A Historical Study of Cross-Cultural Acceptance in Translated Picture Books (from the End of the War to December 1954)

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K00308
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02010:Japanese literature-related
• Research Institution: Ryukoku University Faculty of Junior College
• Principal Investigator: Ikoma Sachiko 龍谷大学短期大学部, その他部局等, 准教授 (10584849)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 絵本 / 翻訳 / 検閲 / 入札制度 / 統制 / 岩波の子どもの本

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Through a comparative study of original and translated picture books from September 1945 to December 1954, this study historically examined the ways of cross-cultural acceptance in picture book translations and elucidated the ingenuity in the process. Outcome of such efforts became the starting point of postwar picture book history.
The picture book translations during the postwar occupation period were strongly influenced by the censorship by GHQ/SCAP, using the bidding system as a way of suggesting candidate books for translation, and controlling what could be published under the implementation of translation rights. The bidding system was in place until June 1951 even after the censorship was ended, but translations of picture books continued to be active. Such process also brought a new image of children who should be free and full of future possibilities, as exemplified in the epoch-making “Iwanami Children's Picture Books” series (December 1953-December 1954).

Free Research Field

児童文化（絵本）研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

1945年9月から54年12月までの翻訳絵本を「翻訳方法」に着眼して異文化受容の様相を検討することにより、GHQ/SCAPによる翻訳出版物の入札制度という統制が、その後の絵本翻訳の方法に影響を与えた実態を解明した。特に、横組みの海外絵本を縦組みにする際に、絵本の絵をどのようにレイアウトしたのかについて詳らかにした。また〈岩波の子ども本〉には各国の子どもの生活や遊び、食文化を描く作品が多く含まれており、平和を希求する異文化理解の精神が垣間見られる。本研究成果は、日本の戦後絵本史における翻訳絵本の出発点を社会文化的背景に照らして明らかにしたという点において学術的意義を持つ。