Teaching English, seeking Japanese tuition

[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on the other hand, people sometimes deliberately use such clichés to make a point, perhaps to make a point of view seem outdated or simplistic or perhaps to suggest a certain perspective is merely fashionable and without real weight, for example.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.

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by sarvodaya

I have just been reading about this in Japanese. In the first example makes it clear that "the premise" is the focus and "their discussion" is the topic. Doing so emphasises your surprise that this formed a premise of their discussion. To be clear, a premise is something that is taken for granted, it has a logically distinct position in an argument. It is something that an argument relies upon, but which is not questioned in itself; rather it is assumed to be true. Thus, by using the word order I showed you, you are emphasising that it surprised you to see that the professor was taking this statement for granted.

I see. The Japanese language’s order comes like the second sentence, and in Japanese, more important focus often comes at the end the end of the sentence.
I will remember I should put the focus at the top in English.
Still, “upon which ….was based” is too difficult to say!!!

Ah, I see, that makes more sense. So you meant "we can’t help feeling you are aggressive because we do not have the culture of debate"
I think a good word for you to use would be "overbearing"; do you know this word?

That’s it! I didn’t know this word, and I just looked it up in a dictionary.
I’m sorry, I say you are overbearing, but we also consider that we are kind of chicken-hearted.

Yes, you can. In this case there is a slight difference. The first example suggests that there is a well-defined expectation that some people have, that Japanese culture definitely differs from that expectation and that the reader may or may not be such a person as to hold that expectation. On the other hand, the second example merely suggests that it is possible that Japanese culture is different from what you expect as an individual.

I see. Thanks.
I had had some stereotype which you (foreign people) might expect about Japan. This stereotype was the premise upon which my remark was based!!!!!!

Thus, in using the first of the two sentences, you emphasise that you are aware of either particular disparities between Japanese culture and foreign cultures or particular misconceptions that people commonly have about Japanese culture.

Yes, I had thought there were particular misconceptions that people commonly have about Japanese culture.
That was stereotype. I shouldn’t say things based upon such idea.

[quote]

You have written “the Japanese”.
Does this mean “all Japanese people”? [/QUTEO]
Technically, yes, although it is usually understood as "most Japanese people" or "the majority of Japanese people" because everyone knows you can't really generalise to a whole nation.

This seems to be very useful expression!

Yes. The only reason I changed it was because it sounds a bit odd to say "people" twice so close together! In English we usually avoid repeating the same word too often unless we have a particular reason to do so.

The Japanese don’t mind when we repeat the same word, so this is a little hard to get use to me.

"the Japanese people" has a connotation of "the Japanese nation". Here "the people" is being used as a collective noun. As a result a sense of unity is implied. Compare the famous statement: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union..." This phrase "we the people" has come to symbolise the idealised democratic process. As a result of this unity, claims about what "the Japanese people" do or don't believe etc are akin to statements about the public consciousness, which, though useful, can be nebulous.

OK, thanks.
the Japanese　are 　日本人というものは
the Japanese people is 日本国民は
Japanese people are 　日本人は
all Japanese people are　日本人、一人残らず

If that is what you want to say that's fine, but I find it hard to believe! No nation can be so perfect.

I’m sorry, I seem to have lost.
Is this from what I said about Japan?
Japan is not perfect. Instead, I’m sure you regard the Japanese might be kind of fool because the national debt is too huge, and the prime ministers change too many times. Still, I love Japan. I believe you would say you love your country.



About “ね”.

“ね”which is added at the end of a sentence is 終助詞（しゅうじょし）.
You say ね when you ;

1．Get agreement or confirmation. （同意）
「これはいいですね」　This is good, right?
「今日は寒いね」It’s cold, isn’t it?
「疲れたね」(When all of you are tired.)
「ああ、そうだね」Yes, that’s right.

2.Comformation.
「これはあなたのカサですね↑」This is your umbrella, isn’t this? 「はい、そうです」Yes, that’s right.
「あなたも行きますね↑」You will go (like other people), won’t you?「はい、行きます」Yes, I will.

3. Making a point
After other person say something to you, you reply trying not to be overbearing.
それは違いますね。That’s not correct.
私は、そうは思いませんね。I don’t think so.

If you simply say それは違います, sometimes you sound a little bullhead or gruff.

4. Request and invitation
きっと来てくださいね。 Be sure to come, right?

5. Question　（This is elderly men’s way. If you say this, you would sound odd. However, when you read novels, you would see this way to say things.）
君は行くかね？ Will you go?

If you don’t understand, ask me.

[projecttn]

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[yumyumtimtam]

Originally Posted by sarvodaya

ヤムさん、こんばんは。

こんばんは、覚さん


おひさしぶりです。
(Is it already easy for you to read these?)

It is correct to say "buy myself a new dictionary". People sometimes jokingly say something like "I'm gonna buy me a new..." but this is not correct. It is meant as a joke.

なるほど。
そうなんですね。
わかりました。
ありがとうございます。

How about these ?
Please try to read them all without looking at anything, ok? No peeking

If I were you I would go for the latest OALD.

ありがとうございます。

では　らいしゅう　かってきます！

We do have some, but none for Japanese leaners of English, which is a shame. Here are some links:

たくさんの　じしょの　しょうかいを　ありがとうございます。

I just wonder if there is any special reason why they don't make one for Japanese learners of English?

Oh, I remember, 覚さん、I have some questions.
おしえてください。

Japanese English teachers = people from Japan who teach English
English Japanese teachers = people from England who teach Japanese
American Japanese teachers=people from USA who teach Japanese
ただしいですか？

Japanese teachers = teachers who teach Japanese and also could be teachers who are from Japan whatever the subjets they teach?

Japanese students = students who study Japanese and also the students from Japan right?

These ones sometimes make me .

And 覚さん, can you tell me what the best way to address "foreigners" when I want to talk about them?
I don't feel confortable with this word "foreigners",I'm afraid if it may sound impolite. So I use "people from overseas" or "people from other coutries".
Or I don't have to worry about using the word "foreigners"?


And I have another one... おしえてくださいますか？

I like this way
" This is my friend Luciana from Brazile."
than
" This is my Brazilian friend, Luciana."
Am I right to feel that the 2nd one might sound that the country where she's from is more important than herself?

Or am I just paranoid?

You can do DIY without enjoying it, but you can't enjoy it without doing it!

It sounds like a riddle

I do, but I'm always busy doing something else. It is very satisfying to complete something useful and look at it, saying with a simple pride "I made that".

Yes, I love that feeling too.

This afternoon my students(4-7 y-o) made lots of foods with play-dough and we learnt what they were called, such as cherries,grapes and caramel,etc.
Actually they did a good job! And they were SO proud.
When their mothers came to pick them up,they went like
"Mummy, look! I made this... and this... and this...".
They were saying it with a big pride
and it made me smile

PS: Please say こんにちは to the monkeys for me next time you see them!

Yes I did, and they wanted to say あいに　きてください　to you

It depends on the context.

そうなんですね。
わかりました☆
ありがとうございました。

＜続く＞（つづく）

[yumyumtimtam]

There is a well-known British comedian, Paul Merton, who always used to say "Ennit marvellous!" as a sort of catchphrase.

I "youtubed" him and saw some, and now I got really interested!
I couldn't find the part when he said "Ennit marvellous" but will keep watching those shows he's in!Like The Series and HIGNY !
Oh now I remember that I used to watch "Mind Your Language" and "Babes in the woods".
I think I like British comedy

I know a girl from England says fabulous (or fab) all the time!
And I remember one of my Aussie friends in Melbourne, he used to say "fantastic" and other friend said "unreal" all the time!
I used to say "cool" too often.

I don't think people in Japan use that many varieties of adjectives.
I mean I believe there ARE hundrends of adjectives in Japanese to express how nice the things are but I don't hear them in my everyday life.

And I used to amazed how the kids make up words with "head" in English.
Once I was asked to translate "air-head" into Japanese,
so I told them that we didn't have the same word for that
but the kids wanted to say it in Japanese to my friend, an English Japanese teacher.
I didn't want them to be rude like that even they said it's just a joke.
Anyway, they asked me again what's the word for the air and for head.
So I said くうき　and 　あたま　they are.
And the kids, the 2 boys started calling くうきあたま！each other.
Which doesn't make much sense in Japanese.





Here are some quiz　for you.

は　た　ら　く
There are 4 characters here,but one of them is different from other 3 for a reason.
Which one and why?

ま　た　あ　し　た
Here is another one, for the same reason
Can you pick up one which is different from others?


Hope my questions&all don't sound too childish or boring to you.
(I'm so stupid to ask you this question, ain't I?You wouldn't say "Yes,they are totally boring!" cause you are polite and all!But if you have any request for me to change or stop or add,please let me know!
I will try not to drink too much and think carefully )

[YuriTokoro]

＠　覚さんへ。

Hi. I have another question.

You wrote this a month ago. Sorry, I’m studying very slowly.

From “How I was astonished recently.”

They talked about how to determine what is morally correct behaviour".

Can I say “They talked about how to determine what morally correct behavior is.”?
When you speak, would you say something like the sentence you wrote?

Thank you.

[Koir]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

Can I say “They talked about how to determine what morally correct behavior is.”?
When you speak, would you say something like the sentence you wrote?

Thank you.

I would say "They talked about determining morally correct behavior."

It communicates the concept without needing extra modification that could possibly confuse the reader or cause him/her to lose interest in the sentences that follow.

The modified sentence could work well as a transition to further paragraph that list and explain the kinds of morally correct behavior discussed in that contest.

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by Koir

I would say "They talked about determining morally correct behavior."

Koir, thanks.
I will speak like what you taught me.

It communicates the concept without needing extra modification that could possibly confuse the reader or cause him/her to lose interest in the sentences that follow.

The modified sentence could work well as a transition to further paragraph that list and explain the kinds of morally correct behavior discussed in that contest.

Actually, I meant I wanted to know where I should put the word “is” in the sentence.

[Koir]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

Actually, I meant I wanted to know where I should put the word “is” in the sentence.

Apologies. The correct placement of "is" in that sentence is in the text you quoted. Placing it at the end of a sentence makes it sound unorganized, and in need of extra information after it that is not there.

Revision:

"They talked about determining what is morally correct behavior."

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by Koir

Apologies. The correct placement of "is" in that sentence is in the text you quoted. Placing it at the end of a sentence makes it sound unorganized, and in need of extra information after it that is not there.

Revision:

"They talked about determining what is morally correct behavior."

Koir, thanks.
I didn’t know that.
I seem to have learned the grammar wrongly.
Thanks again!