The signage database is one of the most important facets of the translation process. It is made of several components:
(1) a vocabulary list based on the Kumamoto Prefecture 4-language signage project (2005). This list contains over 1750 entries of words and phrases useful for signage in Kumamoto. They are translated into 4 languages: Japanese, Chinese, Korean and English.
(2) the 100-word disaster list of Easy Japanese (Satoh 20xx). This is a list of necessary disaster vocabulary in Japanese. They are single words, but example sentences for hypothetical signage using them were created for the database. These were translated into English, Chinese and Korean and added to the signage database.
http://human.cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp/kokugo/EJ100go-zyuni.html
(3) xx common signage phrases based on 100 Kumamoto signs (Mitsunaga 2016). These phrases were gleaned from multilingual signage found in downtown Kumamoto. Unsuccessful translations were used here and added to the database in 4 languages.
(4) xx common signage phrases based on xx mistranslated signs from engrish.com
The function of the signage database is dual;
(1) to supply special-purpose signage choices for common signage such as "No smoking section" or "The lobby is on the second floor".
(2) to differentiate between different vocabulary choices based on location (e.g. 受付 can be translated three different ways:
in a hotel=reception (desk or counter),
at a conference=registration (desk),
at a restaurant=front desk