池谷大星：科学技術用語: 2006

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Symposium

Symposium

Q: What do you think today's word means?
A:

Here are some definitions of today's word:

Eijiro:

【名】シンポジウム、討論会◆特に聴衆の前で行うもの
・The symposium was held in the university lecture hall. 討論会は大学の講堂で開かれた。
【＠】シンポジウム、【変化】《複》symposia ; symposiums、【分節】sym・po・si・um

ビジネス技術実用英語大辞典第４版:

a ～シンポジウム, 討論会
◆hold an international symposium on circuits and systems 回路とシステムに関する国際シンポジウムを開催する

American Heritage Dictionary:

1. A meeting or conference for discussion of a topic, especially one in which the participants form an audience and make presentations.
2. A collection of writings on a particular topic, as in a magazine.
3. A convivial meeting for drinking, music, and intellectual discussion among the ancient Greeks.

1. Listen to the podcast. Make a list of all the vocabulary you can understand.

2. Visit this link and read the text provided. Note: The text provided is NOT the same as the podcast.
3. Try to find the parts of the text that are the same as the podcast. Try to find the parts that are different.
4. Try to transcribe as much of the podcast that you possibly can.
5. Compare your transcription with the text at this link.

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Monday, October 16, 2006

International Interchangeable

Today's word is 国際互換性.

For example:

ここでは、我が国の旅券のIC化及び安全かつ迅速な空港手続きを総合的に推進する「e-Passportプロジェクト」として、eパスポートの国際互換性確保を目指した取組を推進しています。(経済産業省)

I have seen Japanese engineers translate this phrase literally as "international interchangeable."

I would propose these translations instead:

Product ABC facilitates interchangeability across the globe for greater standardization and cost reduction.

Product ABC is fully compatible with domestic and foreign made products. (ビジネス技術実用英語大辞典第４版)

Product ABC is fully compatible and interchangeable with domestic and foreign made products regardless of the manufacturer.

Wednesday, September 6, 2006

ability to adhere

付着性【ふちゃくせい】

adhesiveness (名詞)
adhesive (形容詞)
adherence (名詞)

例文：
Many OEMs recommend compounded gear oils. Compounded oils were initially used as steam cylinder lubricants because of their ability to adhere to cylinder walls in the presence of steam.

参照URL：Lubrication of Worm Gears (Noria Corporation)

Motor and Fuel Economy

An article about motors for automotive applications was published in the spring of 2005. In the Japanese version, it read as follows:

近年，ABC製品の市場は軽自動車，小型自動車から中型自動車へと規模が拡大している．その技術的背景としては，

・運転者の操舵をアシストするモータの高出力化への対応
・制御システムによる多様な操舵性能への対応
・燃費向上，環境負荷への低減

が挙げられる．

In the English version, the phrase in red was translated as:

Improved fuel economy and less burden on the environment

This is translation is not too bad. However, the rewriter suggested the following:

Simplified packaging and reduced mass for improving fuel economy and environmental compatibility

Why such a drastic change from the original translation? In the Japanese version, we can guess that the car has improved fuel economy and puts less burden on the environment in terms of greenhouse emissions. However, the subject of the original is not a car, but the ABC motor! Electric motors don't have fuel economy--they don't burn fuel. So, the original translation is illogical since the topic is features of a motor and not a car.

The rewritten sentence in blue focuses on what the motor has to offer if used in a vehicle.

When writing in Japanese, it is a good idea to consider that fact that your work will be published in English. Use a logical approach to your thinking and your writing. This will result in a clear and concise Japanese original, and will facilitate a smoother translation that more closely reflects your Japanese original.

Increase comfort levels through reductions in noise, vibration, and harshness

外乱安定性向上
【がいらん】+【あんていせい】+【こうじょう】

外乱　(名詞)　noise or interference; external perturbations
安定性　(名詞)　stability; security; equilibrium; soundness
向上　(名詞、＋助動詞)　elevation; rise; improvement; advancement; progress; enhance; gain; leap upward; step-up in; contribute to; move up in

Typical Japanese translators will translate as "improved disturbance stability (of the car)," which is too vague. Your reader needs to know what kind of disturbance has been improved! I suggest something more specific and much clearer (in the case of a motor vehicle):

Increase comfort levels through reductions in noise, vibration, and harshness

例文：
Global industry trends, challenges, and solutions will be presented with a focus on innovative ways to positively impact the driving experience and increase comfort levels through reductions in noise, vibration, and harshness. The latest lubrication technologies, including the benefits of dry film lubricant applications and how they improve comfort, reliability, performance, and safety, will also be discussed.

参照URL： Dow Corning: Automotive Solutions

torque converter

トルクコンバータ

torque: ～トルク, ねじりモーメント, 回転力

The engine produces 162 pound-feet of torque at 4500 rpm. このエンジンは, (回転数)4500rpmで162ポンド・フィートのトルクを発生させる.

converter: ～コンバーター, 変換器[部, 機, 装置], 転換器, 転換炉, 転炉, 変換プログラム

a catalytic converter 触媒コンバータ
a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) デジアナ変換器, D/Aコンバータ

The term "torque converter" can be applied to many applications. For this posting, I will only discuss the usage of a torque converter for automotive or rolling stock applications.

Here are some good examples of using today's term:

Previous types of CVTs convey the engine power output to the decelerator using a power transmission device called a torque converter. (NSK Annual Report 2004)
A hydraulic torque converter is basically a pump and a hydraulic turbine in a common casing. (UK Heritage Railways)
[The CHP 37] is diesel powered with a torque converter, and a multiple unit control. (Australian Railway Historical Society)
They used compact 275 horsepower General Motors diesels originally developed for use in World War II. Two of these power plants with torque converter transmissions were mounted under the floor. (DRM Rolling Stock Roster)

This PDF file has some good pictures of several torque converters used in rolling stock applications:

The Hitachi Nico Transmission Co. Ltd.