Translating best practice into real practice: Methods, results and lessons from a project to translate an English sexual health survey into four Asian languages

Background Migrants are underrepresented in population health surveys. Offering translated survey instruments has been shown to increase migrant representation. While ‘team translation’ represents current best practice, there are relatively few published examples describing how it has been implemented. The purpose of this paper is to document the process, results and lessons from a project to translate an English-language sexual health and blood-borne virus survey into Khmer, Karen, Vietnamese and Traditional Chinese. Methods The approach to translation was based on the TRAPD (Translation, Review, Adjudication, Pretesting, and Documentation) model. The English-language survey was sent to two accredited, independent translators. At least one bilingual person was chosen to review and compare the translations and preferred translations were selected through consensus. Agreed translations were pretested with small samples of individuals fluent in the survey language and further revisions made. Results Of the 51 survey questions, only nine resulted in identical independent translations in at least one language. Material differences between the translations related to: (1) the translation of technical terms and medical terminology (e.g. HIV); (2) variations in dialect; and (3) differences in cultural understandings of survey concepts (e.g. committed relationships). Conclusion Survey translation is time-consuming and costly and, as a result, deviations from TRAPD ‘best practice’ occurred. It is not possible to determine whether closer adherence to TRAPD ‘best practice’ would have improved the quality of the resulting translations. However, our study does demonstrate that even adaptations of the TRAPD method can identify issues that may not have been apparent had non-team-based or single-round translation approaches been adopted. Given the dearth of clear empirical evidence about the most accurate and feasible method of undertaking translations, we encourage future researchers to follow our example of making translation data publicly available to enhance transparency and enable critical appraisal.

MILITARY-ESTATE CODES IN MEDIEVAL JAPAN: ERA OF THE FIRST SHOGUNATES

The phenomenon of clan-regional rulemaking during the military-oligarchic regime in medieval Japan is studied for the first time. The purpose of the study was a comparative analysis of the texts of the largest princely codes of daimyo and military houses, as well as the norms of the Bushido code . The analysis was carried out on the basis of historical-genetic and synchronous-logical methods using Japanese primary sources with a survey translation, as well as scientific and abstract materials of Japanese, English and Russian medieval studies. Among the results achieved, a typology and hierarchy of sources of traditional law of the Shogun period are identified. The evolution of the system of law sources from the Kamakura shogunate to the Miromati dynasty is traced. One of the most striking monuments of Kamakur law is examined (the military-estate code Goseibai Sikimoku, 1232). Its sources, structure, technic mode and criminal provisions are studied. The analysis of the Bushido code showed that this quasi-legal regulator of the samurai behavior was an eclectic code of norms and rules for the bushi warriors with their ideals of loyalty and patriotism. The main transition to a new stage in the legal history of Japan after the Kammu сode, 1336 and during the period of Warring Provinces was established. It was distinguished by an increase in the number and significance of local law monuments - princely and clan codes, city statutes and charters of merchants' houses. From this list, the author singled out and compared in juridical techniques the ten large bunkokuho codes published by the largest princes- daimyo in order to systematize local laws and streamline the administrative-judicial system.