I've learned several languages over the years, and have run into these kinds of troubles over the years.

For good translation of the ordinary type, you have to be able to recreate in your head the raw idea that the author had in mind, then turn around and express that as a native in the other language would.

For humour, you have to really dig into the culture. The only truly successful humor translation I've seen are the Astérix comics by René Goscinny and Albert Uderzo. You'll find humour in the different languages that don't exist in the original French, and conversely French that humour doesn't come across when you do a word-for-word translation is discarded.

For example, a key running line in the comics is the phrase, “These Romans are crazy.” In the Italian translation of Astérix, the translators did a play off of the famous Roman line SPQR (Senatus Populusque Romanus) by putting in bold the initiall letters S-P-Q-R of “Sono Pazzi Questi Romani” (these Romans are crazy). A lot of care went into the translations.

Claytonian has a good line of thought about using childish language. Lolspeak is intentially childish and ignorant. The bad spelling is a big part of coming across as ignorant. Of course, it won't come across in Japanese if you try to imitate the English. (English uses alternate spellings (to/two/too) for disambiguation similar to how Japanese uses kanji, but that's not what is going on here.)

Some lolcat memes can translate without problem. Ceiling cat and basement cat could work if done right. Those are spoofs of God and Satan, and while not native to Japan there are native traditions of good/evil kami (and exposure to Western traditions) that provide enough cultural overlap that ceiling and basement cat may work without modification. The same goes with, for example, monorail cat and the invisible bike/etc. memes. Try starting with the “Invisible Bike” kitteh and see how it goes. にゃん or にゃ might work for building compounds. (Does 地下 にゃん work?)

There are memes that don't think would translate well, such as Caturday (猫日 probably doesn't produce the same attachment to 土日). There are new memes to be discovered in the same way that the spoofed SPQR was produced.

Unfortunately I'm not very familiar with childish Japanese to get too specific, but Claytonian's line of thinking IMHO is spot on.

Clay – I showed them to two teachers. One thought it was really cute and suggested that I put them up somewhere. The other one looked at me like I had seven heads. I guess it’s a hit or miss medium. Ha ha. Lemme know how it’s received.

Tori – Thanks for the compliment!

claytonian’s last blog post: My studies continue (cause I can’t quit you, babe)

yes, my motogf definitely uses that kind of voice to project what her dog is thinking.

claytonian’s last blog post: Life after the big test

I gotta admit, even though I’m not a fan of cheap internet English, some of those lolcats are hilarious, but in a clever way. I’m up to page 10 of icanhascheezburger.com.