2025 AUSIT Student Translation Competition Winner

I am honoured to share that I have been chosen as the winner of the 2025 AUSIT Student Translation Competition (Japanese into English).

The competition, organised annually by the Australian Institute of Interpreters and Translators (AUSIT), challenges students to translate a set text and demonstrate not only linguistic accuracy but also an ability to adapt to the purpose and audience of the text.

This year’s text explored the advantages and disadvantages of using print versus digital media for promotion. My task was to render the article into natural, engaging English consistent with publishing conventions. The biggest challenge lay in striking a balance between nuance and readability—producing a translation that was faithful, but also one that felt like it could have been written originally in English.

One example was the treatment of marketing and advertising terminology. Terms such as 折り込みチラシ and ポスティングチラシ have direct translations, but they are not always clear to an Australian audience. I researched industry-standard usage and chose the terms “inserts” and “flyers (in the context of letterbox distribution)” to ensure both accuracy and accessibility.

This experience reinforced my approach to translation: combining linguistic precision, cultural localisation, and audience awareness. It was a valuable reminder that translation is not only about words, but also about purpose and impact.