As the proverb goes, “A decade is a quite long bit of time.” The past decade has brought about a dramatic change in the field of patent translation. A decade ago, in 1999, information gathering was one of the most time-spending tasks for patent translators. Before the dawn of the Internet age, patent translators used to spend most of time roaming around to gather information. At the time, many translators excused themselves by saying, “This term is not listed in dictionaries.”

Now in 2009, information gathering is very easy. Most people including patent translators can find information via Google. Founded in 1998, Google became a 21st century IT hero just in the past ten years. In the time to come, you may try to make an excuse that there is no hit on Google.com. This is the problem in today’s world where information is flooding.

Google is a great tool for patent translators. You can search for any article or technology you want, or you can use Google as a dictionary or corpus. However, you should understand that information does not always equal knowledge. To turn information into knowledge, you need to cultivate your ability to filter the information. You are expected not to be a patent translator who makes an excuse that there is no hit on Google.com. (R.N.)

I am in charge of translating patent documents relating to information processing, electronics and electrical engineering, semiconductor devices, mechanical engineering, and the like.

I have deeply respected engineers engaged in their works with a strong spirit of inquiry and craftsmen who challenge the impossible and do all kinds of things to make it possible. Needless to say, research and development is extremely important. So I find delight in engaging in the intellectual property translation that relates to the protection of intellectual property and technology rights and, at the same time, always keep in mind my responsibility as a translator.

Based on my experience of working as a technical translator, I have a thought that an accurate translation is to accurately convey the meaning of the original. On this account, I take time to research related articles to confirm the point, the meanings of words and phrases, and the like, and try to use accurate and concise terms as far as possible on the basis of the research in translation. Additionally, I keep in mind that a patent translator is required to make a translation of the application not rejected by a patent examiner.

I will continue my effort constantly taking a stance of learning to provide translations satisfying the customers by paying close attention from various angles in addition to the above. (T.A)

Japanese-to-English translation sometimes requires inserting words not appearing in the original sentences because of differences in grammatical structure. To cope with this, I read original sentences carefully and thoroughly and select English appropriate words to be inserted to avoid reader’s misunderstanding. Further I send translator’s comments on any modifications to clients.

When I worked for a Japanese patent attorney firm as an in-house translator, I had many chances to receive comments on my translation from agents overseas as well as documents from patent examiners in Patent Offices of the world. I could learn a lot from them about not only English expressions but also points to be noted for patent translation as legal documents. Based on these experiences, I try to translate patent specifications so as to avoid them from receiving objection on formal matters, and if I find any possibilities leading to a rejection, I make a proposal to clients to avoid the rejection. Although I make sure to let translations follow the instructions from clients, I still hope to improve the quality of specifications through my translation. (Y.M.)

Top quality translations require a special mix of talents and skills. Naturally, one of the first and most fundamental requirements is the ability to comprehend and grasp the technological aspects of patents. Coupled with this is the need for intense concentration for hours at a time in order to produce the highest quality patent translations.

While working on each translation, I always make sure that my mind is well focused and that my concentration is consistent. Allowing “mental noise” or other distractions to intrude can quickly lead to such rudimentary mistakes as missed phrases or skipped reference numerals, which are features specific to patent documents.

Wavering concentration also makes it difficult to accurately grasp claims and other long sentences, which are another unique feature of patent documents. A cloudy brain tends to fail when trying to precisely identify the relationship between a long modifier and a modificand. Accurately identifying which particular word is modified by a long, involved phrase always demands clearly focused attention.

Another difficulty sometimes facing patent translators is the quality of the original writing in patents. Original patent specifications in Japanese may not always be written in correct, logical sentences.

Other problems that translators must identify and correct as they work are occasional incorrect reference numerals and inadvertent errors in the writing. It is essential, therefore, for a translator to exercise great persistence in order to master long and difficult sentences, while at the same time having a sharp eye for details so that mistakes in the original documents do not slip by.

An additional safeguard of quality is my policy of always doing a careful final word-for-word check of the finished translation, comparing it against the original document. These personal qualities are a must for producing good translations, and all of these skills are, I believe, essential for producing top quality work. (S.O)

Since I started my career as a patent translator about 25 years ago, I have repeatedly said, “If you receive a reward, even as little as one yen, you will be a professional.” I believe that we must not make clients feel that they have lost money by paying for translation work.

I always keep them in mind to complete my work on time, do my work as directed, be careful not to make a careless mistake, spare no effort to look up in dictionaries, be word conscious, and maintain my interest in technological advancement.

Given the specialized and legalistic nature of patent specifications, I believe that the right way to gain the trust of our clients is to work toward accuracy at a steady pace. I will continue trying to do my best to make high-quality translations that will please my clients. (T.T.)

The most important thing for me to translate a specification is to express the content of the original as accurately as possible, which holds true for translations in general. To this end, reading the original is very important. I spend a considerable amount of time reading the original to avoid misinterpretations. I also consult the literature cited and search for related technology on the Internet, trying to understand the problems of the related art and the advantages of the invention correctly.

Prior to beginning to translate a specification from Japanese to English, I sometimes have a chance to contact a person who drafted the specification or will be able to answer my questions concerning the specification. It is better to have the person in charge check, alter, or correct the content beforehand, leading to improvement in the quality of the translation.

The translator is one who assists clients in getting patents in foreign countries. I want to be a translator who is able to help clients with translation in a manner to make the technique of the invention clear and easy-to-understand, rather than just to translate it into another language word for word. (A.M.)