You are a linguist fluent in both English and Japanese. You are a linguist fluent in both English and Japanese, and you are wondering how to translate “velvety” into English in order to introduce a Japanese book titled “Smooth Society and Its Enemies” overseas. Please consider how to convey the nuances of the Japanese word “smooth” in English. Smooth” is a word peculiar to the Japanese language and is used to indicate smoothness, seamlessness, or continuity of texture or flow. It can be a bit difficult to convey this nuance in English, but here are some suggested approaches
- Smooth: The most direct translation of “smooth” is “smooth. It is often used to refer to physical texture and consistency.
- Seamless: If “smooth” emphasizes continuous or uninterrupted motion, “seamless” is appropriate.
- Fluid: This term can be used to emphasize that the movement or change is smooth and natural.
- Silky: “silky” may also be appropriate if you want to emphasize physical texture and smoothness.
- Harmonious: If this word is used in a context that implies continuity or harmony, it is also appropriate.
Thinking in regards to the title “Smooth Society and Its Enemies,” the appropriate translation would depend on the context and the content of the book. If the book emphasizes social coherence and harmony, it might be “Harmonious Society and Its Enemies”; if it emphasizes social change and smoothness of movement, “Fluid Society and Its Enemies” might be a better choice.
Ultimately, it is important to choose words that most accurately convey the content and intent of the book.
The book is miscellaneously talking about a “sigmoidal function” society with “smooth” boundaries compared to “cells with membranes,” “states with boundaries,” and “step functions.” Okay, thank you for the specifics of the content. If by “smooth” you are referring to something like a sigmoid function as opposed to a “bounded state” and a “membrane cell” or a “step function,” then in this context “smooth” could be interpreted to include nuances like “gradual,” “gradually changing,” and “transitional.”
In this case, the following translation suggestions may be considered
- Gradual Society and Its Enemies
- To emphasize “gradual,” “gradual” is appropriate in English. It is a good way to describe how a society is changing gradually rather than abruptly.
- Transitional Society and Its Enemies
- Transitional” is appropriate if you want to emphasize the meaning of “transitional” or “transitional.”
- Continuous Society and Its Enemies
- If one wants to emphasize the nuance of “continuous,” this term is appropriate.
- Sigmoidal Society and Its Enemies
- If you want to directly emphasize the nature of the “sigmoidal function,” you may want to specifically incorporate “Sigmoidal” into the title.
Which words are appropriate for a book title will depend on its content and message. The final choice should be the word that most accurately conveys the meaning to the reader.
感想
- I guess there is no English word that directly corresponds to the "smooth" in "smooth society and its enemies"? None of the translations seem to fit. - It would be more interesting to push "NAMERAKA" and have a PICSY poll on how best to explain its meaning in English, with a conclusion like "Seamless: 75%, Continuous: 20%, Sigmoidal: 5%".This page is auto-translated from /nishio/なめらかのニュアンス using DeepL. If you looks something interesting but the auto-translated English is not good enough to understand it, feel free to let me know at @nishio_en. I’m very happy to spread my thought to non-Japanese readers.