ANMI English Tips & Tools: 2008

2008-12-03

Appointment

How can we best use "待ち合せ" in an English sentence? The プログレッシブ英和中辞典 lists the term "待ち合せ" as appointment (among others). Here is an example from the same dictionary:

彼と駅前で待ち合わせることにした。
I arranged to meet him in front of the station.

Many English students tend to use the word "appointment" when describing "待ち合せ" in an English sentence. For example, the following sentence comes from the homework assignment of one of our students:

I appointment my friend in front of the station at ten o'clock.

First, we need to make a few corrections to the above sentence:

I made an appointment to meet my friend in front of the station at ten o'clock.

If our student used a dictionary, he might have written:

I arranged to meet my friend in front of the station at ten o'clock.

However, I think most native English speakers from the States would most likely not use the words "arrange" nor "appointment." Here is an example of what I might say in the same situation:

1. I made plans to meet my friend in front of the station at ten o'clock.
2. I had plans to meet my friend in front of the station at ten o'clock.
3. I have plans to meet my friend in front of the station at ten o'clock.
4. I plan to meet my friend in front of the station at ten o'clock.

Can you think of any other examples? Feel free to ask me any questions you may have in our next class.

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アンミ英会話教室
２３４－００５３神奈川県横浜市港南区日野中央２－６－３
パークサイド日野１０２号
http://www.anmi-eikaiwa.com/ | support@anmi-eikaiwa.com
Tel. 045-841-4218 | Fax 045-841-4288
携帯リンク http://www.anmiweb.com/mobile/

2008-11-24

Sunday and the First Day of the Week

Ms. T.Y. of last Sunday's class asked why Saturday and Sunday are called the "weekend" in English when many calendars--especially from the U.S.--show Sunday as the first day of the week?

It was not easy to find information to answer this question, but I think I have a basic understanding of the circumstances that led to the current calendar we use often in the U.S.

First, we must keep in mind that this explanation relies on the following type week, which starts on Sunday (Day 1) thru Saturday (Day 7).

|Sun. (1)|Mon. (2)|Tue. (3)|Wed. (4)|Thu. (5)|Fri. (6)|Sat. (7)|

The names of the days in English originate from Latin, which came from Rome, which came from Ancient Egypt astrology. The names of the days and their order have basically remained unchanged since 1,400 B.C.

Monday means the moon, Tuesday means Mars, Wednesday means Mercury, Thursday means Jupiter, Friday means Venus, Saturday means Saturn, and Sunday means the sun.

It is not clear which day was the "first" day thousands of years ago, but for the same thousands of years, it is clear that the order of the days (moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, etc.) has been fairly consistent among different ancient languages (Sumerian, Babylonian, Greek, Latin).

Although the International Standards Organization (ISO) has decided that Monday is the first day of the week, which has been officially recognized by calendars in many European countries, many business and social calendars in the UK, the US, Canada, and Australia indicate Sunday as the first day of the week.

In Jewish tradition, the 7th day was the day of rest (Genesis 2:3, Hebrew Bible). That day is called Shabbat or Shabbos in Hebrew. In English, this day is referred to as the Sabbath, or "the day of rest" as indicated in the Bible. In Hebrew, each week has seven days. The names of those days are: First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Shabbat (meaning Sabbath). Today, Shabbat is observed on Saturday. This shows Saturday has been the 7th day of the week for thousands of years among the Jews.

There is a similar pattern in Ancient Greek where Sunday comes before Monday. In Ancient Greek, the Greek word for Monday means second, the Greek word for Tuesday means third, the Greek word for Wednesday means fourth, the Greek word for Thursday means fifth, and so on.

Two centuries ago, the first Christians were Jews, so the seventh continued to be the day to observe the Sabbath. By c. 150 AD, many Christians were observing the Sabbath on the first day of the week as a weekly memorial of Jesus Christ's resurrection, which the Bible states occurred "very early on the first day after the Sabbath" (Mk 16:2). Remember that in those days, the Sabbath was on the seventh day. And since the remembrance of Christ's resurrection occurred on the next day, this lead to the first day of the week becoming the observance of the Sabbath among Christians.

Then, in 321, Constantine I, the first Christian ruler of the Roman Empire, decreed "dies Solis," or day of the Sun (day 1 of the week) as the Roman day of rest in the same manner as the Jewish Shabbat.

So, Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week. Christ resurrected on the next day after Shabbat (the first day of the Jewish week). In Rome, the first day of the week, which was also the same day Christ resurrected, was called "the day of the Sun". In German, "dies Solis" became Sontag. In English, Sontag became Sunday.

Ancient Egypt influenced the Romans. The Jews influcenced the Christians. The combination of Christian Romans influenced the Germans, which eventually gave us the word Sunday.

The 7th day of the Jewish week gave gave rise to the Sabbath. The rise of the Christians and Roman influence gave rise to Sunday becoming the 1st day and the day of the Sabbath (among Christians). These concepts probably explain why Sunday is day 1 on the calendar and why Christians observe the Sabbath on that day.

However, in modern culture, Saturday and Sunday are considered to be the "weekend," which reflects that fact that for most of us, our week at work or school "starts" on Monday. It seems logical then that the ISO would make Monday day 1 and Sunday day 7.

Basically, we seem to have two systems working at the same time that are in conflict with each other: calendars with Sunday being day 1, but the majority of us living our lives with Monday being day 1.

So, which kind of calendar to you like? Do you prefer calendars that start on Monday or calendars that start on Sunday?

As for me, I set my personal online calendars at Yahoo and Google so that Monday is the first day. My PDA and cell phone calendars are also set so that Monday is the first day. Finally, I use a day planner that shows Monday as the first day.

By the way, if you found any inaccuracies in this post, please feel free to let me know. If anyone knows of any resource that explains this issue in a simpler manner, please let me know!

References:
1. Judeo-Christian. Answers.com. Wikipedia, Wikipedia, 2008.http://www.answers.com/topic/judeo-christian-2, accessed November 23, 2008
2. Constantine I The Great. Answers.com. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2006.http://www.answers.com/topic/constantine-i-the-great, accessed November 23, 2008.
3. Constantine I The Great. Answers.com. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, Columbia University Press., 2003.http://www.answers.com/topic/constantine-i-the-great, accessed November 23, 2008.
4. Constantine I The Great. Answers.com. Wikipedia, Wikipedia, 2008. http://www.answers.com/topic/constantine-i-the-great, accessed November 23, 2008.
5. Apostolic Letter Dies Domini of the Holy Father John Paul II to the Bishops, Clergy and Faithful of the Catholic Church on Keepiong the Lord's Day Holy (http://tinyurl.com/13x9)
6. Wikipedia contributors, "Shabbat," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shabbat&oldid=253522435 (accessed November 23, 2008).
7. Wikipedia contributors, "Sabbath," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sabbath&oldid=253553953 (accessed November 23, 2008).
8. Wikipedia contributors, "Hebrew calendar," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hebrew_calendar&oldid=253573134 (accessed November 23, 2008).
9. Wikipedia contributors, "Week," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Week&oldid=253312794 (accessed November 23, 2008)
10. Wikipedia contributors, "Days of the week," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Days_of_the_week&oldid=253348867 (accessed November 23, 2008).
11. The Days of the Week (http://tinyurl.com/5d2d4m)
12. Which is the First Day of the Week: Sunday or Monday? (http://tinyurl.com/5wvtus)
13. Subject: Is Sunday or Monday the first day of the week? (http://tinyurl.com/5uy8d2)
14. Slater, Thomas. "Sunday." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 24 Nov. 2008 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14335a.htm>.
15. Why do Christians Worship on Sunday? (http://tinyurl.com/5s5894)
16. The Week (http://tinyurl.com/5uxba3)
17. Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (http://tinyurl.com/59b9wp)

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Kanagawa prefecture or Kanagawa Prefecture? [Update]

Notes from the YT Class:

I would like to start my class earlier if possible?
I would like to move my class up from 9:30 to 8:30 if possible.

Capitalization of Location Names in Japan:

Rule No. 1

Don't capitalize EVERY letter. 全大文字で書くの論理的な理由がありません。

For example, we don't write Paris as PARIS, New York as NEW YORK, or Baghdad as BAGHDAD. So, don't write Tokyo as TOKYO. Furthermore, city names are never written in all caps in Newsweek, the Washington Post, Japan Times, Nikkei Weekly, etc.

So, if you learned the strange habit of writing Tokyo as TOKYO from your teachers or professors, please stop it when communicating in English.

Japanese addresses consist of the following components:

都 (to) or 府 (fu): metropolis
県 (ken) or 道 (do): prefecture
市 (shi): city
郡 (gun): rural area
区 (ku): ward
町 (chou or machi): town
村 (mura): village
丁目 (chome): district
番地 (banchi) or 番 (ban): block

When including the name of a metropolis, prefecture, city, etc., in your English communication, the rules regarding the use of address components are not concrete. When I write, I prefer to consider what is easiest to understand for a reader not familiar with the Japanese language. I also look at how some international English publications (New York Times, Nikkei Weekly, Herald Review, etc.) use names of locations in Japan in their publications.

Here are some examples that I suggest to students at アンミ英会話教室：

Questionable → Preferred

Kanto Region → Kanto region
Chiba-ken → Chiba Prefecture
Chiba prefecture → Chiba Prefecture
Hiratsuka-shi → Hiratsuka
Hiratsuka city → Hiratsuka
Hiratsuka City → Hiratsuka
Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken → Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Yokohama city, Kanagawa prefecture → Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Yokohama City, Kanagawa Prefecture → Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Suginami-ku, Tokyo-to → Suginami Ward, Tokyo
Suginami Ward, Tokyo Metropolis → Suginami Ward, Tokyo
Suginami ward, Tokyo metropolis → Suginami Ward, Tokyo

References:

1. CD-ビジネス技術実用英語大辞典
2. The Nikkei Weekly
3. Newsweek
4. The Japan Times

Updated November 23, 2008

Here are some more examples that are related to the topic of this post:

Saitama Prefecture town of Kisai ("Prefecture capitalized; "town" not capitalized)
The municipalities, which also include Kitakyushu City in Fukuoka Prefecture, Toyama City in Toyama Prefecture, Minamata City in Kumamoto Prefecture and two Hokkaido municipalities -- Obihiro City and the town of Shimokawa (Note that "City" is capitalized and included with the city name, which may have been done to clarify the fact that Shimokawa is not a "city" but a town. Otherwise, I would have dropped each "City".)
Tokyo's Kabuto-cho
Owani-cho, Aomori Prefecture
Misasa-cho, Tottori Prefecture
Kusatsu-cho, Gunma Prefecture
Kamiyama-cho condo in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward
the Kawasaki Minato-cho outlet
Yurakucho and Otemachi areas
in Koto Ward and Higashikurume, a city in western Tokyo
Saitama's Omiya Ward
Joyever Corp., 4-17 Takada-cho, Amagasaki, Hyogo Prefecture
Kabuto-cho, Japan's center of stock exchange
Unico Corp., 1-4-22 Nakakoyo-cho, Sakai-ku, Sakai, Osaka Prefecture (Note that "-ku" is used for a mailing address as opposed to syntax in a sentence.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government offices in Shinjuku district

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2008-10-30

email or emails

Is email (e-mail) singular or plural? Do you write or say "email" or "emails"?

In short, emails or e-mails is fine. So, why is this a question for English students and native English speakers alike?

Let's take a look at the history of term.

Starting in 1985, America Online (AOL) offered online email services to Commodore computer users. Originally, the term was "electronic mail message." Since then, the term "email" has evolved rather quickly compared to other words in the English language, which is a common phenomenon for many computer or information technology (IT) terms.

Here is a simple list that shows the transformation of today's topic:

electronic mail message(s)
electronic mail (message/messages)
E-mail message(s)
E-mail (message/messages)
e-mail(message/messages)
email message(s)
emails (e-mails)

Regarding standard mail or "snail mail" that is delivered to your address by the post office, we do not say "I received three mails today," nor do we say "I received three mail today." Rather, we say "letters," "bills," or "pieces of mail."

References and further reading:

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2008-08-16

Upset or Upset?

The word "upset" has many meanings, which you can find here. For today's post, I want to concentrate more on two usages often confused by students at アンミ英会話教室.

1. upset - feel angry (ろうばいさせる)
2. upset - feel deeply saddened, distressed, or disturbed (心をかき乱す)

Here are some examples for the first meaning:

1. upset - feel angry (ろうばいさせる)

He was upset because his teenage daughter got pregnant.

He was angry because his teenage daughter got pregnant.

He was upset because somebody scratched his new Ferrari.

He was upset because somebody scratched his new Ferrari.

2. upset - feel deeply saddened, distressed, or disturbed (心をかき乱す)

She was upset over the death of her pet.

She was saddened over the death of her pet.

She was upset because the doctor told her she had cancer.

She felt depressed because the doctor told her she had cancer.

When was the last time you felt upset? Do you feel upset when you miss your train to work? Have you ever felt upset about not passing an exam? Since this is the obon time of year in Japan, you probably felt upset when a friend or family member passed away, right?

Please share your ideas and expressions by clicking on the "Comments" link below!

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2008-06-24

Skipping Class?

What should you say if you need to skip or cancel your class at ANMI Eikaiwa? Let's take a look at a recent email I received from a new student:

こんばんは。
急用のため、本日お休みいたします。
また、来週よろしくお願いたします。

First, we need to choose a good subject (件名) line. Here are a few ideas:

Notice of Absence (欠席の知らせ)
Notice of Cancellation (キャンセルの知らせ)

Second, we need to make a greeting (挨拶). To a customer or boss use this style:

Dear Mr. Suzuki:
Dear Mrs. Jones:
Dear Ms. Keiko Matsuda:
Dear Professor Watanabe:
Dear Dr. Sorensen:

When sending email to a friend, family member, or if you are the customer, use this style:

Dear Chip,
Dear Chikako,
Dear MasterCard Customer Support,
Dear Family,
Dear Friends,

One point! There is NO space between the last letter and a colon or comma.

Third, let's make some sample text for your email.

Good morning. (おはようございます。)
Good afternoon. (こんにちは。)
Good evening. (こんばんは。)

I had a sudden change of plans. (急用のため、本日お休みいたします。)
I am not feeling well today. (ちょっと調子が悪い。)
I have to work overtime tonight. (今晩、残業がある。)

So, I have to cancel my class tonight. (だから、私は今晩クラスをキャンセルします。)
So, I cannot attend my class tonight. (だから、私は今晩欠席します。)

I will see you in class next week. (また、来週よろしくお願いたします。)
I will send email to reschedule my next class. (次回のレッスンの予約をメールでします。)

Finally, we need to provide a closing. There are many options to choose from. Here are some examples:

Sincerely,
Best regards,
Yours sincerely,
Sincerely yours,
Thank you,

Point: Be sure to only capitalize the first word and to add a comma at the end.

Last, add your name or full name if appropriate. It is also a good idea to add your contact information. For example:

Example 1.

Chip
support@anmi-eikaiwa.com
045-841-4218

Example 2.

Chip Sorensen

アンミ英会話教室
Tel 045-841-4218
Fax 045-841-4288
support@anmi-eikaiwa.com
Ｐ.Ｃ.サイト： http://www.anmi-eikaiwa.com/
携帯サイト： http://www.anmiweb.com/mobile/

Here is the final version of the following Japanese:

こんばんは。
急用のため、本日お休みいたします。
また、来週よろしくお願いたします。

Subject: Notice of Absence

Dear Chip,

Good evening. I had a sudden change of plans. So, I cannot attend my class tonight. I will see you in class next week.

Best regards,

Taro Suzuki
090-XXXX-XXXX
taro.suzuki@anmi-eikaiwa.com

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2008-06-23

Pull an All-nighter

Do you work overtime very much? One of our students pulls all-nighters at least three or four times a week.

Today's key word is all-nighter. The term "all-nighter" is an informal term that means a night during which you work or study all night long instead of sleeping.

Japanese: 徹夜する；一晩中続く；徹夜の仕事；徹夜の勉強
Function: noun (countable)
Plural: all-nighters
Status: informal
Spelling: all nighter or all-nighter

Examples:

I have to pull an all nighter to finish my presentation on time.
Avoid pulling an all nighter by keeping up with your study schedule.
Senators pulled an all-nighter for a debate on the Iraq War.

Real-World Applications:

Email from my brother date July 2005:

"I better get back to work. I am here at the office pulling an all-nighter, have a deadline tomorrow."

Homework assignment from student:

"I'm going to book a room for us tomorrow because we might pull an all-nighter that day."

Discussion:

When was the last time you pulled an all nighter? What did you do to help stay awake?
Would you quit your job if you had to pull many all nighters at your job?
Do you think pulling an all nighter always leads to karoshi (death brought on by overwork or job-related exhaustion)?

Interesting Reading:

How can someone stay awake for 11 days?
Have you ever pulled an all-nighter to study or finish a project? How about doing it for 11 days in a row? A man in Cornwall, England, actually went 11 consecutive days without a wink of sleep. Learn how he did it and why you shouldn't attempt it.

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2008-06-11

Pizazz or Pizzazz

Do you have pizazz? Can you think of a movie or song that has lots of pizazz? Can you guess what pizazz means? Read these example sentences:

We need someone with youth, glamour, and pizzazz. (OXFORD現代英英辞典コンパクト版)
The young actress has a lot of pizazz. (The Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
The song has plenty of pizazz. (The Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Pizazz or pizzazz means to have a lively and exciting quality or style. In Japanese, pizazz can be translated as: 元気、活気、気力、熱意

Real World Usage at CNN.com/Entertainment:

Add pizzazz to your party
Floor-als

By Madeline Wolf
InStyle
Wednesday, November 13, 2002 Posted: 3:05 PM EST (2005 GMT)

Tiny buds on a table are lovely, but for a more powerful statement, go for dramatic florals on the floor.

Buy oversize translucent colored-glass vases and fill them with tall blooms, such as honeysuckle, gladioli or even branches -- they look great with bamboo or pussy willows.

Clump a few of these statuesque vases together for maximum effect.

For four more entertaining ideas go to: Change of Place | With a Twist | Tasty Tidbits | Party Prep
Find this article at:
http://edition.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/11/13/in.hot.style.party/index.html

Here is a very silly video by Pizazz Pictures:

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2008-05-24

Classroom Interaction with Your Teacher

Here are a list of questions that you can ask your English teacher in the classroom, or ask the other person you are having a conversation with. Some of these questions can be especially useful if you are talking on the phone!

What do you mean?

それはどういう意味ですか？

How do you pronounce this word?

この単語[単語を指差しながら]をどう発音するのですか？

How do you say ～* in English?

～は英語でどう言うのですか？
*Add a Japanese word here (日本語の単語を言いながら)

What do you call this in English? // What do you call that in English?

"this"または"that"をいいながら、指指して下さい。

How do you spell “～*”?

～はどのようにつづるのですか？
*Add the word in English here (英語の単語を言いながら）

How do you say ～* in Japanese?

～は日本語でどう言うのですか？
*Add an English word here (英語の単語を言いながら)

Can you think of other questions you want to ask? Let me know by clicking on "Comments."

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2008-05-19

アンミ英会話教室モバイルリンク

We have updated several pages of the cell/pda version of アンミ英会話教室.

Point you cell phone/smartphone camera at the following QR Code and visit our new Links and regularly updated Calendar pages:

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2008-05-18

Earthquake Richter Scale Japanese Scale of Intensity

In Japan (and Taiwan), earthquakes are measured in units intensity, or shindo (震度). Shindo indicates the strength of earthquakes or literally the degree of shaking. The shindo scale is determined by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA--English / Japanese). A detailed description of the JMA shindo scale can be found at Wikipedia (English / Japanese).

The shindo scale provides a number that tells the public how an earthquake affected their immediate area. Of course, such information would be very helpful before an earthquake occurs. However, technology is not advanced enough yet. So, for now, the shindo scale can only tell us how sever an earthquake was only after it has occurred. In reality, such information is useless to people who have suffered the earthquake itself. If a shindo scale earthquake of 6 or 7 arrived in my area, I would know it before the JMA announced such information on TV or the radio. So, I guess such information would only be valuable to my friends, relatives, and emergency personnel.

In the rest of the world, the Richter scale is used. This includes news sites reporting on the recent earthquake in China.

For example:

The Hindu

Quakes between 5-5.9 on the Richter scale numbered 20, while quakes between 6-6.9 on the Richter scale numbered 3.

Reuters

At least 8,500 people were killed in Sichuan province alone after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit the region.

CNN

China's Xinhua news agency reported Wednesday that the death toll from the quake - which measured 7.9 on the Richter scale - had risen to 14,866.

BBC

Around 400 people die when an earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale strikes Ducze, in north-west Turkey.

Nikkei News Interactive

The magnitude 7.2 quake struck at 6:33 a.m. in the area of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region's border with the Tibet Autonomous Region, and was followed by two strong aftershocks -- registering M5.3 and M5.5 -- within an hour, the USGS said on its website.

So, the next time you discuss the intensity of an earthquake with non-Japanese, you might want to explain the JMA shindo scale, or check the Internet and find the Richter scale number for the earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey monitors earthquakes all over the world, so you can visit their website for the latest info in English.

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2008-04-05

Half Blossom?

Amazon.co.jp ウィジェット

How would you express "五部咲き" in English? Let's break the phrase down:

五 (go) means five.
部 (bu) means part.
咲き (saki/-zaki) means bloom or blossom.

There are several Japanese websites that have translated the phrase "五部咲き" as "half bloom" or "half bloomed," but such a phrase is ambiguous; half of the trees are in full bloom and half of the trees are not; all the blossoms are in half bloom; or half of the blossoms on each tree are in full bloom and the other half are not.

Horticulturists working for the National Park Service at the National Mall & Memorial Parks in Washington D.C. take a scientific approach to expressing the various stages of cherry blossoms.

Bud stage 1: You can see green buds from late February to early March.
Bud stage 2: You can see the florets in March, which means there are about 16 to 21 days until peak (full) bloom.
Bud stage 3: You can see the florets starting to extend, which means there are about 12 to 17 days until peak bloom.
Bud stage 4: You can see the peduncle getting longer, which means there are about 6 to 10 days until full bloom.
Bud stage 5: The buds start to appear puffy white, which means there are about 4 to 6 days before full bloom.

Unless you are a horticulturist or tree grower, most people may not know words like floret and peduncle. So, what is the best way to express the various stages of cherry blossoms in everyday English? Since the concept of 花見, or cherry blossom viewing, is limited to only a few cities in North America, I would suggest you use simple and easily understood phrases. For example:

The cherry blossoms are in full bloom today.
The cherry blossoms are at their peak today.
The cherry blossoms will be in full bloom this weekend.
The cherry blossoms will be at their peak this weekend.
The cherry trees have only partially blossomed so far.
The cherry trees are almost in full bloom.
The cherry trees are nearly in full bloom.
Only half of the buds or so have blossomed.
Only half of the blossoms or so are in full bloom.
The cherry trees haven't fully bloomed yet.
The cherry blossoms haven't fully blossomed yet.

I found one Japanese website that has pictures of the varying degrees of cherry blossom in excruciating detail. To be perfectly honest, I couldn't tell much difference between some of the pictures. For example:

5分咲き
7分咲き
1分咲きも
8部咲き
全景4部咲き
全景5部咲き
つぼみふくらむ
3～5分咲き
つぼみ
満開
ほぼ満開
満開近し

Trying to express these varying degrees of cherry blossoms to someone from outside of the Far East might be a fruitless endeavor. Personally, I would use the following phrases:

The cherry trees are going to blossom pretty soon.
The cherry trees are in full blossom now.
Most of the cherry blossoms are gone.

Remember, the main point is just to enjoy the cherry blossoms, so get out and enjoy the beautiful blossom in all their splendor while you can!

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NIGHT CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWNG TOP 10 RANKING Otherworldly Experience With Lit Up Cherry Blossoms At Night
1	Hirosaki Park, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture Blossoms on about 2600 cherry trees waft in the nightly air during the Hirosaki Sakura Matsuri (Hirosaki Cherry Festival). Night light-up period: April 23 - May 5, sunset to 11 pm.
2	Takato Joshi Park (park in the ruins of the Takato castle), Ina City, Nagano Prefecture About 1500 cherry trees, mostly strains inherent in the area, are in bloom for about two weeks. Night light-up period: About two weeks from mid-April, sunset to 10 pm.
3	Hinokinaigawa-Tsutsumi (riverbank), Bukeyashiki-Dori (samurai residence alley), Senboku City, Akita Prefecture Cherry blossom viewing in two different types of atmosphere. Night light-up period: Mid-April to early May, sunset to midnight for the riverbank, 6:30 pm-10:30 pm for the alley.
4	Takada Park, Joetsu City, Niigata Prefecture The park is lit up during the cherry blossom viewing festival around the Takada Castle. Night light-up period: April 4-20, sunset to 11 pm.
5	Chidorigafuchi Ryokudo, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo Rows of about 260 cherry trees lining the moat of the Imperial Palace are reflected on the water. Night light-up period: March 28 - April 6, sunset to 10 pm.
6	Kiyomizu-dera, (Kiyomizu Temple), Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto Visitors can enjoy both cherry blossoms and a view of Kyoto in the evening. Night light-up period: March 29-April 10, 6:30pm-9:30pm (special night viewing)
7	Rikugien (Garden), Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo Enjoy the otherworldly view of 17m-wide cascading blossoms on 70-year-old trees. Night light-up period: March 20-30, sunset to 8:30 pm.
8	Maruyama Park, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto Cherry trees about 80 years old are in full bloom, aesthetically lit up in the night sky. Night light-up period: March 10 - April 15, sunset to 1 am next day.
9	Miidera (Temple), Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture Free access to the mountain temple while the cherry blossoms are lit up in the evening. Night light-up period: April 1-17, 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm
10	Hamarikyu Onshi Teien (Garden), Chuo-ku, Tokyo Cherry blossoms of about 80 trees are reflected on the lake water as they are lit up with high-rise buildings in the background. Night light-up period: April 12-20, sunset to 8:30 pm.
Note: The period and hours during which the cherry blossoms are lit up are shown. They are subject to change just before the stated period depending on the level of blooming. Some places charge visitors for viewing.

(The Nikkei Plus 1 Saturday edition)

References:

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2008-03-22

Siamese Twins

Henry Watson Fowler (1858 - 1933) used the term Siamese twins to refer to groups of words that are joined by and or or. One critical point about Siamese twins is that you cannot reverse the words. For example, black and white but not white and black.

Here is a list of other word pairs that I think are more common everyday conversation:

back and forth: 前後に(= to and fro), (前後[左右]に)行ったり来たり
The lawyers argued back and forth.
bells and whistles: 必要とはされないが楽しいまたはあると便利なソフト機能
New cell phones have a lot of unnecessary bells and whistles.
black and blue: （打撲で）青黒いあざになった
My arms and legs were black and blue after the motorcycle accident.
cat and mouse: 猫とネズミ：ネズミになった子が猫になった子につかまらないようにして遊ぶ遊戯
The CIA and KGB played deadly cat and mouse games during the Cold War.
down and out: 一文なし
He was down and out after losing all of his money at the casino.
here and there: あちこち
The young man lived here and there before settling down and getting married.
high and dry: 見捨てられている
We were left high and dry when our company moved to China.
ins and outs: ノウハウ; 何もかも
The engineer worked hard to learn the ins and outs of the system.
knife and fork (not fork and knife)

ladies and gentlemen (never gentlemen and ladies)

lost and found: 遺失物取扱所
I went to the station lost and found to get my wallet back.
loud and clear: はっきりと分かる
It was loud and clear that he was angry after slamming the door shut.
mother and father (not father and mother)

night and day: 昼も夜も休まずに
We worked night and day to meet the deadline.
nuts and bolts: 基本を心得ている
You can't move to a higher level until you learn the nuts and bolts.
pros and cons: メリットとデメリット; 利点と不利点]
Using a credit card has its pros and cons.
sick and tired: 嫌気が差す, うんざりする
I am sick and tired of her constant complaining.
stop and go: のろのろ[運転]
I was stuck in stop-and-go traffic for three hours.
thick and thin: 楽な時もつらい時も
Their marriage survived through thick and thin.
tooth and nail: 猛烈に戦う
Hillary Clinton is fighting tooth and nail to become the next president.

Here are a few more phrases. What do you think they mean? Please leave a comment or ask me in class!

touch and go
up and coming
all or nothing
day or night
more or less
rain or shine
sink or swim
sooner or later
black and white
give and take
hit and miss

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2008-03-15

Hay Fever

If you visit the アンミ英会話教室 these days, you might hear the following conversation:

Student: Did you catch a cold?
Chip: No, I have hay fever.
Student: Really? I am sorry to hear that. How long have you been suffering from hay fever?
Chip: I've been suffering from hay fever ever since I was a baby.
Student: Huh? Do you have hay fever in the States, too?
Chip: Yes, of course. Hay fever is a common ailment all over the world--not just Japan.
Student: Oh, I didn't know that. I thought it was only caused by Japanese cedar trees.
Chip: Oh, no. Hay fever is caused by almost any pollen.

Well, this week has been a very tough time for me because of my hay fever. How about you? Are you suffering from hay fever?

Today's post is related to hay fever terminology and useful conversational phrases.

Here is a few list of important terms:

1. Hay fever (everyday English): 花粉症 (hay: 干し草、まぐさ; fever: 熱)
2. Pollinosis (medical English): 花粉症
3. Symptoms: 症状、症候、兆候
4. Sneezing: くしゃみ
5. Runny nose: 鼻水の垂れている鼻
6. Watery eyes: 目が潤む、涙が止まらない
7. Postnasal drip: 後鼻漏
8. Sore throat: 咽喉炎
9. Nasal congestion: 鼻詰まり、鼻閉
10. Ear pressure: 中耳圧
11. Sleep disturbances: 睡眠障害
12. Nasal discharge: 水様鼻汁分泌
13. Medicine: 薬、医薬
14. Antihistamine: 抗ヒスタミン剤
15. Eye drops: 目薬
16. Face mask/facial mask: フェイス・マスク
17. Itchy eyes: 目が痒い［ムズムズする］
18. Pollen: 花粉
19. Handkerchief/hankie: ハンカチ、ハンカチーフ
20. Kleenex: ティッシュ（ペーパー）(商標であるが、米国では tissue と言わずに Kleenex と言うことが多い.)

References:

1. American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
2. Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine
3. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
4. 英辞郎　第三版

Next, let's review a few phrases related to allergies:

1. I have hay fever.
2. How is your hay fever?
3. I am suffering from hay fever.
4. My hay fever is bothering me (a lot) today.
5. I am dealing with hay fever today.
6. My hay fever is really bad today.
7. My hay fever is killing me today.
8. Do you have hay fever?
9. What do you take for your hay fever?
10. Do you take anything for your hay fever?
11. Do facial masks really work?
12. Pollen is flying all over the place today.

Hay fever is caused by pollen from trees, grass, or weeds. Although hay fever is often caused by pollen from ceder trees in Japan, people like me suffer from pollen from almost any kind of tree, grass, or weed. In fact, I suffered from hay fever from March to October every year when I was a boy. Since I grew up on a farm in the Rocky Mountains, pollen from ragweed, alfalfa, corn, ceder trees, barely, wheat, Chinese elm trees, pine trees, and many more bothered me spring, summer, and fall. Since moving to Japan, I only suffer from hay fever during spring. Life is a lot easier for me in Japan!

Here are some interesting statistics regarding Japan and the States.

1. The approximate number of people suffering from hay fever:
Japan: 15 million
U.S.A: 34 million

2. The Thursday, February 14, 2008 edition of The Nikkei Business Daily reported that Japanese businesspeople would be happy to almost one month's salary for a cure to their hay fever, according to a survey of 412 men and women aged 20 to 39 by GlaxoSmithKline KK.

3. Hay fever was virtually unknown before 1800 and has become common only in the past 100 years. "All the epidemiological studies published in the past couple of years agree there's a trend to more allergy and lots of things are probably contributing, including the excessive use of antibiotics, poor diets lacking in antioxidants, pollution, and even the fact that improved hygiene means our immune systems are not being challenged by bacteria as often as they were," said Jean Emberlin of NPARU.

If you have five minutes to waste, please enjoy this video titled Hay Fever Blues:

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Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.1 Japan License.

2008-02-28

Vehicles + On or In?

How would you say, "電車に乗る" in English? Do you remember what you were taught in junior high school? Of course, the answer is, "ride on a train."

The phrase, "ride on a [something]" is perfectly fine for a wide range of vehicles. See the examples below:

1. ride on a ship
2. ride on a bicycle
3. ride on a bus
4. ride/sail on a ferry
5. ride on a/the subway
6. ride on a tricycle
7. ride on an airplane
8. ride on a horse
9. ride on a mule
10. ride/sail on a yacht*
11. ride on a/the train

* ヨット and yacht are not the same thing. Brits say "sailing boat" and Yanks say "sail boat." Check this link for pictures of some of the world's most beautiful yachts!

So what about cars, taxis, pickup trucks, and small sailing vessels? For these kinds of vehicles, we say as follows:

1. ride in a car
2. ride in a taxi
3. ride in a van
4. ride in a pickup truck
5. ride in a semi-trailer truck/tractor-trailer (トレーラー車)
6. ride in a rowboat
7. ride in a canoe
8. ride/sail in a sailboat

"What is the difference?" you ask.

If you can walk onto the vehicle and move around, such as on a bus, train, or ship, then use the preposition "on" with "ride." If you cannot walk into the vehicle, like a car, the cab of a tractor-trailer, sedan, etc., then use the preposition "in" with "ride."

Just be careful that you don't say, "I rode on the car," which evokes an image of you riding on the hood, trunk lid, or on the roof of the car!

Can you think of other types of vehicles that we can add to the lists above? Can you think of any unusual vehicles where we might be able to say "ride on" or "ride in"? Click on the comments link below and tell me what you think!

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2008-02-23

X-Box 360, PlayStation, Nintendo Wii

Since Toshiba pulled out of the high definition (HD) digital versatile disc (DVD) market, it looks like Sony's Blu-ray Disc will finally become the industry standard. Too bad for the folks who bought a HD DVD player. Since Sony lost the VHS vs. Betamax format war that started in the mid-1970s, winning the HD DVD vs. Blu-ray Disc format war must be very satisfying to the Sony Corporation.

In a related matter, the Microsoft Xbox 360 console has been shipped to the market with HD DVD compatibility, where the PSP3 console has been shipped with Blu-ray Disc compatibility.

This brings me to today's topic. How do you say ビデオゲーム、テレビゲーム、ファミコン、etc., in English?

Originally, the first video game consoles were released in the U.S. market in the late 1970s according to Wikipedia. Although The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition acknowledges the term, "video game," which is defined as, "An electronic or computerized game played by manipulating images on a video display or television screen."

Besides the term video game, we also use the term TV game in English as well. However, note that video game can refer to game consoles that can be played on on a TV or a computer video display, where TV games refers only to game consoles that can be played on a TV.

The phrase, Family Computer software (ファミコン), however, never really caught on in the English language. So, when enjoying your Xbox 360, PSP3, or Wii, be sure to use the term video game when talking about your favorite games in English.

I am not into video games, so if you have some ideas or comments related to today's topic, feel free to click on the link below and leave a comment!

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2008-02-16

In-Laws

How would you say 義理の親（配偶者の父または母）in English?

Some native English speakers might say, "parent-in-laws," which sounds natural to some ears, but the correct form is "parents-in-law." However, if you drop "parents," you can say "in-laws" which would include everybody: father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, etc.

Here is a short list of other nouns that have irregular plural forms:

・ father-in-law → fathers-in-law (義理の父)
・ mother-in-law → mothers-in-law (姑、義母)
・ brother-in-law → brothers-in-law (義理の兄弟、義兄、義弟)
・ sister-in-law → sisters-in-law (義理の姉)
・ attorney general → attorneys general or attorney generals (検事総長)
・ secretary-general → secretaries-general (事務総長)

Be careful with the usage of dashes. All of these nouns need a dash except for attorney general.

References:
1.
CD-The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language

2.

Browse FAQs | Ask a Question | Answer Questions

3.
英辞郎第三版

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2008-01-08

Notes from the January 7, 2007, KM Class

Today's keywords are お年玉 and 田舎.

In Japan, parents, grandparents, uncles, and aunts give young children and teenagers small envelopes of cash called otoshidama (お年玉) during the New Year's holidays.

Here are some examples of using お年玉 in English sentences.

Japan Wikipedia

I gave my nieces and nephews small envelopes of cash as a New Year's gift.
My son got 1,000 yen from his grandmother as a New Year's gift.

In Japanese, the word inaka (田舎) can be translated as hometown. Additionally, the word can also be defined as rural, rural area, or countryside.

Here are some examples of the word 田舎 in a few English sentences.

I went to my company's factory in a rural area in Tottori Prefecture.
I visited my wife's hometown in a rural town called Gamagori in Aichi Prefecture.

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