Glossary entry

Japanese term or phrase:

へたれ

English translation:

chicken, cowardice

Added to glossary by Yuko Fujita
Apr 3, 2015 13:15
9 yrs ago
Japanese term

もともと空気を読んで行間を推し量るタイプのコミュニケートを身上とする日本人ならではの感覚ですが。。。

Non-PRO Japanese to English Marketing Telecom(munications)
もともと空気を読んで行間を推し量るタイプのコミュニケートを身上とする日本人ならではの感覚ですが、草食化して女の子に告白も恥じらうへタレな男子には切実な機能かもしれません。

I believe it is talking about the original purpose of 言花 (http://www.nec.co.jp/press/ja/0603/0304.html) but I can't quite get the translation to make sense. So far I've got is the literal translation of the various words and they aren't fitting together very well.


I think I have a translation for the second half. Either:

"these features may compel young men to attempt to make young women blush"

OR

"these compelling features are useful for people who may be bashful, such as young men confessing to young women"


But then, neither of those contain the タレな of the source text (I think).

Could anyone offer a) a translation of the full sentence, and b) advice for future situations like this where the translation just won't come to you.
References
FYI
Change log

Apr 17, 2015 11:44: Yuko Fujita Created KOG entry

Proposed translations

+3
3 hrs
Selected

へたれ=臆病者=chicken=

Originally, this kind of communication is what the Japanese believe it is their strength to understand the situation and read between the lines. This function maybe especially most wanted by herbivore (unaggressive) young men who are too shy to confess to his girl friends.

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Note added at 3 hrs (2015-04-03 16:26:02 GMT)
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chicken=cowardice=へたれ

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Note added at 3 hrs (2015-04-03 16:28:09 GMT)
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herbivore and cowardice (unaggressive) young men
Peer comment(s):

agree David Gibney
13 hrs
Thank you! David.
agree Yasutomo Kanazawa
7 days
Thank you, Yasutomo san.
agree Chrisso (X)
8 days
Thank you!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
12 hrs

wimpy

How about translating ヘタレas wimpy?
ヘタレな人 is coward, ineffectual, and unadventurous.

"臆病で情けない様子、能力がなく物事がまるでできない様子、またはそうした人などを意味する表現。"
http://www.weblio.jp/content/ヘタレ


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Note added at 13 hrs (2015-04-04 02:51:57 GMT)
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*cowardly
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Reference comments

32 mins
Reference:

FYI

Note from asker:
Hi, thank you for this! I realised shortly after posting that the へ in へタレな wasn't a particle but was a part of the adjective. I was searching the website for a way to edit the post but I was unsuccessful. I think "jellyfish young men" sounds a little strange in English, so I might use (as harsh as it may sound) "incompetent young men". Thank you for such a swift response!
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