how to say "there's no honor in honor system" in japanese?

osakaboi · (#1 (**permalink**))

KyleGoetz · (#2 (**permalink**))

The problem is that "honor system" in Japanese is, AFAIK, 自主管理制度 or 無監督制度, and the Japanese word for "honor" literally never appears in either phrase. The kanji compounds mean "self management system" and "without-boss system," respectively.

So the phrase won't really sound like it does in English, because there is no repetition of "honor." Instead, it will sound to a Japanese like "there is no honor in a system in which everyone self-polices." Doesn't have that POP that it does in English, does it?

Something like 自主管理制度には名誉がない is a literal translation. Doesn't sound as "wise" in Japanese because the play on words isn't there.

Note: I had trouble figuring out which equivalent of "honor" to use in Japanese. Could be something like 信用, too, I guess. I'm not even sure the precise meaning of "honor" in the English phrase, either. It is more about trust/faith, or reputation, or what? That's what made it difficult to translate into Japanese for me. They're different words in Japanese, but the same word in English.

osakaboi · (#3 (**permalink**))

got that, thank you very much.
have a happy new year.

WingsToDiscovery · (#4 (**permalink**))

It wouldn't make sense in Japanese anyway because the honor system in Japan is impeccable. Even if you could easily translate that phrase in Japanese there wouldn't be a use for it.

KyleGoetz · (#5 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by WingsToDiscovery

It wouldn't make sense in Japanese anyway because the honor system in Japan is impeccable.

To be fair, I think that's kind of a racist thing to say

While I agree that overall there is less crime in Japan, and there is a more intense focus on the group over the individual there as compared to a place like the US, it's hardly accurate to call Japan an "impeccably honorable country." Crime in Japan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

There's governmental corruption, too. Yakuza: Japan's criminal underworld - Google Books The LDP, one of the biggest political parties in Japan, has non-trivial ties to organized crime. I don't feel like digging up evidence of this right now, but I don't expect anyone who knows about Japan to argue the Japanese government is flawless. Even at university in Japan, we discussed the historical mob connections the LDP has. (not that either of the major parties in the US is any cleaner, historically speaking!)