@vantagesec/socc 0.1.11 → 0.1.13

package/socc-canonical/.agents/soc-copilot/skills/translation-expertise/japanese.md

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+# Japanese Language Reference for Translation
+
+This document contains comprehensive information about Japanese language characteristics, conventions, and considerations relevant to translation work.
+
+## Core Characteristics
+
+### Structural Features
+
+- **Word Order**: Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) - verb always at end of sentence
+- **Subject Omission**: Frequently omits subject pronouns when clear from context
+- **Topic-Comment Structure**: Uses は (wa) particle to mark topic
+- **Three Writing Systems**: Hiragana, katakana, and kanji used together
+- **Communication Style**: Indirect, high-context communication preferred
+- **Honorific Systems**: Elaborate politeness and respect language (敬語 - keigo)
+
+### Writing Systems
+
+**Hiragana (ひらがな)**:
+
+- Native Japanese words
+- Grammatical elements (particles, verb endings)
+- Words written in hiragana when kanji is too difficult
+- 46 basic characters plus combinations
+
+**Katakana (カタカナ)**:
+
+- Foreign loanwords: コンピューター (konpyūtā - computer)
+- Emphasis (like italics in English)
+- Sound effects and onomatopoeia
+- Foreign names: ジョン (Jon)
+- Technical/scientific terms
+- 46 basic characters plus combinations
+
+**Kanji (漢字)**:
+
+- Chinese characters for content words
+- 2,136 official daily-use characters (常用漢字 - jōyō kanji)
+- Each character can have multiple readings (on'yomi and kun'yomi)
+- Compound words combine kanji: 電話 (denwa - telephone)
+
+### Grammatical Features
+
+**Particles (助詞 - joshi)**:
+
+- Indicate grammatical relationships
+- は (wa): Topic marker
+- が (ga): Subject marker
+- を (wo/o): Direct object marker
+- に (ni): Indirect object, direction, time
+- で (de): Location of action, means
+- へ (e): Direction
+- から (kara): From (source)
+- まで (made): Until, up to
+- も (mo): Also, too
+- の (no): Possessive, modification
+
+**Verb Conjugation**:
+
+- Shows tense (past vs. non-past)
+- Shows aspect (completed, continuous)
+- Shows mood (indicative, conditional, imperative)
+- Shows politeness level (plain vs. polite)
+- Shows voice (active, passive, causative)
+
+**Adjectives**:
+
+- **い-adjectives**: Conjugate like verbs (高い - takai, 高かった - takakatta)
+- **な-adjectives**: Use な before nouns (静かな - shizuka na)
+
+**Other Features**:
+
+- No grammatical number (singular/plural not marked)
+- No grammatical gender
+- No articles (a/an/the)
+- Relative clauses precede the noun they modify
+- Questions formed by adding か particle
+
+## Politeness Levels (敬語 - Keigo)
+
+### 1. Plain Form (普通形 - Futsū-kei)
+
+**Usage**: Casual speech with close friends, family, and in internal monologue
+
+**Characteristics**:
+
+- Dictionary form of verbs: 食べる (taberu), 行く (iku), 見る (miru)
+- Adjectives end in い or だ: 高い (takai), 静かだ (shizuka da)
+- Copula だ (da): これは本だ (This is a book)
+- Used in casual writing, diaries, literature
+
+**Example**:
+
+- 昨日、映画を見た。面白かった。(Kinō, eiga wo mita. Omoshirokatta.)
+- "Yesterday, watched a movie. Was interesting."
+
+**When to translate to plain form**:
+
+- Dialogue between close friends or family members
+- Internal thoughts in narratives
+- Casual social media posts
+- Informal written communication
+
+### 2. Polite Form (丁寧語 - Teineigo)
+
+**Usage**: Standard polite speech for general public interaction
+
+**Characteristics**:
+
+- Verbs end in -ます (masu): 食べます (tabemasu), 行きます (ikimasu)
+- Copula is です (desu): これは本です (This is a book)
+- Appropriate for: business contexts, strangers, service situations, formal writing
+- **Default choice** for translations unless context clearly suggests otherwise
+
+**Example**:
+
+- 昨日、映画を見ました。面白かったです。(Kinō, eiga wo mimashita. Omoshirokatta desu.)
+- "Yesterday, I watched a movie. It was interesting."
+
+**When to translate to polite form**:
+
+- Business communications
+- Formal presentations
+- Customer service interactions
+- Academic or professional writing
+- News articles
+- Instructional materials
+- When relationship between speakers is unclear
+
+### 3. Respectful Form (尊敬語 - Sonkeigo)
+
+**Usage**: Elevates the actions of others (superiors, customers, respected persons)
+
+**Characteristics**:
+
+**Special Verb Forms**:
+
+- いらっしゃる (irassharu): be/come/go (honorific for いる/来る/行く)
+- 召し上がる (meshiagaru): eat/drink (honorific for 食べる/飲む)
+- おっしゃる (ossharu): say (honorific for 言う)
+- ご覧になる (goran ni naru): see/look (honorific for 見る)
+- なさる (nasaru): do (honorific for する)
+
+**お/ご + Verb Stem + になる Pattern**:
+
+- お読みになる (o-yomi ni naru): read (honorific)
+- ご利用になる (go-riyō ni naru): use (honorific)
+- お書きになる (o-kaki ni naru): write (honorific)
+
+**Passive Form as Honorific**:
+
+- 読まれる (yomareru): read (passive used as respectful)
+- 書かれる (kakareru): write (passive used as respectful)
+
+**Example**:
+
+- 社長はもう会議にいらっしゃいますか。(Shachō wa mō kaigi ni irasshaimasu ka?)
+- "Has the president already arrived at the meeting?"
+
+**When to translate to respectful form**:
+
+- Referring to customers' actions
+- Speaking to/about superiors
+- Formal business correspondence about clients
+- Service industry communications
+
+### 4. Humble Form (謙譲語 - Kenjōgo)
+
+**Usage**: Lowers one's own actions when speaking to superiors or about one's actions affecting respected persons
+
+**Characteristics**:
+
+**Special Verb Forms**:
+
+- 伺う (ukagau): visit/ask (humble for 行く/聞く/訪ねる)
+- 申し上げる (mōshiageru): say (humble for 言う)
+- 拝見する (haiken suru): look at (humble for 見る)
+- いただく (itadaku): receive/eat (humble for もらう/食べる)
+- 存じる (zonjiru): know (humble for 知る)
+- おる (oru): be (humble for いる)
+
+**お/ご + Verb Stem + する Pattern**:
+
+- お送りする (o-okuri suru): send (humble)
+- ご説明する (go-setsumei suru): explain (humble)
+- お伺いする (o-ukagai suru): visit/ask (humble)
+
+**Example**:
+
+- 明日、御社に伺います。(Ashita, onsha ni ukagaimasu.)
+- "Tomorrow, I will visit your company."
+
+**When to translate to humble form**:
+
+- Describing your own actions to superiors
+- Business communications about your company to clients
+- Formal requests or inquiries
+- Service industry describing own actions
+
+### 5. Beautification (美化語 - Bikago)
+
+**Usage**: Refined expressions that make language sound more sophisticated
+
+**Characteristics**:
+
+**お Prefix** (for native Japanese words):
+
+- お茶 (o-cha): tea
+- お花 (o-hana): flowers
+- お金 (o-kane): money
+- お水 (o-mizu): water
+- お天気 (o-tenki): weather
+
+**ご Prefix** (for Sino-Japanese words):
+
+- ご飯 (go-han): meal/rice
+- ご予定 (go-yotei): schedule
+- ご意見 (go-iken): opinion
+- ご家族 (go-kazoku): family (when referring to others')
+
+**Effect**: Creates sophisticated, feminine, or formal tone
+
+**Example**:
+
+- お水をいただけますか。(O-mizu wo itadakemasu ka?)
+- "Could I have some water?" (very polite)
+
+**When to translate to beautification language**:
+
+- Formal service contexts
+- When feminine or refined tone is appropriate
+- Customer-facing communications
+- Traditional or formal settings
+
+## Translation Considerations
+
+### From Japanese to English/Chinese
+
+**Common Challenges**:
+
+1. **Determining Politeness Context**: English/Chinese have less elaborate systems
+2. **Adding Subjects**: English often requires explicit subjects
+3. **Word Order**: Convert SOV to SVO structure
+4. **Particles**: No direct equivalents; meaning must be conveyed structurally
+5. **Topic vs. Subject**: は (wa) vs. が (ga) distinction
+6. **Honorifics**: Translate through titles, polite vocabulary, or context
+7. **Gendered Speech**: Consider if gender markers should be preserved
+
+**Key Strategies**:
+
+- **Identify politeness level** and match with appropriate register in target language
+- **Add subjects** where English/Chinese requires them
+- **Restructure sentences** from SOV to SVO
+- **Use titles and honorifics** (Mr., Dr., esteemed) to convey respect
+- **Preserve formality** through vocabulary choice
+- **Consider gender implications** of speech patterns
+- **Clarify implicit information** that context makes clear in Japanese
+
+### To Japanese from English/Chinese
+
+**Common Challenges**:
+
+1. **Choosing Politeness Level**: Default to です/ます unless clear context
+2. **Subject Omission**: Decide whether to include or omit pronouns
+3. **Writing System Choice**: Kanji, hiragana, or katakana?
+4. **Particle Selection**: Choose appropriate particles for relationships
+5. **Context Dependence**: What can be left implicit?
+6. **Gender-Appropriate Language**: Unless deliberately neutral
+
+**Key Strategies**:
+
+- **Choose です/ます form as default** unless context clearly suggests casualness or high formality
+- **Omit subjects** where context is clear
+- **Use kanji for content words** (電話, 会社, 日本)
+- **Use katakana for Western loanwords** (コンピューター, メール, ビジネス)
+- **Use hiragana for grammatical elements** and native words without common kanji
+- **Select appropriate particles** based on grammatical function
+- **Consider audience** when choosing kanji complexity
+- **Be aware of gender-marked language** (pronouns, sentence endings)
+
+## Gendered Speech Patterns
+
+### Masculine Speech
+
+**Pronouns**:
+
+- 俺 (ore): Very casual "I" (masculine)
+- 僕 (boku): Casual "I" (masculine, softer than 俺)
+- お前 (omae): "You" (masculine, casual or confrontational)
+
+**Sentence Endings**:
+
+- だぜ (da ze): Emphatic casual (masculine)
+- だぞ (da zo): Emphatic, warning (masculine)
+- だな (da na): Casual affirmation (masculine)
+
+### Feminine Speech
+
+**Pronouns**:
+
+- あたし (atashi): Casual "I" (feminine)
+- わたし (watashi): Neutral "I" (used by everyone in formal contexts)
+
+**Sentence Endings**:
+
+- だわ (da wa): Gentle affirmation (feminine)
+- のよ (no yo): Explanatory, emphatic (feminine)
+- かしら (kashira): Wonder, question (feminine)
+
+### Neutral Speech
+
+**Pronouns**:
+
+- 私 (watashi): Standard "I" (formal, neutral)
+- わたくし (watakushi): Very formal "I"
+
+**Modern Trends**:
+
+- Gender-neutral speech increasingly common
+- Younger generations use less gendered language
+- Professional contexts favor neutral speech
+
+## Punctuation Conventions
+
+### Basic Punctuation
+
+**Period (。 - Maru)**:
+
+- End of sentences
+- Full-width character (not half-width .)
+- Used in all writing styles (horizontal and vertical)
+
+**Comma (、 - Tōten)**:
+
+- Separating clauses within a sentence
+- Listing items
+- Full-width character
+- Used less extensively than English commas
+
+**Alternative Comma (,)**:
+
+- Western-style comma sometimes used in horizontal writing
+- Common in technical documents
+- Preference varies by style guide
+
+### Quotation Marks
+
+**Primary Quotation (「」 - Kagikakko)**:
+
+- Direct quotations: 彼は「こんにちは」と言った
+- Dialogue in narratives
+- Titles of articles, songs, TV episodes
+- Called 鉤括弧 (kagikakko) - "hook brackets"
+- Opening: 「 Closing: 」
+
+**Secondary Quotation (『』 - Nijū Kagikakko)**:
+
+- Quotations within quotations
+- Emphasis
+- Titles of books, movies, albums
+- Called 二重鉤括弧 (nijū kagikakko) - "double hook brackets"
+- Opening: 『 Closing: 』
+
+**Important Note**: Order reversed from English:
+
+- Japanese: 「primary」with『secondary』inside
+- English: "primary" with 'secondary' inside
+
+### Special Punctuation
+
+**Middle Dot (・ - Nakaguro)**:
+
+- Separating items in a list: リンゴ・バナナ・オレンジ
+- Between parts of foreign names: ジョン・スミス (John Smith)
+- Between katakana words: コーヒー・ショップ
+- In dates: 2023・12・25
+
+**Wave Dash (〜 - Nami Dasshu)**:
+
+- Indicating ranges: 10時〜12時 (10:00-12:00)
+- Elongating sound in casual writing: へえ〜 (heee~)
+- Note: Different from tilde (~)
+
+**Long Vowel Mark (ー - Chōonpu)**:
+
+- Extending vowel sounds in katakana: コーヒー (kōhī)
+- Only used in katakana, not hiragana or kanji
+
+**Ellipsis (…… - Santenrīdā)**:
+
+- Trailing off, omission, or pause
+- Typically written as two sets of three dots: ……
+- Full-width dots, not half-width ...
+
+**Repetition Mark (々)**:
+
+- Indicates repetition of previous kanji
+- Example: 時時 → 時々 (tokidoki - sometimes)
+- Example: 人人 → 人々 (hitobito - people)
+- Not used for hiragana (uses ゝ) or katakana (uses ヽ)
+
+### Parentheses and Brackets
+
+**Parentheses (( ) or ( ))**:
+
+- Additional information
+- Romanization or readings: 東京(とうきょう)Tokyo
+- Can use full-width ( ) or half-width ( )
+- Full-width more common in Japanese text
+
+**Square Brackets ([ ])**:
+
+- Editorial notes
+- Less common than parentheses
+
+### Question and Exclamation
+
+**Question Mark (? or ?)**:
+
+- End of questions
+- Can use half-width ? or full-width ?
+- Traditional Japanese used only か particle (no question mark)
+- Modern writing often includes question marks for emphasis
+
+**Exclamation Mark (! or !)**:
+
+- Strong emotion or emphasis
+- Can use half-width ! or full-width !
+- Often doubled for extra emphasis: !!
+
+### Special Considerations
+
+**No Spaces**: Japanese text traditionally has no spaces between words. Readability comes from mixing hiragana, katakana, and kanji.
+
+**Vertical vs. Horizontal Writing**:
+
+- **Traditional**: Vertical text (縦書き - tategaki), right to left columns
+- **Modern**: Horizontal text (横書き - yokogaki), left to right rows
+- Punctuation placement adjusts accordingly
+
+## Common Japanese Idioms and Expressions
+
+### Four-Character Idioms (四字熟語 - Yojijukugo)
+
+- 一石二鳥 (isseki nichō): Kill two birds with one stone
+- 自業自得 (jigō jitoku): You reap what you sow
+- 十人十色 (jūnin toiro): To each their own (ten people, ten colors)
+- 一期一会 (ichi-go ichi-e): Once in a lifetime encounter
+
+### Common Expressions
+
+- 頑張って (ganbatte): Do your best / Good luck
+- お疲れ様でした (otsukaresama deshita): Thank you for your hard work
+- お先に失礼します (osaki ni shitsurei shimasu): Excuse me for leaving first
+- よろしくお願いします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu): Please treat me well / I'm in your care
+
+### Proverbs (諺 - Kotowaza)
+
+- 猿も木から落ちる (saru mo ki kara ochiru): Even monkeys fall from trees (everyone makes mistakes)
+- 急がば回れ (isogaba maware): When in a hurry, take the long route (haste makes waste)
+- 塵も積もれば山となる (chiri mo tsumoreba yama to naru): Even dust, when accumulated, becomes a mountain
+
+## Writing System Considerations
+
+### Kanji Level Selection
+
+**常用漢字 (Jōyō Kanji)**: 2,136 official daily-use characters
+
+- Taught in compulsory education
+- Used in official documents, newspapers
+- Standard for general audience
+
+**Furigana (振り仮名)**: Ruby text showing readings
+
+- Used for difficult kanji
+- Common in children's books
+- Educational materials
+- When introducing new terms
+
+### Katakana Usage
+
+**When to use katakana**:
+
+- Foreign loanwords: コンピューター (computer), メール (email)
+- Foreign names: アメリカ (America), ジョン (John)
+- Technical terms: データ (data), システム (system)
+- Emphasis (like italics): これはホントに重要だ
+- Sound effects: ドキドキ (doki doki - heartbeat sound)
+- Onomatopoeia: ガタガタ (gata gata - rattling sound)
+
+### Common Translation Challenges
+
+**Contextual Words**:
+
+- これ (kore), それ (sore), あれ (are): This, that, that over there
+- こちら (kochira), そちら (sochira): This way, that way (polite)
+
+**Cultural Concepts**:
+
+- もったいない (mottainai): Wasteful, regrettable (no single English equivalent)
+- 懐かしい (natsukashii): Nostalgic (for positive memories)
+- お疲れ様 (otsukaresama): Acknowledgment of someone's effort
+- よろしく (yoroshiku): Please treat me well (multifaceted meaning)
+
+## Translation Best Practices
+
+1. **Choose Appropriate Politeness Level**: Default to です/ます unless context is clear
+2. **Preserve Nuance**: Pay attention to particles and their implications
+3. **Consider Context**: Much meaning is implicit; clarify when needed
+4. **Respect Honorifics**: Convey respect appropriately in target language
+5. **Writing System Choice**: Use kanji for content, katakana for foreign words, hiragana for grammar
+6. **Audience Awareness**: Choose kanji complexity appropriate to readers
+7. **Gender Sensitivity**: Be aware of gendered speech patterns
+8. **Cultural Concepts**: Some concepts require explanation or cultural adaptation
+9. **Omit Subjects Appropriately**: Don't include subjects if context is clear
+10. **Verify Formality**: Ensure formality level matches throughout document