author uses the word by itself, just as in the title of this book:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/計算機プログラムの構造と解釈-ジェラルド・ジェイ-サスマン/dp/489...

計算機プログラムの構造と解釈
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs

When the author writes "computers", he means just that, computers, and not computer/programming languages, so the correct translation is コンピューター.

「その過程でさまざまなコンピューター言語が作られてきました」　is a mistranslation, the source text does not say this at all.
Perhaps you misunderstood this part: "and, to a large degree, other computers".
Please note that "other computers" belongs with "designed and built by".
So the sentence is saying that computers are designed and built by:
1. scientists
2. engineers
3. other computers (to a large degree - it means "quite often").

I would not make a judgement about the author's knowledge of computers based on a quote of a single paragraph. I have about 35 years of experience with computers, including a fair amount of programming, and to me, what is written in this paragraph is perfectly fine and also true. If you think the author's ideas are outdated, because he is not talking about object-oriented programming, please consider that this paragraph may very well be an introductory text to a new programming method, and the sole purpose of it is to give a general description of how the concept of programming, the methods used in programming languages developed.

So, your second sentence is off, and as I said, the second half of the third sentence is incorrect. In the last sentence, by changing the word order, you changed the emphasis and there is a difference in nuance between the Japanese and the English, but it is not a big deal, I think it is still acceptable.

I hope this helps.
Selected response from:

Katalin Horváth McClure
United States
Local time: 14:48
Grading comment
Thank you for an answer.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2構造とコンピューター
Katalin Horváth McClure


  

Answers


2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
構造とコンピューター


Explanation:
I have a feeling that you do not understand everything in this text. The English is perfectly fine, there are no "inappropriate expressions".

When the author writes "structure", he means just that, the noun itself, so that would be simply 構造.
構造化 means "structured", "having a structure", and it is normally used as an adjective with another noun, such as 構造化言語 - structured language, or 構造化プログラミング - structured programming.
Here, the author uses the word by itself, just as in the title of this book:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/計算機プログラムの構造と解釈-ジェラルド・ジェイ-サスマン/dp/489...

計算機プログラムの構造と解釈
Structure and Interpretation of Computer Programs

When the author writes "computers", he means just that, computers, and not computer/programming languages, so the correct translation is コンピューター.

「その過程でさまざまなコンピューター言語が作られてきました」　is a mistranslation, the source text does not say this at all.
Perhaps you misunderstood this part: "and, to a large degree, other computers".
Please note that "other computers" belongs with "designed and built by".
So the sentence is saying that computers are designed and built by:
1. scientists
2. engineers
3. other computers (to a large degree - it means "quite often").

I would not make a judgement about the author's knowledge of computers based on a quote of a single paragraph. I have about 35 years of experience with computers, including a fair amount of programming, and to me, what is written in this paragraph is perfectly fine and also true. If you think the author's ideas are outdated, because he is not talking about object-oriented programming, please consider that this paragraph may very well be an introductory text to a new programming method, and the sole purpose of it is to give a general description of how the concept of programming, the methods used in programming languages developed.

So, your second sentence is off, and as I said, the second half of the third sentence is incorrect. In the last sentence, by changing the word order, you changed the emphasis and there is a difference in nuance between the Japanese and the English, but it is not a big deal, I think it is still acceptable.

I hope this helps.

Katalin Horváth McClure
United States
Local time: 14:48
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in HungarianHungarian
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you for an answer.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Minoru Kuwahara
22 hrs
agree  David Gibney
1 day 5 hrs
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