まるこちゃんのうた！（とてもembarrassingです）

ビデオブログーランドムストリー

夏休み

夏休みは　すぐに　はじまります。日本語のじゅぎょうは　おわりました。とてもかなしいです。でも、来年も日本語をべんきょうするよていです。

http://www.dltk-kids.com/pokemon/adoptions/143.gif(~Bye, y'all!)

夏休みに、私はドイツに行って、インタンシップをするつもりです。そのあとで、かんこくにいきます。というのは、かんこくに music festival があります。いい先生がいますから、私はバイオリンをべんきょうするよていです。先生は日本からきました。なまえは　はらだ　こいちろ　です。それから、たいわんに行って、しんぞくとあいたいです。そのあとで、家にかえります。夏休みはとてもいそがしいけど、たのしいとおもいます。

Whispers of the Heart
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie_6CDuae3kgol0exfuBus73-RMDbVwNtQEI35E40gchi791nd1GnnfYqg7UAfz2DSE4gBB7GMIXicJmiXw4lj28IJ8p_nTmvpbJUv4Y6pVQIYnMDhQZ3fHTiBS2mHTK0Dw9mECJSHdpiY/s1600/mimi4.png

ビデオブログ： ランドムのストリー！

Katakana Literary Work

ピザのはこ

はやくゴミばこで

ダートなる。

http://www.ecosalon.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/pizza1.jpg

かわのうえ

フワフワアヒル：

プラスチック。

http://www.jrcompton.com/photos/The_Birds/J/Jan-08/J106346-sixpack-duck.jpg

http://www.sustainablebags.net/news_for_susbags/Sea-Plastic-LN-PG5oct05a.jpg

Katakana Literary Work - first attempts!

これは川柳の "attempts" (アテップス）！

ええ、私はクレイジー アボウトグリーン。。。

#1

ピザボックス

ごみばこに

どじょうになる。

#2

かわいいダック

かわでフローティング

プラスチック。

Katakana Analaysis

Our Nakama textbook, and others like it, tends to emphasize that katakana is used for the large number of loan words in the Japanese vocabulary, as well as for onomatopoeias in writing. I find it surprising that Japanese has integrated so many more foreign loanwords than a language such as Chinese. For example, the word “chicken” is written “チキン,” but according to an article by Masaoki Tsudzuki of Hiroshima University, there are many breeds of native chickens in Japan, some of which were introduced to Japan over two thousand years ago.

Why is chicken still written in katakana, while there is a native Chinese word for the fowl? We can hypothesize that the introduction of chicken FOR FOOD might have occurred many years later, and may be a foreign concept. Another is example is the word “earring,” which also does not seem much like a “modern” recently-imported concept. But why has Japanese adopted the western pronunciation - イヤリング - while Chinese has found a way to account for the meaning of “earring” with traditional words - “耳环” (literally ‘ear ring’)?

I wonder what in Japanese history or the Japanese way of thinking has made it so globalized and open to international influence? In Japan’s period of isolation, which ended in the mid-1800s, Japan sought to block out foreign influence. But during the Meiji restoration, there was an massive campaign to modernize in the form of westernization. In fact, Japan even hired foreign experts to train their armies and provide consultation for various government facets. Perhaps it is a result of this period in Japan’s history that so many foreign words came to be embraced, and the legacy of the Meiji restoration never quite disappeared.

While browsing through Japanese media, I ran across many stylistic uses of katakana. For example, フレンチガール, or “french girl” from the cover of fashion magazine “Pinky” is used stylistically. There is a Japanese word for “girl,” so why not use that instead? I think that this is a stylistic choice, depending upon the context of the katakana, in this case a fashion magazine. Japanese 102 classmate Joshua also suggested that emphasizing the foreignness is a way of marketing of fashion.

Also, some technical terms, such as species names and medical terminology are written in katakana. For example, when referring to the species of 人, one may use katakana ヒト. Many other scientific terms are also written in katakana. I think that the purpose of this is to set these names apart from other usages of the word, and also to make words more readable by the general public.

Many company/brand names are written in both katakana AND English, and I think that this is to make the brand more internationally marketable but still readable by the Japanese general public at the same time. For example, on the cover of fashion magazine “SPUR” is displayed the English titled in large pink letters. In smaller letters, one can see the katakana transliteration - ”シュプール.” (Japanese 102 classmate Monica also suggested that this could be a way of teaching Japanese readers the correct pronunciation of the English title.) Other examples are Toyota and Honda, and other well-known car manufacturers.

Perhaps this use of katakana in conjunction with English names may also explain why Japan is one of the world’s most modern, top economies.

One remaining question that I had is whether or not katakana can be overused. In an effort to become globally marketable, is it possible that some companies could lose the favor of native Japanese readers/consumers? There are inevitably some native Japanese people who fear that Japan is “losing” its language and traditions by becoming too international, so Japanese companies and producers must strategically grapple with this balance as foreign influence becomes increasingly more difficult to resist.

好きな食べ物

私は　よく母と　りょうりを　作ります。母は　つくるのが　上手ですが、私は　上手じゃないです。　私は　たくさん食べて、ふとりました。これは　私の　家族の　晩ご飯です。

キムチパンケーキ　と　クラブケーキ　と　ブロッコリーを　作りました。

両親は　たいわんに　すんでいましたが、ようしょく　と　わしょくを　よく食べます。父はようしょくを作るのが上手です。

これは　私の　オートミールレーズンクッキーです。あまい食べものが　大好きです　＞d＜。

ざいりょうは　オートミールや　レーズンや　さとうです。　とてもやさしくて、たのしいです。

アメリカ人だから、あさごはんは　よくヨーグルトと　たまごと　くだものを　食べます。でも、両親はよく粥をたべます！

http://www.kelaizhoudao.com/images/small_img/20100827042603.jpg

Katakana Analysis Draft

www.tofugu.com

Our Nakama textbook, and others like it, tend to emphasize that katakana is used for the large number of loan words in the Japanese vocabulary, as well as for onomatopoeias in writing. I find it surprising that Japanese has integrated so many more foreign loanwords than a language such as Chinese. For example, the word “earring” does not seem much like a “modern” recently-imported concept. But why has Japanese adopted the western pronunciation - イヤリング - while Chinese has found a way to account for the meaning of “earring” with traditional words - “耳环” (literally ‘ear ring’)? I wonder what in Japanese history or the Japanese way of thinking has made it so globalized and open to international influence?

While browsing through Japanese media, I ran across many stylistic uses of katakana. For example, フレンチガール, or “french girl” from the cover of fashion magazine “Pinky” is used stylistically. There is a Japanese word for “girl,” so why not use that instead? I think that this is a stylistic choice, depending upon the context of the katakana, in this case a fashion magazine.

Also, many technical terms, such as species names and medical terminology are written in katakana. For example, when referring to the species of 人, one may use katakana ヒト. Many other scientific terms are also written in katakana. I think that the purpose of this is to set these names apart from other usages of the word, and also to make words more readable by the general public.

Many company/brand names are written in both katakana AND English, and I think that this is to make the brand more internationally marketable but still readable by the Japanese general public at the same time. For example, on the cover of fashion magazine “SPUR” is displayed the English titled in large pink letters. In smaller letters, one can see the katakana transliteration - ”シュプール.” Other examples are Toyota and Honda, and other well-known car manufacturers.

Perhaps this use of katakana in conjunction with English names may also explain why Japan is one of the world’s most modern, top economies.

http://techcrunch.com/2008/09/04/japan-gets-nfc-tag-equipped-movie-posters/

えいがのおんがく (Joe Hisaishi)

私は　おんがくが　大好きです。作曲家 Joe Hisaishi (久石譲)は　とてもゆうめいです。 ひさいしは　なかのからきました。おんがくは　ニューエイジです。ひさいしは　よく　えいがのおんがくを　こうせいします。ひさいしのおんがくは　みやざきはやお（Hayao Miyazaki) の　えいがにあります。とてもきれいですよ。たとえばとなりのトトロのおんがく　と　ハウルの動く城 のおんがくは　ひさいしのです。

(Howl's Moving Castle theme song - from Hisaishi's CD)

(Spirited Away - One Summer's Day live performance by Hisaishi)

(Totoro theme song - live performance by Hisaishi)

Cycle 3 Reflections

In Cycle 3, I was better about following my goals. My first goal was to practice saying the sentences in the Lab Assignments before writing them down, as the directions call for. After doing that, I feel that I am able to think faster and process the grammar without writing. I have made an effort to use more complex sentence structures when speaking, but maybe this is by nature of the new grammar we have learned, which forces us to expand our sentences! There is so much more freedom now in what we can say. My group finished our プリテレ broadcast first, and because of the project, I feel that my speaking has improved a good deal, at least on the lines that I wrote. In the broadcast, 私は　シェフで、よく　豆腐りょうりを　つくります。I go on to talk about how to make mapo tofu. I have also learned to improvise a bit whenever I forgot my lines.

It is hard to believe that at the beginning of this term, I did not know how to speak a word of japanese besides ありがとうございます and さようなら。Today speaking is still difficult, but it's surprising how much we know how to say, even if it is in simpler terms than we would normally use. In going through the PE cycles, I think the greatest thing I have gained is awareness and discipline when considering speaking. I am more critical of myself now and actively try to listen for intonation, stress, and flow. In addition, during the PE cycles I have exposed myself to aspects of today's Japanese media, such as songs and movies and radio, which served to increase my interest in modern Japanese culture. In this regard, I feel that I have gained a lot from the PE cycles.

Ryu Goto : Ravel Tzigane

Ryu Goto (五嶋龍) は　ゆうめな　Japanese-American バイオリニストです。Ryu は バイオリニストMidori Goto の おとうと　です。ハーバード大学 の　学生です。

Video: “Tzigane” by Maurice Ravel

私は　“Tzigane” がとても好きです。 “Tzigane” is a show-piece written by Maurice Ravel. I performed it in my Senior Recital last May. Ryu Goto’s version of “Tzigane” is one of my favorite.

http://www.ryugoto.com/eng/index.html

チカゴにいきませんか

ふゆやすみは　たのしくて、にぎやかです。私は　うちに　かえりました。　しゅつしんは　チカゴの　ちかくに　あります。　友だちと 電車で　チカゴに　いきました。

チカゴに　たくさん高いたてものが　あります。　それは　ジョン ハンコック　タワー です。　ジョン ハンコック　タワー の　トッ

プに　きさ店があります。

　　

john-hancock-tower-boston-ma072.jpg

それは チカゴの　“Bean” です。 “Bean”は　こうえんの中　にあります。 ゆうめなちょうぞうです。

そして、チカゴに　たくさん　デパートが　あります。一番ゆうめなデパートは　 Water Tower Place　です。

http://www.poorlittlerichgirls.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/water-tower.jpg

チカゴはとてもきれいですね。チカゴにいきませんか。