Speakers: Marena Shimizu, Seian Sho, & Dr. Takao Imai
Location: Aichi University Toyohashi Campus Kenkyukan 1F Meeting Room 1
Time: 1:30pm-3:30pm 
Cost: Non-Members 1,000 yen (first-timers free) / JALT Members Free

RSVP: https://forms.gle/fXadEoZ8siZ4iMZt5

Toyohashi JALT welcomes three speakers from Nanzan University for a session that brings together student research in translation studies and insights into how that research is guided and developed within a cognitive linguistics seminar.

Presentation 1

Exploring Expressions in Three Languages through My Neighbor Totoro
Seian Sho (Nanzan University)

Seian Sho presents findings from her thesis comparing the Japanese, English, and Chinese (Taiwanese) dubbed versions of My Neighbor Totoro. By transcribing and analyzing dialogue across all three languages, she examines how cultural context, perspective, and linguistic choices shape translation. Her work draws on seminar studies in cognitive linguistics and highlights issues such as pronoun use, viewpoint differences, and culturally embedded assumptions. Seian will begin her master’s degree in Translation and Interpreting Studies at the University of Manchester this September.

Presentation 2

A Cognitive Linguistic Analysis of English–Japanese Translation:
A Case Study of Little Women with Implications for English Learning

Marena Shimizu (Nanzan University)

Marena Shimizu explores how English and Japanese differ in the ways they structure meaning, and how those differences influence translation and language learning. Using Little Women as a case study, she examines how cognitive processing and linguistic construal affect interpretation and expression. Motivated by concerns about English education in Japan, she identifies tendencies in both languages and suggests approaches that support more natural, context‑aware communication. Marena will return to New Zealand after graduation to begin the Master of Applied Translation and Interpreting (MATI) program.

Closing Talk

Guiding Student Research in Cognitive Linguistics

Dr. Takao Imai (Nanzan University)

Following the two student presentations, Dr. Takao Imai will speak about how he supports students through his multi‑year seminar sequence in cognitive linguistics. Drawing on his work in English education, construal differences, and image‑based grammar, he will outline how he helps students develop research questions, analyze linguistic data, and connect theory with practical translation issues.