Technical Japanese

Another news item from National Geographic this time, an article about solar eclipses:

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.jp/science/space/solar-system/solar-eclipse-article.html

The title in this case is simply:

日食
with a subtitle of:

天空の太陽が覆い隠される

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日食 – にっしょく – solar eclipse

This is such a compelling word, with the use of the kanji 食, meaning food, or a meal. It seems something like “the sun is eaten.” It is also interestingly similar to:

日本食 – にほんしょく – Japanese food

I think this is my new favorite Japanese word, at least for this week.

As for the subtitle:

天空 – てんくう – the sky
太陽 – たいよう – the sun
覆い隠す – おおいかくす – conceal

This is a quotation from Homer’s Odyssey, and is translated variously from Greek as:
-The sun is blotted out of heaven
-The Sun has been obliterated from the sky
-The sun has perished out of heaven

These all seem substantially more poetic than the Japanese translation, but I don’t know which is more authentic to the original.

Overall a relatively simple headline, but I think it has several interesting points.

日食
Solar Eclipse
天空の太陽が覆い隠される
The Sun is Concealed in the Sky

A news item from the astronomy site AstroArts:

http://www.astroarts.co.jp/news/2010/08/13ngc4911/index-j.shtml

ハッブルが数年かけて撮影した銀河 NGC4911

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ハッブル – はっぶる – Hubble, the space telescope
æ•°å¹´ – すうねん – several years
撮影する – さつえいする – photograph
銀河 – ぎんが – galaxy

数年かけて – すうねんかけて – taking several years

Finally, here is my full translation of the headline:
ハッブルが数年かけて撮影した銀河 NGC4911
Hubble image of Galaxy NGC 4911 taken over several years

The image combines data obtained in 2006, 2007, and 2009 to form the presented view.

The image is available here in a variety of resolutions:
http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/entire/pr2010024a/

Another news item from Mainichi shinbun:

http://mainichi.jp/select/science/news/20100727ddm016040010000c.html

遺伝子のごみ: 発生や生命維持に重要な役割

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遺伝子 – いでんし – a gene, genetic
ごみ – garbage
遺伝子のごみ – いでんしのごみ – junk genes

発生 – はっせい – development
生命 – せいめい – life
維持 – いじ – maintenance
重要 – じゅうよう – importance
役割 – やくわり – a part, a role

重要な役割 – じゅうようなやくわり – an important role

Finally, here is my full translation of the headline:
遺伝子のごみ: 発生や生命維持に重要な役割
Junk Genes: Actually play an important role in development and maintenance of life.

A news item from National Geographic this time:

http://www.nationalgeographic.co.jp/news/news_article.php?file_id=2010080201&expand#title

海洋生物の多様性: 舌に牙のある魚

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æµ·æ´‹ – かいよう – the ocean
生物 – せいぶつ – living thing, life
多様性 – たようせい – variety, diversity

舌 – した – tongue
牙 – きば – fang, tusk
舌に牙のある – したにきばのある – have fangs on the tongue
さかな – さかな – fish

Finally, here is my full translation of the headline:
海洋生物の多様性: 舌に牙のある魚
Ocean life: A fish with fangs on it’s tongue.

You should click the link and see the picture – it’s pretty cool.