Japanese thought and the transformation of language: An overview of translation studies and the search for identity in modern Japan

Abstract

In order to understand modern Japanese thought, it is essential to explore the historical moment and, especially, the period of mass assimilation of Western culture, which took place during the Meiji era (1868-1912). From the relationship with the Chinese language, which accompanied Japan since its beginnings, to the intense imports of Western materials, which helped the country in its search for identity, we can recognize strategies that led the archipelago to develop knowledge, always through a translational language. Thus, this article aims to present a brief historiography of translation studies in Japan, identifying the most striking changes that the language has undergone, and culminating in a discussion of power relations in the Japanese socio-cultural scene of the time, which dictated how new words and a new grammar would be used in this new Japan.