Hiatus Post      2020.04.23     Thursday        休けい時間　きゅうけい　じかん　

令和2年4月23日  　木曜日

終わりよければ全て良し　　おわりよければ　すべて　よし

All’s Well that Ends Well　　Literally, “if the end is good, all will be good”

シェイクスピア　の　誕生日　おめでとう

Happy Shakespeare’s Birthday

Shakespeare is well known and highly respected in Japan.  When I was in a used bookstore 古本屋（ふるほんや） in Yokohama I was able to buy the Japanese translation of Lamb’s Tales of Shakespeare, which gave me (personally) a funny impression, as I found myself imagining The Merchant of Venice in the style of a Kabuki play.  It kind of fit, actually.

My advisor at Yokohama City University, Professor Mitani Kuniaki 三谷那明教授, used to say that Shakespeare and Kabuki, particularly the (bunraku and) kabuki plays by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, showed many surprising similarities.  The Elizabethan period in England and the Genroku period in Japan have a great deal in common in terms of abundant cultural production.

I just ordered Shakespeare in Japan    by Thomas Bradshaw  Continuum International Publishing Group, 2004

Japanese 3-4

You will be doing the class assignments created by Yoko Sensei from now on.  Send them /post them to me, however, as I will be grading and posting them in Skyward.

Japanese 5-6

Lesson 11 of Nakama focuses on memory, 思い出（おもいで）: thinking about things, telling about events in the past, in various times of everyone’s lives.

So let’s work on the following kanji.

子供　（こども）child, children

忘れる（わすれる）to forget

思う（おもう）to think (about), particularly when expressing an opinion.

             友達のお父さん　は　忙しい　と　思います。

            My friend’s father is busy, I think.

言う（いう）to say, especially when reporting what someone has said.

            うち　の　母　は　「みなさん、帰って下さい」と　言いました。

            Mother of my house (that is, “my mother”) said, “Everyone, please return home.”

宿題　　　しゅくだい　　　Homework (due MONDAY)      

          

A. Now write each kanji 5 times, with its English meaning.書いて下さい。

B.  　下の文書を英語で下さい。

ざんねんですが、私　は　宿題　を　忘れました。

先生の子供　は　忙しくて、うるさい　です。

あのフランス語の本は　むずかしい　と　思います。

男の子も　女の子も　ビデオ・ゲーム　を　するのが　すき　です。

今度（こんどthis time, next time）日本語で言って下さい。

C. Important vocabulary words to practice writing 3 times today:

はる  (春)                                                                なつ（夏）

Spring                                                                     summer

あき  (秋)                                                                ふゆ(冬)

Autumn/fall                                                          winter

きょうかい（きょうかい）            　　どうぶつえん

Church                                                                    zoo

                       

D.       Here's the link to the Nakama textbook, online:

https://kupdf.net/download/nakama-1-textbook-japanese_5afab2dde2b6f5b7601d5650_pdf

Hiatus Post      2020.04.22     Wednesday        休けい時間　きゅうけい　じかん　

令和2年4月22日  　水曜日

Some people I know, including students, are interested in the etymology of 漢字 kanji, and here is a Japan Times article on that very subject.  Having read it myself, I’d say that you shouldn’t take any of it as gospel truth but should take the information as part of the linguistic journey to understand the development of Japan’s漢字 kanji, both structure and meaning.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2020/04/21/language/kanji-origins/#.Xp8llWlOnq

Send me a note and tell me what you think.

Japanese 3-4

You will be doing the class assignments created by Yoko Sensei from now on.

Japanese 5-6

Lesson 11 of Nakama focuses on memory, おもいで。So we have the opportunity to tell people about what happened to us, what we did, and how we feel about things now.

Here are some useful phrases:

(The time) when I was a child                          When I was small

子供（こども）の時　　　                                    小さい時

When I was in middle school                            When I am happy

中学の時                                                                うれしい時

When I am lonely

さびしい時

Examples:

高校の時　私はよくスポーツをしました。When I was in high school, I often played sports.

でも、テニス　を　した　こと　が　ありませんでした。However, I never had the experience of playing tennis.

うれしい時、私は　うたいます。When I am happy, I sing.

けれども、オペラ　に　行った　こと　が　ありません。However, I have never had the experience of going to the opera.

A. Now try to translate the following little story!  下の日本語を英語で書いて下さい。

ぼく　は　バッドばつ丸(バッドばつまるBad boy Maru)　です。

人　じゃ　ありません。ペンギン　です。

子供（こども）の時　せ　か　ひくかった　です。

でも中学　の　時　大きかった　です。

ぼく　は　わるい　男の子　でした。

勉強したこと　は　ありませんでした。

ムービー・スター　の　写真　が　好き　です。

ですから、ハリウッド　に　住んで　います。

でも、ゆうめいなブラッド・ピット　に　会った　こと　は　ありません。

ざんえん　です　ね。

B. Important vocabulary words to practice writing 3 times today:

Happy                                                                                 sad/grieving

うれしい　                                                                       かなしい

Lonely                                                                                 Museum

さびしい                                                                            はくぶつかん

To go fishing                                                                    to have money

つり　を　する                                                             お金　が　ある 

C.       Here's the link to the Nakama textbook, online:

https://kupdf.net/download/nakama-1-textbook-japanese_5afab2dde2b6f5b7601d5650_pdf

Hiatus Post      2020.04.21     Tuesday        休けい時間　きゅうけい　じかん　

令和2年4月21日  　火曜日

Staying at home and getting the right information is hard for us here in the Chicago area.  Imagine what it might be like to be in Tokyo, away from your own country, and trying to get answers to your questions.

Here is a link to a news item about an informational phone line that foreigners can call to get information.  Click on it, and look at it, but don’t worry about reading the whole thing.  Just figure out how many languages are offered. List 7 of them.

東京都　外国人がウイルスの問題を１４のことばで相談できる  

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/k10012393241000/k10012393241000.html

Japanese 3-4

You will be doing the class assignments created by Yoko Sensei from now on.

Japanese 5-6

――こと　が　ある

This is a new expression, one that uses the plain past tense of a verb.  The past tense short/informal/plain form of a verb, plus こと　が　ある, let’s you say that you had the experience of doing something in the past.  The affirmative, that you HAVE  HAD the experience, ends with あります  or  ある。The negative, that you HAVE  NOT  had the experience, ends with ありません  or  ない。

Examples:

ラムネ　を　飲んだ　こと　が　あります　か。Have you ever drunk “Ramune”?

エスカルゴ　を　食べた　こと　が　ありません。I have never eaten snails (“escargot” from French).

有名（ゆうめい）な　人　に　会った　こと　が　ある　の？Have you ever met a famous person?

富士山（ふじさん）に　のぼった　こと　が　ない。I have never climbed Mt. Fuji.　

　

A. Now you try!  下の英語を日本語で書いて下さい。

I have never written a novel 小説（しょうせつ）。

Ken has (had the experience of having) slept in class.

Mari has been employed at a bank 銀行（ぎんこう）。

Noriko has never gone to Nagasaki.

Seigo has (has had the experience of having) studied French.

Have you ever ridden a bicycle?

I have never smoked cigarettes/tobacco.

B. Important vocabulary words to practice writing 3 times today:

To get on/ride a vehicle (or horse)                          To climb (a mountain)

（に）のる　                                                                  （に）のぼる

To smoke/inhale                                                            Memory

（を）すう                                                                                               おもいで

Ocean                                                                                 (Buddhist) Temple

うみ                                                                                      お寺　（おてら） 

C.       Here's the link to the Nakama textbook, online:

https://kupdf.net/download/nakama-1-textbook-japanese_5afab2dde2b6f5b7601d5650_pdf

Hiatus Post      2020.04.20     Monday        休けい時間　きゅうけい　じかん　

令和2年4月20日  　月曜日

Just as we are staying home in many places in the U.S., especially in the big cities, people are also sheltering-in-place in Japan, especially in the Tokyo area.  Japanese people are making contact on their cell phones, on their computers, and so forth.  Something people are NOT doing is going out to the public baths　銭湯（せんとう） or hot springs baths　温泉（おんせん）, a favorite relaxing activity in normal times.  An online source on Japanese culture has found out that there are now broadcasts scenes from the public baths to comfort and encourage viewers, even though they can’t go out to share them.  Here’s a link.

http://www.spoon-tamago.com/2020/04/15/japan-public-bath-online-sento/

Take a look.  Would this comfort and reassure you?

Just in case you want to review the hand-washing songs from last week, here they are.

Handwashing video by Pikotaro (not 日本語で  , though---英語で）

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGWh-EEYiWg

Compare it to Arashi’s song. 

Which one do you prefer?　　どちら　の　ほう　が　好き　です　か。

 (Sing Arashi’s hand-washing song.

https://youtu.be/VzMT7btiwwI  )

Japanese 3-4

You will be doing the class assignments created by Yoko Sensei from now on.

Here is her class code:  xzcdwz6

Japanese 5-6

We’re in Chapter 11 of Nakama now, and we’re going to be learning about how to say/write that we have had the experience of doing something: 

Plain-past-verb + koto ga  aru

Have you ever (had the experience of ) bread-making?         パン　を　作った　こと　が　あります　か。

 Yes, I have (had the experience of ) break-baking.　はい、パン　を　作った　こと　が　あります。

But first we should review how to make the plain past affirmative verb tense.

It’s easy.     It’s just the te-form, with the te replaced by ta.

Examples:

食べて　　　　　　　　　食べた

書いて　　　　　　　書いた

宿題　しゅくだい　
　　

A. Let’s make the te form and then the plain past tense for each of the following verbs.  Be sure to figure out what group each verb is in:  Group 1 (u verbs), Group 2 (ru verbs), or Group 3 (irregular verbs).

To get on/ride (a vehicle)          のる　　　のって　　　　のった

To climb                                           のぼる　　

To laugh /smile                             わらう　　

To cry                                               なく　　　

To inhale                                          すう　　　

To exhale                                          はく　　　

To get up/wake up                       起きる　

To  wear (above waist)               きる

To come                                           来る（くる）

To see/watch                                 見る

B.    Here's the link to the Nakama textbook, online:

https://kupdf.net/download/nakama-1-textbook-japanese_5afab2dde2b6f5b7601d5650_pdf

Hiatus Post      2020.04.17     Friday        休けい時間　きゅうけい　じかん　

令和2年4月17日  　金曜日

Below is the link to an article about Wes Anderson’s film, Isle of Dogs.  Have you seen it?  It’s animated, largely in English, and includes lots of spoken Japanese, with many aspects of Japanese culture, in a very timely story.  I highly recommend it.  It’s beautiful and even funny in places.  It’s on Amazon Prime, if you have that and would like to watch it.

There was some criticism when it first came out that it was an unacceptable form of cultural appropriation, something we Americans are much more aware of these days than we used to be.  This New Yorker article describes the film from the point of view of a Japanese national and addresses the cultural appropriation issue in an original way.

I will give you extra credit if you read the article and summarize it:  4 paragraphs, 4 sentences each, 英語で。And I hope you will see the movie sometime.

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/what-isle-of-dogs-gets-right-about-japan?utm_source 

Handwashing video by Pikotaro (not 日本語で  , though---英語で）

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGWh-EEYiWg

Compare it to Arashi’s song. 

Which one do you prefer?　　どちら　の　ほう　が　好き　です　か。

 (Sing Arashi’s hand-washing song.

https://youtu.be/VzMT7btiwwI  )

Japanese 3-4

Nakama Ch. 8 Vocabulary

やすい　　　　　          Cheap

高い、　たかい　　        Expensive

もって　います

もって　いる　　　        To own, to have

出す　、　だす　　        To take out

いれる　　　　　　        To put in

つつむ　　　　　　        To wrap

もちます、もつ　　　      To hold

見せる、みせます　　      To show

とる、とります　　　　     To pick, to take

きもの　　　　　　　　     Kimono (thing you wear)

セーター　　　　          Sweater

カーディガン　             Cardigan

ジーンズ                   Jeans

（お）ぼうし　　          Hat

くつ                       Shoes

くつ下 、くつした         Socks

ゆびわ　　　　　　　      Ring

めがね                     Glasses

かさ　　　　            　 Umbrella

いくら　　　　　　　      How much

いくつ　　　　　　　      How many

てぶくろ                  Glove

上ぎ （うわぎ）　　　　　 Light jacket

下ぎ  （したぎ）          Underwear

トレーナー                Sweatshirt

           

宿題　しゅくだい

　　　

A.   Look at all the vocabulary words for Chapter 8, above, and be sure that you know them all.  Write down any that you don’t know. Memorize each one.

B.   Study those Chapter 8 kanji.  Write each one every day.

C.   We will start Chapter 9 next week.  Are you ready?  What do you need to remember in Chapter 8 in order to move forward?

Japanese 5-6

Nakama Chapter 10 Vocabulary

あし                     あたま　　　手（て）　　目（め）　　　かみ（髪）

Foot/leg         head                   hand                   eye                           hair

耳（みみ）     はな（鼻）　せ　       　　　からだ　　　　口（くち）

Ear                    nose                   back/height     body                       mouth

かお　

Face

りょうしん　　　　            母（はは）　　　　父（ちち）　　　  かぞく

ごろうしん　                　       おかあさん　　　　おとうさん　　　ごかぞく

Parents, mine and yours        my/your mother      my/your father           my/your family

かない　　　　　　しゅじん　　　　　そぼ　　　　　　そふ

おくさん　　　　　ごしゅじん　　　　おばあさん　　　おじいさん

My /your wife             my/your husband       my/your grandma    my/your grandpa

兄（あに０　　　　姉（あね）　　　　弟（おとうと）　         妹（いもうと）

おにいさん　　　　おねえさん　　　　おとうとさん　　          いもうとさん

My/your big brother      　　　　　my/your big sister     　　 　　my/your little brother      　　my/your little sister

兄弟（きょうだい）

ごきょうだい

My/your siblings

かいしゃ　　　　　　めがね　　　　　　イヤリング　　　　　　（お）ぼうし

Business, company        glasses                              earring(s)                                 hat

けっこん　して　いる　　　　　つとめて　いる　　　　　すんで　いる

To be married                                         to be employed                          to reside/live

かける　　　　　      きる　　　　　　              かぶる　　　　　　　はく

To put on glasses       to wear                                    to wear                                  to wear

                                            above the waist                    a hat                                      below the waist

分かる（わかる）

To understand/know

元気（げんき）な　　　　しずか　な　　　　　　しんせつ　な    

Energetic/healthy                    quiet                                        kind

あかるい　　　　　　かわいい　　　　　　ながい　　　　みじかい

Cheerful                           cute/lovable                       long                         short (like rope)

やさしい　　　　　むずかしい　　　　　高い　　　　　ひくい

Gentle/easy               difficult                               high/tall                  low/short (in height)

――才（さい）　　人（にん）　　　　　___番目（ばんめ）

Year(s) old                   counter for people   　　ordinal numbers (first, second, etc.)             

宿題　しゅくだい　　

　

A.   Look at all the vocabulary words for Chapter 10, above, and be sure that you know them all.  Write down any that you don’t know. Memorize each one.

B.   Study those Chapter 10 kanji.  Write each one every day.

C.   We will start Chapter 11 next week.  Are you ready?  What do you need to remember in Chapter 10 in order to move forward?