Globalization and internationalization have made it possible to obtain information from overseas without having to leave Japan. Information from Japan can also be delivered to the rest of the world. However, many people may wonder whether the information they truly wish to convey is being effectively communicated, and whether they are accurately understanding the messages others want to share.

This article explains what cross-cultural understanding is, how cross-cultural understanding can be deepened through video translation, and what to look for when translating videos.

What is Cross-cultural Understanding?

Cross-cultural understanding does not just mean understanding the differences between countries or between languages. Different cultural contexts can require cross-cultural understanding even between Japanese people. Furthermore, while both Britain and the United States share the English language, their cultures are distinct, as are the cultures of Australia and Canada.

In other words, even within the same language, the appropriate way to interpret a video may vary.

Cross-cultural understanding encompasses not only language differences, but also the ability to coexist with people who have diverse cultures and values.

Cross-cultural understanding is indispensable as the opportunities to communicate with people from various backgrounds increase both in Japan and abroad, such as companies' expansion overseas and communication with foreign employees in Japan.

Misunderstandings in Cross-cultural Understanding

The concept of cross-cultural understanding tends to be viewed in Japan as meaning only the acquisition of knowledge about other countries in the world, especially Western countries. A 2007 survey revealed that the majority of respondents indicated that ‘cross-cultural’ means interaction with overseas people and cultures, and that they view ‘cross-cultural understanding’ as something that is deepened by interacting with foreign countries.

In reality, however, there are different cultural contexts within Japanese culture, and it would be difficult to understand a different culture without understanding one's own culture. Therefore, it can be said that understanding and respecting not only foreign cultures, but also the culture to which one belongs is true cross-cultural understanding.

See: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/141876609.pdf(available in Japanese only)

Cross-cultural Understanding and Video Translation

Translation is not the simple replacement of words, but the process of replacing a word with another language based on the culture and customs of the region where the word is used. Therefore, in order to perform translation, it is necessary to be familiar with the target language as well as understand the culture and customs.

Because video contains more information than text, it is often thought that there is less need for localization than for general translation. In reality, however, it is necessary to take into account various aspects of culture and customs in addition to the narration, such as changing the content for the local audience, background music, colors, and the way the subtitles are presented. It can be said that video translation requires consideration and ingenuity in all visible and audible parts of a video, which can only be done with an understanding of different cultures.

How Do You Demonstrate Cross-cultural Understanding with Video Translation?

Video translation requires consideration of culture and customs and, therefore, localization, or optimization for the local market, is essential. For example, in the training of foreign employees in Japan, it is necessary to take into account the culture and customs of Japan and the country of the language to be translated, and vice versa.

And, localizing the video to align with the target audience can enhance its appeal and also improve SEO strategies.

So, if you can translate or create videos that understand different cultures from the perspective of others and take their religions and customs into account, then your marketing videos will be highly effective.

TOIN’s Video Translation Services?

TOIN translates and creates videos that are optimized to meet your objectives and wishes. In addition to the translation of video scripts, our flexible services cover all aspects of video translation, including subtitling, adding tickers, narrator voice-overs, final file creation, and video editing. Depending on your budget, you can also choose low-cost machine voice-over dubbing.

TOIN also optimizes its services for your target customers, from translation into a single language to multilingual translation. It also offers consultation on video translation, including video editing after voice-over, as well as overall video creation beyond translation, including video planning, shooting, and editing.

TOIN can make partial adjustments, such as replacing subtitles, materials, and videos to better align with your objectives, region, and target audience, as well as localize training content and practice books. Furthermore, it can also create and edit videos according to your requirements, including background music and highly specialized CGI.

For details regarding TOIN’s video services, plea
se feel free to contact us.

Summary

With half a century of expertise in translation and cross-cultural understanding, TOIN provides translations that effectively convey the client’s product features, service information, and regional and brand images to your customers. The purpose of video translation is to tell the story of a region or brand and promote cross-cultural understanding. TOIN can help you successfully appeal to the global business needs of the future with subtitle translation, voice-overs, video editing and video creation, and all other video-related tasks.

By providing video translations that are easy to understand and resonate with viewers, TOIN can enhance localization for your target language and region, ultimately leading to an increase in video views.

If you are looking for effective video translation for your global video marketing efforts, feel free to consult with us at TOIN.

Click here for more information about TOIN's video (image) translation/production and "Full Video One-stop Service":

▶About the Author

TOIN Corporation　Marketing Department
Hiromi Ishikawa

Joined TOIN Corporation in 1990 and was engaged in the production of manuals. Her wide range of duties include everything from transcribing Japanese manuscripts to directing the production of multilingual manuals.
From 2002, her main focus has been on localization project management, and she has been responsible for facilitating many of the company's major projects. Since 2009, she has been working in the Marketing Department, where she has been involved in marketing as well as advertising and public relations activities. She has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Japan Translation Federation and the Asia-Pacific Machine Translation Association since 2018.