稀代の名宰相

English translation: one of the greatest prime ministers in history OR one of the few great prime ministers in history

20:23 Feb 26, 2002
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
History / history
Japanese term or phrase: 稀代の名宰相
no context. It's a chapter title of a history book I'm translating. (trying to translate, rather :-)

I have few options in mind but I'd love to hear your suggestions as well. Thanks in advance.
Mike Sekine
Japan
Local time: 12:23
English translation:one of the greatest prime ministers in history OR one of the few great prime ministers in history
Explanation:
希代(or 稀代)would mean rare in history.名宰相 means an excellent prime minister. Excellent prime ministers are hard to come by as we all know. You could say somebody is one of the greatest prime ministers in history. If you really want to emphasize rarity,you could say that somebody is one of the few great prime ministers in history.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-02-27 17:42:38 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Yes,Chinese people also translate 宰相s of ancient dynasties as prime ministers. See Yi Ying at;
http://www.threekingdoms.com/terms.htm
Selected response from:

mkj (X)
United States
Local time: 20:23
Grading comment
thanks for the nice ref. Much appreciated.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +1one of the greatest prime ministers in history OR one of the few great prime ministers in history
mkj (X)
4Famous Prime Ministers of History--Yin Yin, specifically
Maynard Hogg
4A Rarity among Successive Premiers
kokuritsu
4 -1Historical Prime Minister(s)
tom_goto


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Famous Prime Ministers of History--Yin Yin, specifically


Explanation:
きたいのさいしょう

Google gives only two dozen hits. Most of them refer to Yin Yin, a Chinese historical figure who serves as the archetypical great leader, (商の湯王をたすけ、夏王朝から商王朝への革命を成功に導いた稀代の名宰相伊尹) but two refer sarcastically (『プレジデント』の表紙にしてもらえるよ) to Koizumi and Obuchi and their falied attempts to write themselves in the annals as "Famous Prime Ministers of History".

Note that President magazine is infamous for its strained cover story analogies linking historical figures and modern Japanese business.

小泉首相?: どっちも前代未聞の大実験だ。おもしろいですよ。うまくいけば、あなたも稀代の名宰相。『プレジデント』の表紙にしてもらえるよ。 www.hotwired.co.jp/altbiz/yamagata/981020/textonly.html
www.hotwired.co.jp/altbiz/yamagata/981020/document_04.html

カストロプ: が言うのと同時に扉が開いて宰相のカストロプが姿を見せた。棒きれのように痩せた、貧弱な身体つきをしているが、稀代の名宰相として先代の国王の時代から片腕として辣腕をふるっている。そのカストロプは三人を members5.cool.ne.jp/‾bnaruse/blue_moon/st1.html

伊尹(いいん): 宮城谷 昌光氏の作品... 天空の舟 .... 宮城谷 昌光. 夏・殷革命. 商の湯王をたすけ、夏王朝から商王朝への革命を成功に導いた稀代の名宰相伊尹の生涯と、古代中国の歴史の流れを生き生きと描く。 www.ann.hi-ho.ne.jp/ktsuyoshi/miya.htm

伊尹(いいん): 宮城谷「天空の舟」... いる要約を引用しますと、 「商の湯王を輔け、夏王朝から商王朝への革命を成功にみちびいた稀代の名宰相伊尹の生涯と、古代中国の歴史の流れを生き生きと描いた長編小説」とあります。 village.infoweb.ne.jp/‾yamamott/miyagi-tenkunohune.htm

伊尹(いいん): 宮城谷さんは「天空の舟」と言う作品で、稀代の名宰相伊尹(いいん)が夏王朝から商(殷)王朝への革命を成功 home7.highway.ne.jp/mats/books/taikoubou.htm

伊尹(いいん): 宮城谷昌光... 天空の舟... 商の湯王を輔け、夏王朝から商王朝への革命を成功にみちびいた稀代の名宰相伊伊の生涯。 狙いは、夏と商の和親だったが・・・時代の流れはこれを許さなかった。 www1.ocn.ne.jp/‾yago1159/dokusyo01i.htm

伊尹(いいん): 商の湯王を輔け、夏王朝から商王朝への革命を成功にみちびいた稀代の名宰相伊尹の生涯と、古代中国の歴史の流れを生き生きと描いた長篇小説。 www.asahi-net.or.jp/‾du1t-mrkw/http/kaisetu11.htm

伊尹(いいん): 親子の生涯... 天空の舟... 宮城谷昌光. 文芸春秋. 夏商王朝の稀代の名宰相伊尹の生涯。. 王家の風日. 宮城谷昌光. 文芸春秋. 古代中国 www.asahi-net.or.jp/‾qc7s-tn/MusicStudio/Stage.html

伊尹(いいん): 天空の舟 -小説・伊尹伝- 商の湯王を輔け、夏王朝から商王朝への革命を成功にみちびいた稀代の名宰相伊尹(いいん)の生涯をえがいています。 home7.highway.ne.jp/mats/books/tenku.htm

伊尹(いいん): 天空の舟 小説・伊尹伝... 商の湯王を輔け、夏王朝から商王朝への革命を成功にみちびいた稀代の名宰相伊尹の生涯と、古代中国の歴史の流れを生き生きと描いた長篇小説。桑の木のおかげで水死をまぬがれた<奇跡の孤児>伊尹は、有? www.internetacademy.co.jp/‾00070014/m-m/tenku.htm

伊尹(いいん): 天空の船 上. 商の湯王を輔け、夏王朝から商王朝への革命を成功に導いた稀代の名宰相伊尹の生涯と古代中国の歴史の流れを生き生きと描いた長篇小説。桑の木のおかげで水死をまぬがれた「奇蹟の孤児」伊尹は有る www.jomon.ne.jp/‾amanaij/hon/hon2.html

伊尹(いいん): 点訳日本文学み... ピッコラ. 宮尾 登美子, 蔵 上下, 8, 目の不自由な方の勇気ある生涯, ひまわり. 宮城谷 昌光, 天空の舟(上) 小説 伊尹伝, 5, 稀代の名宰相伊尹の生涯と中国の歴史の流れを生き生きと描いた長編小説。 www.chabashira.co.jp/‾espoir96/tenyaku/nihon/mi.htm

諸葛亮: 紀行・蒋エン... ホウ統のプロットをふくらませたのだろう。 やがて稀代の名宰相・諸葛亮が五丈原で陣没すると、蒋エンがその後任に任命される。公正であり、無駄な出兵をせずに国内をよく治めた点は、正史でも高く評価されている www23.tok2.com/home/rainy/sangokushikiko.shoen.htm

小泉首相: 小泉首相は結果を出せないであろう。しかし、それでも稀代の名宰相であることは論を待たない。 www.mainichi.co.jp/eye/opinion/05/875.html

小渕恵三: 2000年8月2日. 小渕恵三は神なのか。. 何かこう...突然の死以降、まるで稀代の名宰相であるよーに語られる小渕前首相ですが...もちろん地元群馬の支持者の皆さんが彼を神とするのは...まぁ色 village.infoweb.ne.jp/‾fwii2110/opinion/national.html

蔡温: 風水都市伝説〜沖縄で世界を遊ぶ:中国編〜...稀代の名宰相・蔡温という人物 蔡温は、沖縄史上、最も偉大な政治家の一人。 www.ocvb.or.jp/husui/4.html

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Note added at 2002-02-27 21:40:51 (GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

According to <http://www.threekingdoms.com/terms.htm#yi_yin> (Thank, mkj) the same character is read differently each time: Yi Yin, <http://www.chinatown-online.co.uk/pages/culture/legends/yiyi... ¥"the wise counsellor who gives his monarch honest advice and has the interests of the people at heart.¥"


    Reference: http://village.infoweb.ne.jp/~yamamott/miyagi-tenkunohune.ht...
    Reference: http://www.hotwired.co.jp/altbiz/yamagata/981020/textonly.ht...
Maynard Hogg
Canada
Local time: 20:23
Native speaker of: English
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
one of the greatest prime ministers in history OR one of the few great prime ministers in history


Explanation:
希代(or 稀代)would mean rare in history.名宰相 means an excellent prime minister. Excellent prime ministers are hard to come by as we all know. You could say somebody is one of the greatest prime ministers in history. If you really want to emphasize rarity,you could say that somebody is one of the few great prime ministers in history.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-02-27 17:42:38 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Yes,Chinese people also translate 宰相s of ancient dynasties as prime ministers. See Yi Ying at;
http://www.threekingdoms.com/terms.htm

mkj (X)
United States
Local time: 20:23
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
thanks for the nice ref. Much appreciated.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Maynard Hogg: Liked the "few", but the overworked English equivalent is "truly great."
22 hrs
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4 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
Historical Prime Minister(s)


Explanation:
My suggestion is simple and short phrase, because Mike wants the chapter title.

I interpret that "稀代の名宰相" means "歴史に名を残した宰相”.

I wish my idea will be helpful!

tom_goto
Local time: 12:23
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Maynard Hogg: I would leave it up to Mike to shorten the title to match the chapter contents. My clients make up fancy titles and then change the content.
20 hrs
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7 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
A Rarity among Successive Premiers


Explanation:
Hope this helps, though I can't say for sure if there was any in Japan.

kokuritsu
Local time: 12:23
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
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