1) On page 64, Hirano notes that direct translations from English to Japanese often comes across as "crude and abrasive, insulting the reader's intelligence with their bluntness" and the opposite often comes across as "frustrating to read...childish, and without any point or conclusive ending." Should the meaning of the text be preserved even with these shortcomings or do you think it's perhaps more important to maintain readability for the audience even at the expense of lost meaning?
2) Do you think there are times where it's appropriate for a translator to insert their own words when, say, explaining something like juku or "cram school" or should a translated focus more on maintaining the author's voice? Would this depend on the translated text's audience? Is there a way to strike a healthy balance between context and the author's voice?
3) Just like how there are many different ways to say "you", there are many, if not more ways to say "I". What are some ways to say "I" in Japanese (4-5) and what information do they convey? How would you go about using said information in your translations?
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