[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by sarvodaya

ゆりさん、こんにちは。

覚さん、こんばんは。

Indeed! I suppose I do tend to prefer slightly tongue-in-cheek use of comic metaphor and absurdity to add a bit of colour to my expressions. This is probably less common nowadays, but I like it. I suspect that this is part of a major difference between English and Japanese: in Japanese you seem to use many formal set phrases, whereas in English we simply make things up as we go along.

Indeed! So it’s very hard to me to say things in English, because I always need to think what I should say. In Japanese, you would have some formal set phrases most always.

In English the use of formulaic language is in a class of its own as opposed to being the norm. Things become clichés very quickly, and people want to avoid using clichés as they think it makes them sound unimaginative. However, on the other hand, people sometimes deliberately use such clichés to make a point, perhaps to make a point of view seem outdated or simplistic or perhaps to suggest a certain perspective is merely fashionable and without real weight, for example. It is quite difficult to explain, but try to keep your eyes peeled for set phrases in English and see if they are playing such roles.

If I can read English very quickly, I would read magazines or news papers to know how you play such roles. I can’t now, but one day, I will!

Are you aware that this sentence: "Otherwise, you would go insane." is slightly amusing? If not, ask me about it.

I don’t know!!! Please, let me know!

Thank you; I've put that in my book. I'll try to memorise the polite versions. Can I simply replace 塩 with something else that I want to have passed to me?

Yes, when the things can be passed.

Could you pass me the pepper, please? = 胡椒（こしょう）をとっていただけませんか？
Could you pass me the remote control? = リモコンをとっていただけませんか？

Could you pass me a roll of toilet paper? = トイレットペーパーをとっていただけませんか？（This situation must be a kind of urgent. I wish you would not say this. If you say this, you must be in an individual cabin… ）

I only know what it says on wikipedia about the terminology! Apparently 海禁 is derived from the Chinese concept, but was used during the Edo period itself to describe the policy more as a "restriction" than a total "seclusion", implying that trade and cultural exchange was not completely eliminated, but tightly controlled and limited. It also says that people have started using this term more nowadays, but obviously that's not the case!

Sorry, I don’t understand.
You mean the term is not that new?

I understand. In the west we have many different customs that coexist as a result of multiculturalism. There is quite a good wikipedia page about it:

I didn’t know saying いただきます is called Grace.

As you can see there are many different formulaic Christian expressions of gratitude, but as it says, it is far more common for people to make up a small prayer on the spot. People generally thank God and less commonly the host for the meal and perhaps for bringing the guests together in fellowship or for prosperity or some such.

Some people might say いただきます only to gods, but anyway, we have too many gods here, so we thank for everything, I think.

Nowadays this custom has become even less common however. I think the Japanese way is very nice. Some people feel uncomfortable saying grace as it constitutes an overt expression of religiosity, so it is nice to have a fairly neutral but respectful expression of gratitude.

Thank you! I agree with you. Saying いただきます is neutral.

Some people even try to overcome this awkwardness by using a comical formula such as "rub-a-dub-dub, thanks for the grub!"

rub-a-dub-dub… What’s that?

I think it is a great shame to eat without expressing gratitude, and so it is sad that people have begun to feel uncomfortable with our various traditional ways of expressing gratitude in the west. It would be much better if we had a word or phrase like 「いただきます」 to use.

Why don’t you begin to say 「いただきます」and 「ごちそうさまでした」 today?

Notwithstanding everything I said above about grace, it is perfectly normal and expected that guests will thank the host in some way after a meal. It would be considered quite rude not to come up with something like "Oh, that was such a lovely meal, thank you."

Don’t you say 「ごちそうさまでした」to your mother or your wife?

I think you may be overestimating my abilities though! I can tell that I can hardly understand the whole song properly yet, but I can catch glimpses of the meaning. I have not yet learned enough to understand it thoroughly.

I don’t agree with you. I’m positive, I’m sure you are talented!
When you catch glimpses of the meanings of what I say, you would be able to communicate.

Not at all! I think I was adding structure that isn't there in the original. Looking at your translation, I think the best way to bring out the meaning would be something like:

Carry on steadily
Keeping your foot firmly upon your chosen path

“Your chosen path” sounds right.
Don’t you say “your way”?
I don’t see the difference between “your chosen path” and “your way”.

Perhaps this brings out more that you have to choose where you're going and have the courage to carry through that choice to the end, which is what I think the song is getting at. Is that correct?

Yes, that’s correct.

In life there are both tears and smiles

Correct!

?things are not so bad?

Life is not so bad.

[??I'm really not sure of this one, but how about this:] by refusing to become nothing, choose to live

何もしないで　生きるより　何かを求めて　生きようよ
Maybe this will make sense.

Set a goal [lit: seek something] and live!

This is correct, now add this to the above sentence.

I think this means: "when you/I have lost someone/something and feel like giving up [literally: plan to stop]"

Yes, but there is only one thing I need to correct. It’s not when, but while. I believe when you say when, you mean a short time. On the other hand, when you say while, you mean longer than when. Is this right?

I can't quite understand this line; something about "some other person"? and "before/previously to live"? I should understand but I'm confused...
Is it "other people have lived before you" in the sense of "others have trodden this path before you"?

覚さん、it’s not 生きます, but行きます.
You will be able to understand the meaning of this sentence by yourself.

"From behind came a person and passed you by"?

You have translated this:
泣くのが嫌なら　さあ歩け　　（なくのがいやなら　さ ああるけ）- If it is unpleasant to weep, come now and walk.

後から来たのに　追い越され　泣くのが嫌なら　さあ歩 け
If you don’t want to be overtook by someone who came after you and don’t want to weep, come now and walk.