in the position bearing responsibility

2004-02-05

Something that's funny to me is reading English translations of interviews done by a Japanese magazine/newspaper of English-speaking celebrities. Like, here's an example of one such interview (celebrity name left out for protection--mine--so I will not be mocked for my interest.):

"Maybe it is the same with Japanese crown prince or other people who is in the position bearing responsibility. OK. You don't need to be a crown prince or a son of Kabuki actor, though. I think it is true to everybody that children should be given a freedom to search themselves to a certain extent. But when they become older, parents and whole society demand them to be grown up. Then what is difficult is: they have to take responsibility not only for themselves and their happiness for life but also for others. There are children who bear responsibility for their brothers and sisters, because they don't have parents, or they have only one parent, or parents have problem of drinking... The responsibility those children bear is quite heavy. But, if I talk ideally, children should not bear responsibility so much, even if they have, it is something which increases every year little by little. Depend on the society, but when they become 18 or 20 years old, they have to take care of other people, not only themselves. When they become older, they have to take care of elderly person and children. It is the system of a society, if it works properly. There are fairy tales in which princes and princesses become kings and queens when they grow up, and they symbolize the way of each of us. Heroes in movies learn something through up-and-down, fights, happy time, sad time, difficulties, injuries, near-death experiences. It symbolizes our way in ordinary daily life. We have to learn something from own mistakes."

That's some fine Engrish, right there. Whoever translasted it was clearly really trying, and kudos to her/him, but next time just leave it in Japanese.

Children should be given a freedom to search themselves, indeed.

Love,

E |

cats-kittens

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