The Word “Saitekika” in an Example Sentence 嘘つきは嫌い

Japanese follows English: 英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Sachiko is angry at the term "最適化 (saitekika)," which literally means optimization," because she has to translate the term differently depending on who reviews it. Specifically, she would translate "社会保障費の最適化 (shakai hoshohi no 'saitekika')" to "the 'reduction (削減)' of social security cost" if an English native speaker reviews the translation, but to "the 'optimization' of social security cost" if the translation goes through a Japanese reviewer because this “reduction” is likely changed to “optimization” by the Japanese reviewer due to the general preference of Japanese for literal translation (i.e., "optimization") over more correct and understandable translation ("reduction"). She also hates the term "kaisei," which means change, revision or amendment, because it gives almost no information. Why don't they say "消費税率引上げ (a consumption tax hike)," instead of "消費税率改正 (a change in the consumption tax rate)"? She often complains that the term "kaisei" in revised law increases her work because she has to look up the previous provision.

Sachiko believes that those using words sloppily are dishonest and that they have something to hide, which I don't know is true. But I know that when she says something, she really means it. 

幸子さんが「最適化」という言葉に怒っている。何でも「社会保障費の最適化」を訳すとき、日本人が訳語をチェックする場合は「optimization of social security cost」と訳すが、英語スピーカーだけが見る場合は「reduction of social security cost」と訳し分けしなければならないとのこと。というのも、日本人が訳文をチェックする場合は、直訳に変えられてしまうことが多いからだ。「消費税率改正」というのも嫌いで、どうして「消費税率引上げ」と言わないのだ、ぶつぶつ言っている。改正じゃ、改善なのか、改悪なのか、はたまた引上げなのか、削減なのか、改正前の規定を見ないと分からないなんて面倒だ。

幸子さん曰く、言葉をいい加減に使うやつは嘘つきで、隠し事があるとのこと。本当かどうかは知らないが、幸子さんが言うことに嘘はないのは確かだ。

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