I am curious (yellow): what does the phrase, often used:

[PCIntern]

"The utility known as Tepco" mean?

Where I come from, we don't say "the utility known as PECO" or "the utility known as Comcast". Is it because it's an acronym in a non-Alphabet language??

As I said: just curious...

[lunatica]

1. I've only seen it in terms of 'utility bills' so it may mean electrical energy providers

[sharesunited]

2. Tokyo Electric Power Company. So the acronym is pre-translated.

The phrase which includes "the utility known as" might be a translation from its reference in the Japanese press.

Which itself may be an attempt to bring comprehension to the fact that Fukushima is geographically remote from Tokyo.

To answer the question in the Japanese mind, what does Fukushima have to do with Tokyo? Or to put their minds at ease by acknowledging a kind of distance.

[sixmile]

3. dupe

for Tokyo Electric Power Co.

[ellenfl]

4. However, the Japanese might say 'the utility known as peco' since

they would not necessarily be familiar with the acronym. I would think it's just so we know what tepco is. Just my guess.

Ellen fl

[Lydia Leftcoast]

5. I think that someone is translating the Japanese phrase too literally

Inexperienced translators think they have to translate every word from the original, but Japanese is simply more wordy than English, and if you translate literally, you get awkward constructions like that.

For example, if there's an article in Japanese about smartphones, they'll refer to them each time as "the multifunctional phones known as smartphones." An experienced translator will say just "smartphones" after the first mention. An inexperienced translator will translate literally each time.

If I were translating a text about TEPCO, I would say "Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO)" on the first mention and then just use TEPCO for all subsequent mentions. The full name already tells you what the company does.

[PCIntern]

6. interesting, thank you!!!

Much appreciated...very erudite!!

:hi: