\nThanks for all your comments. I’m glad you found the topic interesting. Actually, this entry has had more views than any of the others I have done so far on this blog, so I guess it must have been an interesting discussion. Speaking of “katakana” words, I always have problems with the word for “milkshake.” Is it \u30b7\u30a7\u30fc\u30af\u3001\u30b7\u30a7\u30fc\u30ad, or something else?<\/p>\n
Of course, it is very difficult with both English and Japanese to say what is “right” and what is “wrong” because languages are constantly evolving. Actually, a student asked me yesterday whether it should be “He is taller than I” or “He is taller than me.” Apparently, he had written “He is taller than I” in a report, and a teacher who is a native-speaker of English had corrected him. Strictly speaking, the grammatical rule is that “than I” is correct, but hardly any native speakers would actually say that anymore, so it seems strange to teach it to learners of the language. Anyway, here is some feedback on your comments. <\/p>\n
Actually, it was my first \u201chiniku\u201d(I\u2019m not sure whether it was \u201cirony\u201d or \u201csarcasm.\u201d) Reading David\u2019s entry, the term \u201c\u59d1\u606f\uff08\u306a\uff09\u201d came to my mind first. I must have misheard those phrases in TV. When I tried to post my comment, I failed and mine was disappeared! So sad\u2026 The other day, I heard a song on the radio by a group that I have never heard of, and I just fell in love with their music. Have you ever heard of Fleet Foxes? If not, have a listen to this. <\/p>\n
\nActually, it was my first attempt at “hinkiku.”
\nI’m not sure of the difference between “irony” and “sarcasm” either. They are basically very close in meaning, but according to the Sarcasm Society (yes, there is such a thing!) “sarcasm is considered a form of wit, whereas irony can found in any situation.” This basically means that sentences with people as their subjects normally use “sarcasm”: I \/ He \/ She was being sarcastic. Sentences with a situation as the subject tend to use “irony”: It was ironic that…. Some other definitions say that sarcasm is the use of irony to make a negative remark about someone. In your example, I would say that “sarcasm” would be more appropriate because you were deliberately using it as a form of humour.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nReading David’s entry, the first thing that came to mind was…
\n<\/strong>
\nHaving said that, as you say, language changes sometimes when slang(incorrect usage) becomes more common than the original.
\nNice sentence.
\n<\/strong>
\nI guess a lot more people have become to use \u201c\u300c\u3089\u300d\u629c\u304d\u8a00\u8449
\nI guess a lot more people have started using… (A-Z: become)
\n<\/strong>
\nI wonder whether children who learned it from TV or their big brothers\/sisters know the original meaning.
\nNice sentence.
\n<\/strong>
\nGood evening,David and everyone.
\nI am Kotomi.
\nThis is Kotomi. (A-Z: name)
\n<\/strong>
\nOne of my friends said \u304a\u30b1\u30fc\u30ad\u3001which had made me shudder.
\nNice sentence.
\n<\/strong>
\nMy son has been trying to learn the correct usage of \u300e\u308c\u308b\/\u3089\u308c\u308b\u300f. Like Tomo, I sometimes use \u300e\u3089\u300f\u629c\u304d\u8a00\u8449 myself unconsciously, but I must stop it for my son!!
\nI think the reason this is changing is that the original is both clumsy and unnecessary. I guess it will probably have disappeared from Japanese in 20 or 30 years.
\n<\/strong>
\nThis sounds really ugly to me.
\nToo many \u4e01\u5be7\u8a9e in the same sentence is \u30d8\u30f3\uff01\uff01
\nThat reminds me; another word I hate is \u304a\u3089\u308c\u308b, as in \u79c1\u306e\u96a3\u306b\u304a\u3089\u308c\u308b\u65b9. That is a mixture of different forms of polite Japanese, and two \u56fd\u8a9e teachers have told me that it is wrong, but I still hear it a lot.
\n<\/strong>
\nI assume they say that just because it\u2019s written so in their \u696d\u52d9\u30de\u30cb\u30e5\u30a2\u30eb, but I want to know who on earth writes such an \u201cinteresting\u201d manual !! (LOL)
\nI presume that all the women in my local supermarket fancy me because they always say that they want me to come again! Mind you, the men say it too…
\n<\/strong>
\nI would use \u201cNice to see you\u201d when I meet people who I\u2019ve previously known\u3000and \u201cNice to meet you\u201d when I meet someone for the first time.
\nThat is correct, but you can’t use “Nice to meet you” before you know each other’s names.
\n<\/strong>
\nAs you know there is an expression \u201c\u8a71\u3092\u811a\u8272\u3059\u308b\u201d which means that \u201cdramatize a story\u201d or \u201cmake a story exaggeratedly \u201c.
\n… which means to “dramatise or exaggerate a story.”
\n<\/strong>
\nI think I pronounce it truly.
\nI think I pronounce it correctly.
\n<\/strong>
\nAlthough I make a mistake often in my own language but I can\u2019t think of those words and phrases right now.
\nYou can’t use “although” and “but” in the same sentence like that. Remove either of them, and it will be okay. I have noticed recently that this is a mistake that even very advanced learners of English make.
\n<\/strong>
\nLast night my son asked me that what is the difference \u201cwill\u201d, \u201cbe going to \u201d and \u201d be ing\u201d. I
\nMy son asked me to explain the difference between…
\n<\/strong>
\nI know it\u2019s not correct, but I pronounce it as \u201c\u3075\u3044\u3093\u304d\u201d because it\u2019s easier to say and sounds more natural to me. I still remember that I was very surprised when I learned the correct version.
\nMe too! I have never heard anyone pronounce it \u3075\u3093\u3044\u304d.
\n<\/strong>
\nI correct my husband\u2019s wrong Japanese without reserve, though\u2026
\nI never hesitate to correct my husband’s Japanese mistakes, though…
\n<\/strong>
\nI\u2019ll pass on your message.
\nNice sentence.
\n<\/strong>
\nLanguages come and go, just like people come and go.
\nVery true.
\n<\/strong>
\nI don\u2019t correct other Japanese people\u2019s mistakes, but I\u2019ve been correcting my children\u2019s language like other parents. In
\nThis happens in English, too, and it is actually the cause of a very common mistake. Kids always say “Me and Peter are going to play football,” at which point mothers generally correct them and tell them to say “Peter and I.” The result is that many children grow up thinking that “I” is the more formal version of “me,” so they say things like “He gave some advice to Peter and I.” I even heard Bill Clinton make this mistake in a speech once!
\n<\/strong>
\nHe was not interested in it at all, but other volunteer teachers strongly recommended him to participate the contest.
\n“Strongly encouraged” would be more natural.
\n<\/strong>
\nI can\u2019t forget his confused face\u2026
\nWe usually say “I will never forget the look on his face.” This is a useful expression to learn.
\n<\/strong>
\nI hope(wish) David will write school textbooks.
\n“I wish David would write school textbooks” if you think that I am not going to, or
\n“I hope David will write school textbooks in the future” if you think that I might.
\nActually, I would love to, but it’s almost impossible because all books have to be approved my the Ministry of Education.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nI must have misheard those phrases on TV.
\n<\/strong>
\nCan I ask you why you want to know such things?
\nCan I ask why you want to know things like that? (A-Z: such)
\n<\/strong>
\n\u201c\u91cd\u8907\u201d. It should be pronounced \u201c\u3061\u3087\u3046\u3075\u304f\u201d but many people pronounce it \u201c\u3058\u3085\u3046\u3075\u304f\u201d.
\n\u201c\u5f79\u4e0d\u8db3\u201d. It originally means that a role is poor for an actor. He\/she can do more. But nowadays, it is used as an actor doesn\u2019t have enough skill to play a role. Although I\u2019ve known this fact, I sometimes say it in wrong way. It\u2019s difficult to kick my habit.
\nThanks. I didn’t know that.
\n<\/strong>
\nSome people mentioned about \u201c\u5168\u7136+\u80af\u5b9a\u6587\u201d. I
\nSome people mentioned… (No need for “about” after “mention” or “discuss.”)
\n<\/strong>
\nDavid, did you have any experience where you feel that the words are difficult to write in katakana?
\nYes. Katakana was one of the most difficult things to learn because I already know the English pronunciation of the words. It is very strange to have to learn to pronounce them “wrongly.”
\nThe day before yesterday, when I was wondering which lotion I should buy at a cosmetic corner in a supermarket, a baby girl around 2 in a bay buggy suddenly pointed at me and said,\u201d\u30b9\u30ab\u30fc\u30c8!\u201d Yes, I was wearing the skirt that day. Her mother looked embarrassed, but that baby girl kept saying when she saw women wearing skirt.
\nMy nephew Max was in a supermarket with his mother one day, and he picked up a bar of chocolate. His mother got angry and said, “Put the chocolate down” in a very stern voice. As they got near the checkout, Max saw a very fat lady picking up some chocolate, so he ran over to her and shouted, “Put the chocolate down!”<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nSorry about that. I have no idea why that would happen. As YU suggested, I recommend that you copy your comment before you post it. I will try to find out what the problem is.
\n<\/strong>
\nI have been too busy this week , so I could not translate since Wednesday.
\nI have been really busy this week, so I didn’t have time to start on the translation until Wednesday. (Thanks.)
\n<\/strong>
\nMacDonald\u2019s has three syllables, on the other hand, \u30de\u30af\u30c9\u30ca\u30eb\u30c9 has six syllables. If one asks native speakers of English, \u201cWhere is \u30de\u30af\u30c9\u30ca\u30eb\u30c9?\u201d, they will scratch their heads. So, when you are visiting English speaking countries, pronounce McDonald\u2019s correctly!
\nVery true!
\n<\/strong>
\nWere you already a language expert as now you are when you were a police officer?
\nNo, I wasn’t. I learnt all this stuff after I became a teacher because I was embarrassed that I didn’t know it.
\n<\/strong>
\nDid you always manage to write and tell the \u201ccorrect\u201d English words or phrases mentioned above when you lived in the UK?
\nNo. I was always good at spelling, but I was very iffy on apostrophes!
\n<\/strong>
\nThat’s all the feedback for today, but I wanted to share a couple of other things with you.<\/p>\n