[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by sarvodaya

ゆりさん、こんばんは。

覚さん、こんばんは。

Yes, that's exactly right. So it's still advice, but its hyperbolic ironic seriousness is amusing at the same time.

I see! I find that the expression “hyperbolic ironic seriousness” is really funny words. If I translate the words, it should be　超皮肉っぽい真面目さ. However, 超（ちょう）is a very casual word. You can’t say that.

Ah, I see. It's good to know how to avoid sounding arrogant!
ありがとうございました。

There are many things I want to tell you, but I think I should wait for now.

No, ゆりさん, your English is not too poor: I understand!
You mean it is like "Can I get you to pass the pepper, please?"
Or maybe "If I ask really nicely, do you think I could get you to pass me the pepper please?"
(Yes, people do actually say that!)
The literal sense you want to convey is that it's talking about persuading someone to do something. Is that right?

I’m not sure if it is “persuading”.
「取っていただく」is a politer expression of　「取ってもらう」.
[verb ＋　もらう] implies thank. You don’t say that when someone do something mean to you. There are some other versions of this kind of expressions. For example, 「取ってくださる」「取ってくれる」（the subject of 「取っていただく」is “I”, while 「取ってくださる」is “you”）.
However, these things are too early for now. I want you to know the fact that there are many versions

ありがとうございました、ゆりさん! I now have all the skills necessary to find a Japanese bride!

OK. The sentences I wrote don’t sound silly at all. You can use these words.
Probably you need some expressions to ask a lady out. Do you?

ゆりさん、of course I remember; I love that expression! By the way, "I receive this boon" is technically correct, but no-one would say that in England. The word "boon" can sound pretentious, and it would in this context. There is not a direct translation, but the closest acceptable English sentence may be: "I humbly and gratefully receive this."

Oh, yes! That’s it. "I humbly and gratefully receive this."
If you need to say that in shorter words, that’s “Thanks”.

I understand. In English, this is the difference between "I read one book" and "I read a book". However, if you really meant that the flight was long, you would probably say "I read one whole book on the flight". I think the structure is more straightforward in Japanese.

The Japanese people would say "I have finished reading one whole book on the flight". 「飛行機の中で本を一冊、読み終わってしまった」
English native speakers like to say 「飛行機の中で　一冊の本を　読みました」,but we don’t say like that.

When you say 「最近、一冊の本を読みました」, you must mean that you have read one certain book and you are telling about the book.

About Sakoku, here is what Ronald P. Toby had to say on the matter in 1977:
So that's interesting. Apparently the original terminology really was different and the word sakoku was used to make it sound draconian and worse than the reality. Is that the impression you get from reading this?

I know that people in Edo era didn’t say “sakoku”.
My impression from reading that article is that western viewpoints are much different from ours.
In Edo era, people were prohibited getting out of the prefecture (which was called country, then) where the person was born. How were they able to go abroad?
The authority of the day was “bakufu” and the top was shohgun. “Bakufu” wanted to have a monopoly on profits of overseas trade, so they prohibited people to have contact with foreign countries.
Bakufu was carrying on overseas commerce with the Netherland, China, and Korea.
The Netherland said that other western countries were trying to make Japan a colony using Christianity, and bakufu believed that. Then bakufu hated the U.S. and other countries.
They just hated western countries except the Netherland which people didn’t promote Christianity. They didn’t mean closing the country, but just hated Japan to be a colony.

Ok, let's do it!
Please would you help me with the words like last time?
After that I would like to learn a more traditional Japanese song as well!

Sure!


“My Way”

今　船出が近づく　この時に
ふと　たたずみ　わたしは振り返る
遠く旅して歩いた　若い日を
すべて　心の決めたままに

愛と涙と　ほほえみに　あふれ
今　思えば　楽しい想い出よ
君に告げよう　迷わずに行くことを
君の心の　決めたままに

私には　愛する歌があるから
信じたこの道を　わたしは行くだけ
すべては心の　決めたままに

愛と涙と　ほほえみに　あふれ
今　思えば　楽しい想い出よ
君に告げよう　迷わずに行くことを
君の心の　決めたままに

私には　愛する歌があるから
信じたこの道を　わたしは行くだけ
すべては心の　決めたままに

信じたこの道を　わたしは行くだけ
すべては心の　決めたままに




FYA. This is the English version.

“ And now, the end is near, ”
（そして今、最後の時が近づき）
“ And so I face the final curtain ”
（人生の幕を私は迎えようとしている）
“ My friend, I'll say it clear, ”
（はっきりと胸を張ってそう呼べる友人）
“ I'll state my case of which I'm certain ”
（自分の意見だってはっきり言えるくらいだ）
“ I've lived a life that's full ”
（この波乱に満ちた人生を私は生き抜いた）
“ I've troubled each and every highway ”
（あちこちのハイウェイで、よくもめ事も起こしたもの だ）
“ And more much more than this, I did it my way ”
（だけど、それ以上に、私は自分の思うように生きてき た）

“ Regrets, I've had a few ”
（後悔、そんなものはほとんどない）
“ But then again too few to mention ”
（だが、取り立てて言うほどの人生を送ったわけでもな い）
“ I did what I had to do ”
（やらなきゃならないことを私はやって来た）
“ And saw it through without exemption ”
（一つの例外もなくやり通してきた）
“ I planned each charted caurse ”
（人生の設計を計画立てて）
“ Each careful step along the byway ”
（たまにそれる脇道も注意深く進むようにしてきた）
“ And more much more than this, I did it my way ”
（だけど、それ以上に、私は自分の思うように生きてき た）

“ Yes, there were time, I'm sure you knew ”
“ When I bit off more than I could chew ”
（それは確かに、手に余るようなことに関わったことも あったが）
“ But through it all, when there was doubt ”
“ I ate it up and spat it out ”
（でもその全てを通して、納得がいかなければ
議論に熱中もしたし暴言まで吐いたことだってあった）
“ I faced it all, and I stood tall ”
（堂々と胸を張って、全てに正面から立ち向かい）
“ And did it my way ”
（私は自分を貫き通してきたんだ）

---　二番　---

“ I've loved, I've laughed and cried ”
（人を愛し、大声を上げて笑い、あるいは泣き叫んだこ ともあった）
“ I've had my fill, my share of blue jeans ”
（大食いもしたし、作業着に身をくるんで働いたりもし た）
“ And now, as tears subside ”
（だが今は、涙も枯れはて）
“ I find it all so amusing ”
（人生に起きた全てが面白く思えてきた）
“ To think I did all that ”
（私がその全てを経験してきたんだと考えることが）
“ And may I say not in a shy way ”
（そして、それを臆面もなく言えることが）
“ Oh no ! Oh no, not me, I did my way ”
（そうだ！私ならはっきり言える、私は自分を貫き通し てきたんだと）

“ For what is a man, what has he got ”
（一人の人間であるためには、人は何を手に入れるのだ ろう？）
“ If not himself, then he has not ”
“ To say the things he truely feels ”
（もしそれが自分自身でないのなら、
本当に感じたことを口にすることさえ禁じられてしまう ）
“ And not the words of one who kneels ”
（目の前でひざまいている人の言葉を信用することさえ も）
“ The record shows I took the blows ”
（だが、今までの記録が示す通り、私はそんなものは振 り払い）
“ And did it my way ”
（私は自分を貫き通してきたんだと胸を張って言えるん だ）


The Japanese version is almost completely different in meaning.

By the way, the singer, Akira Fuse （布施　明） who sang this song, is Olivia Hussey’s ex-husband.