生成AIによる候文の手紙の英訳(2)

ChatGPT4oによる候文の手紙の英訳その2。今回のは前回のより更にハードルが高いです。
いかし今回もほぼ正確に英訳しました!(「故山に帰養せし」だけちょっと間違えましたが。)
今の平均的日本人で、「舊雨の感」(旧雨今雨という四字熟語から、「雨」と「友」は中国語では発音が近いことから、昔からの友情と今の友情のことをこう言う)とか「滄桑の変」(桑畑が海原になるような世の中の大変化のこと)とか「鼓皷の間に相見る」(お互いが戦場で敵として相対する、陣太鼓の音を聴く)などをきちんと理解出来る人は少ないと思います。また「曩に」(さきに)も読める人は少ないと思います。


ではこれは英訳出来ますか?山県有朋が西南の役の時に西郷隆盛に降伏を勧告して送った手紙の冒頭部です。
==================================
山縣有朋頓首再拝、謹んで書を西郷隆盛君の幕下に呈す。有朋、君と相識るここに年あり。君の心事を知るまた甚だ深し。曩に君の故山に帰養せしより、久しくその謦咳に接することを得ざりしかど、舊雨の感豈一日も有朋の懐に往来せざらんや。料らざりき、一旦滄桑の変に遭ひて、ここに君と鼓皷の間に相見るに至らんとは。君が帰郷の後ち、世の鹿児島縣士族の暴状を議するもの皆いはく、「西郷実にその巨魁たり、謀主たり」と。然れども有朋は獨りこれを斥けて、然らずとなせりき。然るに今かくの如し。嗚呼また何をか言はん。

ChatGPT
Here’s an English translation of the opening of the letter Yamagata Aritomo sent to Saigō Takamori during the Satsuma Rebellion, urging him to surrender:

With utmost respect, I, Yamagata Aritomo, bow deeply and humbly present this letter to you, Saigō Takamori. I have known you for many years and am intimately familiar with your character and intentions. Since you retired to your native mountains, it has been a long time since I last had the honor of your company. Yet, not a single day has passed without the fond memories of our past friendship crossing my mind. Never did I imagine, however, that we would meet again under such tragic circumstances, on opposing sides of the battlefield.

Since your return to Kagoshima, many have condemned the actions of the samurai of Kagoshima, asserting, “Saigō is indeed the ringleader, the mastermind of this rebellion.” Yet, I alone refuted these claims, insisting it could not be true. And now, we find ourselves in this situation. Alas, what more is there to say?

This translation captures the formal and respectful tone appropriate for the historical context of the letter. Let me know if you need further refinement.


「故山に帰養せし」は「故郷に帰る」という意味です。

ChatGPT
Thank you for the clarification! Here’s a revised translation:

With utmost respect, I, Yamagata Aritomo, bow deeply and humbly present this letter to you, Saigō Takamori. I have known you for many years and am intimately familiar with your character and intentions. Since you returned to your hometown, it has been a long time since I last had the honor of your company. Yet, not a single day has passed without the fond memories of our past friendship crossing my mind. Never did I imagine, however, that we would meet again under such tragic circumstances, on opposing sides of the battlefield.

Since your return to Kagoshima, many have condemned the actions of the samurai of Kagoshima, asserting, “Saigō is indeed the ringleader, the mastermind of this rebellion.” Yet, I alone refuted these claims, insisting it could not be true. And now, we find ourselves in this situation. Alas, what more is there to say?

生成AIによる候文の手紙の英訳

ちょっと試しに、ChatGPT4oに候文の手紙を英訳させてみたら、完璧に訳しました!びっくり。また「不名誉な場所(=遊郭)」を”unsavory places”と訳していて、へええ、と思いました。

以下は候文の手紙の冒頭部です。英語に訳してください。
=================================
この頃の寒気に御さはりも無き御様子にて、先ず先ず安心致し候。
実は久しく御出無之によりいかにやとお案じ申せし次第なり。しかし聡明にして勉強好きの足下、健康でさへあれば他は安心と思ひの外、さる確かなる筋より承聞するに、この頃は学校の課業も怠り勝ちにして懦弱なる軟文学の耽読に日を消さるるのみならず、折々は悪友と共に不名誉の場所へ行かるるとの事、果たして事実なりや、如何。御国許の父君より、昨今屡予定以外の送金を請求し来るは何か仔細なきかとの御手紙ありしに対し、政夫君に限りて御心配の事ある筈なしと保證しおきしが、今思ひ出づれば、老生こそ監督を依頼されながら迂闊の至り、申訳なき次第なり。

ChatGPT
Here’s the English translation of the beginning of the letter in epistolary style:
With the recent chill in the air, I am relieved to know that you seem unaffected, allowing me some peace of mind. In truth, I had grown somewhat concerned due to your prolonged absence. Yet, knowing your intelligence and love for study, I believed that as long as your health was intact, there was no cause for worry. However, I recently heard from a reliable source that, lately, you have been neglecting your schoolwork, spending your days absorbed in frivolous literature, and, on occasion, visiting unsavory places with questionable company. Could this truly be the case?
Your father from home has also written with some concern, wondering if there might be a reason for the recent requests for additional, unplanned funds. I assured him that he need not worry in the least about Masao, yet now, upon reflection, I feel I have been far too remiss in my oversight and cannot help but feel remorse for my negligence.

安西徹雄の「英文翻訳術」

安西徹雄さんの「英文翻訳術」を読了。元々雑誌の「翻訳の世界」に連載されたもので、著者はシェークスピアの戯曲の翻訳の専門家です。私は、ヴェーバーの「中世合名・合資会社成立史」の翻訳の方針として、
======================
1. 文中の指示代名詞についても、自明である場合を除いて可能な限りそれが指している語そのもので翻訳し、「それ」「この」といった指示詞だけといった訳を可能な限り避けています。また、適宜意味上の補足を[]の中に入れています。
2. 長い複文が続く文の場合、例えば”Es ist wahrscheinlich, daß….”を「○○○○○○○○○○○○○○は、真実らしく思われる。」のような元のドイツ語の順番を入れ替えた日本語にせず、「次のことは真実らしく思われる。つまり、○○○…」のような形でのネイティブが原文を読む際の理解の順番に合わせるような訳を多用しました。(全部ではありません。)これの欠点としては「つまり」のような語が増えてくどくなるというのがありますが、長所としては、ヴェーバーの長い補足の複文を読む前に結論としてはどうなのかを先に知ることが出来、読みやすくなっていると思います。
=========================================
というのを自分でルールとしていたのですが、この本の最初の方に上記の2が、また同じく最初の方に1が指摘してあって、英語とドイツ語という違いはありますが、我が意を強くしました。
その他関係代名詞は、いわゆる限定用法的に見えても実際は非限定用法的に使われていることが多いというのも、今訳している「ローマ土地制度史」で最近感ずるようになっていたものです。
その他、無生物主語、比較、受動態、仮定法など日本語には必ずしも対応するものが無いのをどう訳すかという点で参考になる点は多かったです。ただ安西氏が口語が多い戯曲の翻訳の専門家であり、私がやっているのが口語はほぼ0の学術論文という違いはあり、何でも適用出来るかというとそれは違います。ただ、日本語訳だけ読んで意味が理解出来ない翻訳には意味が無い、ということは共通のことだと思います。

「各位」の英訳

ChatGPT4oに、会社のある対外向けニュースリリースを英訳させたのですが、元の日本語にあった「各位」を”To Whom It May Concern,”と訳していました。私が若い頃教わったのは、この表現は直訳すると「本件が関係するであろう方へ」「ご担当者様へ」ということで、非常に弱い表現で受け取った人が自分宛ではないと思うことが多いので、出来るだけ避けた方が良い、ということでした。
なので、”Dear our stakeholders,”((利害)関係者の皆様へ)にしたらどうかと思って、ChatGPT4o先生にお聞きしたら、
“Using “Dear our stakeholders,” is a great choice! It makes the letter feel more personalized and specific to those who have a vested interest in the company. ”
ということで、そっちの方がずっといいということでした。
まあ対外向けレターとかについて、中途半端な先生とかテキストに教わって”To Whom It May Concern,”ばかり使う人がいますが(ネットでも結構出てくる)、少しでも相手を特定した方が良いということです。

英語再勉強10年達成!

昨日で2014年3月に英語の再勉強を始めてから丁度10年が経過しました。1日1.5時間のノルマで、累計で5,500時間くらいになります。その前に3,000時間ぐらいやっていたとすると合計で8,500時間になります。何でも10,000時間やるとマスター出来るという根拠不明の仮説がありますが、それには後3年くらいですね。(同時通訳の人が、留学が5,000時間、普通の通訳が10,000時間、同時通訳が15,000時間、何でも出来る同時通訳が20,000時間、と言っていました。)
ともかく英語のニュースはほぼ聞き取れるようになり、ネイティブとの会話もEigoxの講師の評価で10段階の9以上、英語のドラマも英語字幕・吹替無しでもまあストーリーを追うのには苦労しません。読む方も、TimeやNewsWeekといった雑誌を辞書をそれほど引かなくてもまあまあ読めるようになっています。書くのは最近あまりやっていませんが、こちらは生成AIがあるのでいいかと思います。色んなことに手を出している人生ですけど、一つのことを10年やり遂げたというのは他にあまり経験が無く、自分なりの達成感はあります。写真は再勉強始めた時のCNN English Expressです。

The real final episode of Land of the Giants

And this is the real final episode of Land of the Giants, created jointly between ChatGPT and me! Don’t you think it is really interesting?

(At first, I suggested a story to ChatGPT in which the earth people and Inspector Kobick cooperate each other in returing to the earth. But ChatGPT misunderstood that Mr. Kobick was an earthian. So I input the followings:
Me: Agent Kobick is not an earth man, but the enemy of the team who always tried to catch them. Please modify the story according to the real character of Agent Kobick. There must be a big twist in story.

ChatGPT
Title: Land of the Giants: The Kobick Convergence

Synopsis:
In the enigmatic world of “Land of the Giants,” where a proper final episode was absent, the fate of Captain Burton, Dan, Mark, Fitzhugh, and their companions remained uncertain. In this revised story, we introduce a thrilling twist involving Agent Kobick, who becomes an unexpected ally in their quest to return to Earth.

As the series draws to a close, the stranded crew finds themselves locked in a perpetual struggle for survival in the giant-dominated realm. Their relentless efforts to find a way back home have been thwarted at every turn.

In a shocking twist of fate, Captain Burton, Dan, Mark, Fitzhugh, and the crew are captured by Agent Kobick, who has relentlessly pursued them as their determined adversary. However, it soon becomes apparent that Agent Kobick’s motivations are more complex than initially perceived.

Unveiling a hidden agenda, Agent Kobick reveals that their relentless pursuit was a ruse—a façade meant to deceive their common enemy, a powerful faction within the giant civilization. Kobick had been undercover for years, working to dismantle this oppressive force and liberate not only the Earthlings but also the subjugated giants themselves.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Captain Burton and the crew cautiously align themselves with Agent Kobick. Together, they forge an unlikely alliance, leveraging their unique strengths and knowledge to outmaneuver their enemies and uncover the secrets of the giant civilization.

The collaborative efforts of the team and Agent Kobick lead them to a hidden sanctuary deep within the giant society, where a resistance movement has been quietly gathering strength. The resistance, composed of both Earthlings and sympathetic giants, seeks to topple the oppressive regime and restore balance to the planet.

In a climactic battle, Captain Burton, Dan, Mark, Fitzhugh, and Agent Kobick join forces with the resistance, engaging in a high-stakes confrontation against the formidable oppressors. Their determination and resourcefulness are put to the ultimate test as they fight for their lives and the freedom of all those oppressed.

Amidst the chaos, a momentous revelation unfolds—Agent Kobick is, in fact, a rogue giant who had disguised themselves as a human to infiltrate the oppressive regime from within. Their true allegiance was to the cause of justice and freedom, and their encounter with the Earthlings catalyzed a change of heart.

In a stunning turn of events, the combined efforts of the Earthlings and the giant resistance force the oppressive regime into submission. The giant civilization begins a process of healing and reconciliation, guided by the shared vision of a better future.

As the dust settles, Captain Burton, Dan, Mark, Fitzhugh, and the crew stand alongside Agent Kobick, now revealed in their true form. They have not only secured their own salvation but have also played a pivotal role in transforming the destiny of the entire giant planet.

In a poignant conclusion, Captain Burton, Dan, Mark, Fitzhugh, and the crew bid farewell to their giant allies, who have become lifelong friends. With newfound respect and unity, they activate a long-lost technology that opens a portal to Earth.

The final scenes depict the crew’s emotional return to Earth, where they are celebrated as heroes who bridged the gap between two worlds. Amidst cheers and tearful reunions, Captain Burton, Dan, Mark, Fitzhugh, and their companions find solace and peace after their tumultuous journey through the Land of the Giants.

“Land of the Giants: The Kobick Convergence” delivers an unexpected twist as Agent Kobick, the supposed enemy, unveils their true intentions and becomes a crucial ally. The story explores themes of redemption, unity, and the power of unexpected alliances, providing a satisfying resolution to the series while leaving viewers with a sense of wonder and possibility.

The real final episode of Time Tunnel

As you know, all four TV works of Arwin Allen in the 1960s are lacking well-suited final episodes. The four TV dramas were, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Lost in Space, Time Tunnel, and Land of the Giants.
I, with the big help of ChatGPT, tried to generate “real” final episodes for these four dramas. The ones for Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and Lost in Space were not successful, but the two others seem to be excellent stories compared to the real final episodes of two. Let me introduce at first the real final episode for Time Tunnel:

Title: Time Tunnel: Journey Back Home

Synopsis:
In the final episode of “Time Tunnel,” Tony and Doug find themselves once again transported to the deck of the Titanic, with the cycle of repeating past events seemingly destined to continue indefinitely. However, in this new narrative, we explore the story of their safe return to 1968.

Determined to break free from the time loop, Tony and Doug defy the flow of time and make a resolute decision to alter their fate. Standing on the deck of the Titanic, they confront a pivotal moment with newfound determination.

Armed with willpower and courage, they exercise their free will by making different choices onboard the Titanic. They anticipate the events that unfold and take proactive measures to change the course of history. Collaborating with the passengers and crew, they work tirelessly to prevent disaster and rewrite the Titanic’s ill-fated destiny.

Tony and Doug explore the ship, preemptively solving problems and preventing crises. Their knowledge and technical expertise are put to use, rallying the passengers to action and averting panic. Their presence and actions become the key to altering the future of the Titanic.

Ultimately, through the combined efforts of Tony, Doug, and those they inspire, the Titanic completes its voyage without tragedy. The ship avoids the iceberg, and both passengers and crew are saved. Meanwhile, Tony and Doug successfully navigate the Time Tunnel, returning safely to the year 1968.

In the closing moments of the story, Tony and Doug find themselves back in the present, ready to embark on new adventures. Equipped with the wisdom gained from their past experiences, they carry hope and courage within their hearts as they set off on another journey through time and space.

“Time Tunnel: Journey Back Home” showcases Tony and Doug’s triumphant escape from the repetitive loop of the past, allowing them to return safely to 1968. Their determination and actions shape their own destiny, offering viewers a sense of anticipation for new encounters and adventures in the future.

ChatGPTの英文メール作成

ChatGPTに納期遅れのお詫びの英文メールを書かせたら、内容的には完璧で勝手に納期遅れの理由まで作ってくれています。但しやり過ぎで逆効果だと思います。更には勝手に「遅れたことに全責任を負う」なんて書いていて、損害賠償とかを受ける危険性もあります。
また、StewartをStewertとミススペルしたのも修正してくれています。この場合修正で良かったのですが、たまたま珍しい名前だったのを修正されたら困るというのもありそうです。
こういう風に使うんだったら、生成された英文を日本語にしてもらって十分内容を確認した方が良いです。
===========================================
Q
Lord Service Companyの購買マネージャーのJohn Stewert氏に対し、注文を受けた製品M-2022 1000個の納期が約束の6月20日より約1ヵ月遅れるというお詫びの英文メールを作成してください。こちらの会社名はJapan Precision Co., Ltd.で私の名前はExport SectionのTaro Yamadaです。
A
ChatGPT
Subject: Apology for Delay in Delivery of Order M-2022
Dear Mr. John Stewart,
I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to apologize for the delay in delivering the 1000 units of product M-2022 that you have ordered from Japan Precision Co., Ltd. We deeply regret any inconvenience caused by this delay.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances in our production process, we have encountered unexpected challenges that have resulted in a delay of approximately one month beyond the originally promised delivery date of June 20th. We understand the importance of timely deliveries and take full responsibility for this delay.
Rest assured that we are working diligently to expedite the production and ensure the earliest possible delivery of the M-2022 products to your company. We have implemented additional measures to address the issues and have increased our production capacity to mitigate any further delays.
We understand the impact this delay may have on your operations, and we sincerely apologize for any disruptions caused. As a valued customer, your satisfaction is of utmost importance to us, and we are committed to resolving this matter promptly.
Please be assured that we will keep you updated on the progress and provide you with a revised delivery timeline as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly at your convenience. I will personally oversee the resolution of this issue to ensure your satisfaction.
Once again, please accept our sincerest apologies for the delay in delivering your order. We appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter. We value our relationship with Lord Service Company and look forward to serving you with the highest level of service in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Taro Yamada
Export Section
Japan Precision Co., Ltd.

English Jounalの休刊

さて今月もEnglish Journalのお勉強、と思って雑誌をよく見たら、何と今月号(2023年1月号)で休刊!
最近変なヨガの記事とかが増えてイマイチな所もありましたが、この雑誌に出てきた記事で知ったことも多かったです。8年と8ヵ月、つまり104号買い続けて来たことになります。まあこれだけネットで無料の教材が手に入る時代に税込み1,540円の雑誌を買う人は減っていたんでしょうね。
私自身の英語の再勉強も来年3月で丁度丸9年なんで、どうしようかと考えている所です。

CASIOの電子辞書、中古で買い直し

カシオの電子辞書XD-GF10000を2009年12月に買って、長い間愛用して来ました。しかし、掃除の時間違えてゴミ袋の中に落とし、そのまま気が付かないでゴミとして出してしまったようです。仕方が無いので新しいのを買おうとしましたが、同等レベルの辞書が入っている新品は3万円以上します。ふと思ってAmazonで「安い順」で並べ替えてみたら、中古品が1,500円~3,000円くらいで多数出てきました。それで2,160円でこのモデルを買いました。前に持っていたのよりほんの少し前のモデルですが、コンテンツ的にはほぼ同じです。最初音声再生(英単語の発音確認)が上手くいかなかったので、価格なりかな、と思ってがっかりしていたのですが、試しにヘッドフォンをつないだら音声がちゃんと聞こえて、「ヘッドフォン←→スピーカー」の切り換えスイッチがヘッドフォン側になっていただけでした。英語に関していえば、最新の語彙はあまり必要ではなく、そういうのはネットで調べればいいので、今回の中古品購入は満足出来るものでした。なお、中古品が多数出まわっている理由ですが、高校入学とか大学入学のお祝いとかでもらったり買ったりする人が多いんでしょう。それで卒業したら売っているのかな、と。