JapanesePod101.com Blog

Today, we bring you a blog post from Motoko, JapanesePod101.com lesson creator, host and Office Party Planner! Motoko will be sharing more bilingual posts on our blog, so check back often and leave a comment!

On the 17th of April here at Innovative Language Learning, we had an afternoon tea party.

Although Kim (a member of our Business Development Team) moved to Hong Kong, last week she came back to Japan for a brief visit, so it was her ‘welcome back’ party. Meanwhile, Pim (host of ThaiPod101.com) is going back to her home country to have her baby, so it was her ‘farewell’ party.

We all ate pastries, chatted, and enjoyed ourselves.

There was a choice of pastries: strawberry, green tea, custard… It was really hard to choose!

By the way, everyone, do you know what a shikishi is?

It’s a plain piece of card that measures roughly 20cm by 20cm. Actually, because it’s quite thick – about 3mm – it might be better to call it a board. It usually has a piece of Japanese paper pasted to one side of it. In Japan, when there’s a celebratory occasion, or someone is leaving, everyone writes a message on this piece of card. At ILL, too, when someone has something to celebrate or a staff member is leaving the company, we present them with a shikishi.

First of all, we write the name of the person in the middle. This time, it’s Pim. Then, so that the person we’re giving it to doesn’t see it while we’re writing on it, we put it inside the Secret File.

Everyone in the office then takes it in turns to write a message along the lines of ‘Congratulations!’ or ‘See you!’ before passing the card to the next person. Of course the company president also writes a personal message.

When everyone’s finished writing their messages, we decorate the card and make it cute and colourful.

Finally, we give it to Pim! She seemed really pleased with it.

Bonus : The True Face of ILL

—

ピムさんまたね＆キムさんお帰りなさい　ティーパ－ティ

4月17日イノベーティブランゲージラーニングで午後のお茶会をしました。

香港に引っ越したキムさんが一時来日したので、「お帰りなさい」パーティ
新しい家族を迎えるためにピムさんが帰国するので、「またね」パーティです。

みんなでお菓子を食べて、おしゃべりをして楽しみました。
お菓子には選択肢もあります。いちご・抹茶・カスタード・・・どれにしようか迷います。

ところで、みなさんは「色紙」を知っていますか。

20cm×20cmくらいの無地の紙です。でも3mmくらいの厚さがあるのでボードと言ったほうがいいかもしれません。たいてい和紙が表に貼ってあります。日本ではお祝い事やお別れのときに色々な人みんなで色紙にコメントを書きます。ILLでもスタッフが会社を辞めるときやお祝いの時に色紙を贈ります。
まず真ん中に送る人の名前を書きます。今回はピムさんですね。そして本人にばれないように秘密のファイルにはさみます。

一人ずつ「おめでとう」や「またね」などのコメントを書いて次の人に渡します。もちろん社長も直筆で書きます。

みんなが書き終わったらデコレーションをして可愛く華やかにしましょう。
最後にピムさんに渡しました。よろこんでくれたみたいです。

【おまけ】　ILLの本性

This lesson Will teach you some of the most commonly used and most hopeful expressions in Japanese.

sō ieba (そういえば)

• “speaking of which” or “now that you mention it, and you use it when you are reminded of something and want to talk about it.

toriaezu (とりあえず)

• A handy phrase that means, “in the meantime” or “for now.”

• Use it to talk about some kind of action you take or decision you make “in the meantime” because for now, you feel like it’s better than doing nothing.

ryōkai desu (了解です)

• Ryōkai is a word that means “comprehension” or “consent.” It is often used as an exclamation in the following ways: by itself (ryōkai!), with the copula desu (ryōkai desu!), and with the past tense verb shimashita (ryōkai shimashita!).

• These are all used to show that you have understood and will comply with what someone has told you.

tekitō ni (適当に)

•  an adjective that literally means “suitable” or “relevant.” When the particle ni (に) is added, however, it becomes an adverb.

• the original meaning was that the action was done properly, but recently it has started to mean that the action was done “half-heartedly” or “without much care.”

tashika ni (確かに)

• The phrase tashika ni (確かに) is often used as aizuchi, interjections that we say in response to someone who is speaking, When you use tashika ni after something that someone has said, it means that you agree with them on that point, even if you don’t agree with them on other things.

In this lesson, we’ll offer tips to help you overcome some common errors that learners of Japanese make.

Don’t Attach -san to Your Own Name!

• One of the first things English speakers learn in Japanese is name suffixes used when addressing other people. The most common one is -san, which we attach to people’s first or last names to show respect.

• Because we use -san to show respect for others, you should never use it to refer to yourself.

Watch Your Politeness Level!

• One of the unique aspects of Japanese is the varying politeness levels that change according to a number of factors: age and status of the speaker and listener, the speaker’s relationship with the listener, and so on.

• It is important to remember to speak formally to one’s teachers, elders, and anyone else who follows under the category of senpai, those who are of higher status.

Watch Your Gender!

• In the Japanese language, the speaker’s gender plays an important role in determining word choice, tone of voice, and the types of expressions used.

• Non-native male speakers in particular should be careful about the kind of language and intonation they pick up from female teachers as well as female friends or girlfriends.

Learn Your Long Vowels Now!

•  In Japanese, there is a big distinction between long vowels and short vowels. In fact, the distinction is so big that the length of a vowel can change the meaning of a word!

Watch Out for Similar Sounding Words!

• Because there are a relatively small number of possible sounds in Japanese, many words are exactly the same or almost the same but with different meanings.

The focus of this lesson is teaching you some very common Japanese expressions you might not learn from a Japanese teacher.
すごい

• (Sugoi) - An adjective meaning “wow,” “amazing,” or “great.” This word is commonly heard and is often used when one hears or sees something interesting or unusual.

バカ

• (Baka) -  A noun meaning “idiot” or “fool.” When used as baka na (バカな), it becomes an adjective meaning “stupid.” This word can either be insulting or playful depending on how it is used.

• When used in a serious manner, it can come across as a strong insult, so it’s better to exercise caution with this word.

うそ！

•  (Uso!) - literally means “lie,” but when used as an exclamation, it corresponds to “No way!” or “Really!?” in English.

Words used by young people:

•  超(Chō) - a slangy adverb that usually comes before adjectives to emphasize them, making this word the equivalent of “very,” “so,” or “really.”

• や ばい(Yabai) - a very slangy word that has a few different meanings. When used as an exclamation (yabai!), it usually indicates that something is wrong and roughly means “oh no!” or “shoot!”

•  When used to describe something, it can have both a good meaning and a bad meaning depending on the context.

• マ ジ(Maji) - similar to chō in that it often comes before adjectives to emphasize them. When used as “maji de?!”(マジで?!), it becomes an exclamation meaning “Really?!” or “Are you serious?!”

•  す げー(Sugē) - a colloquial version of the above-mentioned sugoi. In young people’s speech (and particularly in young male speech), the “-oi” and “-ai” word endings turn into an “eh” sound.

• あいづち (Aizuchi) - frequent interjections listeners make during a Japanese conversation that show the listener is paying attention to and understanding the speaker. They can include things such as:

•  そうそう／だよね～(Sō sō／Da yo ne~) “Yeah” or “I know~” (expressing agreement)

•  うんうん (un un) “Okay” or “Yeah”. Sometimes used just to show that you are listening.

• へぇー(Hē) “Whoa!” or “Oh!”. This is often used to show that you are impressed or that you didn’t know something.

In this lesson, we’ll teach you the top five useful classroom phrases in Japanese, and then some!

“Please say it.” / “Please repeat.”

• Itte kudasai (言っ てください) means “please say it.” As a variation, you might also hear ripīto shite kudasai (リピートしてください), which means “please repeat (after me),” when teachers want you to repeat exactly what they have said.

“Please look.”

•  Mite kudasai (見てください) means “please look,” and when an object comes before the phrase, it means “please look at (object).

“Please read.”

•  Yonde kudasai (読んでください) means “please read.” You can expect to hear this phrase if a teacher wants you to practice reading some word, phrase, or passage.

“Please write it.”

•  Kaite kudasai (書いてください) means “please write it.” Teachers may use this phrase when they want you to practice writing some hiragana, katakana, or even kanji!

“Do you understand?”

•  The most direct translation is wakarimasu ka? (分かりますか？).

• Other variations Japanese teachers often use include daijōbu desu ka? (大丈夫ですか？) and ii desu ka? (いいですか？) which both literally translate to “Is it/everything okay?”

•  they might also ask shitsumon arimasu ka? (質問ありますか？), which means “Are there any questions?”

We hope that these phrases can help you get a head start in the classroom! please check out our other lesson series at JapanesePod101.com for more great usefull phrases!!

This lesson offers a few tools to help you learn Japanese. Some of these great tools to aid in your Japanese studies include the following:
Rikaichan

• a popup dictionary extension for the Firefox Internet browser that translates Japanese into English, German, French, or Russian. With this extension installed, you can easily look up the meaning of Japanese words that show up on webpages by simply hovering the cursor over the word. A box will instantly pop up with the reading and definition of the word.

http://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/

Rikaichan Kanji Dictionary

• Hover the cursor over any kanji, whether it is part of a compound or by itself, and press the Shift or Enter key to toggle between the word, kanji, and name dictionaries.

• The kanji dictionary gives detailed information that include the kanji’s meaning, all possible readings, radicals that make up the kanji, number of strokes, and more.

http://www.polarcloud.com/rikaichan/

Eijiro Dictionary

• an English-Japanese/Japanese-English dictionary with an extensive database of translations and sample sentences.

• You can buy Eijiro online at the ALC Online Shop website in the form of a CD-R or a downloadable dictionary file, and a free online version of Eijiro is available through the SpaceALC Japanese website portal.

http://shop.alc.co.jp/top/ (free version http://www.alc.co.jp/)
Anki

• a flash card program that lets you review vocabulary, kanji, or both!

• This kanji and vacabulary practice is based on a theory called spaced repetition, which means it presents the learner with flash cards at certain calculated intervals.

http://ichi2.net/anki/index.html

Lang-8

• a Social Networking Service (SNS) created for the purpose of language exchange and international communication

• Once you register, which is free, you can write a journal entry in the language you are studying, and other users who are native speakers of that language can correct your entry.

http://www.lang-8.com/

Japan is a country rich in pop culture that has started to gain recognition and popularity throughout the world. As popular culture changes quickly and drastically, we focus this lesson on the most recent pop culture.

Popular Music

• Japan boasts the second largest music industry in the world after the United States.

• Pop music is especially popular in Japan, although you can find all sorts of music in Japan done by Japanese artists-including rock, rap, hip-hop, reggae, and more.

Popular Movies

• Recently, the popularity of domestic Japanese movies has been on the rise, with the annual box-office revenue for domestic movies hitting an all-time high in 2008.

• Of the top Japanese films of 2008, the highest-grossing title was the animation film Gake no

• Ue no Ponyo (”Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea̶

• Hayao Miyazaki directed this movie as well as other popular animated titles such as My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away, which was the first anime film to win an Academy Award.

Popular Television

• Variety shows, true to their name, feature a variety of different content-cooking segments, comedy segments, skits, and quizzes are just some of what you’ll find on a typical Japanese variety show.

• Variety shows often feature a large panel of currently popular celebrities and sometimes a studio audience.

• Quiz shows that feature contestants (who are almost always celebrities) answering questions on numerous subjects, such as science, history, math, the Japanese language, pop culture, and so on, also enjoy great popularity.

• Japanese dramas are also very popular among Japanese people of all ages.

• Many current dramas’ running in Japan are adaptations of popular movies, comics, or animated shows.

Popular Foreigners in Japan

•  Jero, is an African-American singer who was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
  

• He has gained popularity singing enka, a traditional type of pop music that is especially popular among older people.

Popular Japanese Men/Women Abroad

• Actor Ken Watanabe became a recognized name after appearing alongside Tom Cruise in the 2003 war film The Last Samurai.

• Issey Miyake is the most well-known Japanese designer in the world, and he is considered the first Asian designer to gain worldwide recognition.
  

Popular Sports Figures

• Ichiro Suzuki joined the Seattle Mariners in 2000, a move that many watched with great interest, as he was the first Japanese position player to play regularly for a Major League Baseball team.

• Shizuka Arakawa made headlines when she received a gold medal in the 2006 Winter Olympics, a first in the event for a Japanese skater.

This blog focuses on the top five most important holidays in Japan.

Seijin no Hi

• “Coming-of-Age Day.” On this
  day, people who turn twenty during the current school year, which runs between April until the following March, celebrate their coming of age. In Japan, when people turn twenty, society legally recognizes them as an adult, and they are able to drink alcohol and vote.

Golden Week

• The period in late April and early May that contains many Japanese national holidays grouped closely together.

O-bon

• a Buddhist event where people pray for the repose of their ancestors’ souls and remember the deceased. If you are familiar with Mexico’s Day of the Dead festival, O-bon is quite similar. O-bon takes place from the 13th to the 16th of August (celebrated from July 13-15 in some areas).

Ōmisoka

• New Year’s Eve, This day is very symbolic in Japan as it is the last day of the year and the day before New Year’s Day, the most important day of the year.
• There are many traditions that fall on this day such as Ōsōji, or “big cleaning,” and a dinner of toshikoshi soba, New Year’s Eve Soba, a type of Japanese noodle.

O-shōgatsu or Gantan 

• New Year’s Day, Many people spend time with their families, and people who work or live far from their families often go back to their hometown for New Year’s.

This is a continuation of the previous blog post Top 5 aspects of Family Life

Work Culture and Economy

• Japan’s economy is ranked second in the world after that of the United States
• some of its main industries include motor vehicles, electronics, industrial and transportation equipment, and chemicals.
• Employees in their first years at a company often have to work long hours for little pay.
• It is very common for employees to all go out drinking together after a long day at work; the Japanese see this as a way to strengthen relationships and build work camaraderie.
• Another important part of the Japanese work economy is the custom of lifelong employment.
• This system is becoming less common due to a decrease in the number of full-time employees and an increase in the number of part-time and contractual employees.
• There is term, freeter, the Japanese have coined to refer to young people who work one or more part-time jobs as an alternative to obtaining full-time employment.

Politics

• Unlike the United States or the United Kingdom, Japanese political parties tend to change constantly with one major exception-the Liberal Democratic Party, which has held power for more than fifty years-since the end of World War II.

General Trends

• Generally speaking, the older and younger generations tend to do things differently and hold
  different ideas about things.
• Members of the younger generation also seem to keep more of their own interests in mind as they wait longer and longer to get married and have children.

This blog is a continuation of the previous blog 4 Major Cities. This blog will discuss 5 points of a standard Japanese family, but remember there are always exceptions!!

• Families in Japan are generally traditional, and the family is a focal point of life. 

• Immediate families are a bit smaller compared to those of other countries; it is not uncommon for Japanese parents to have only one or two children. 

• It is also very common for adult children to continue to live with their parents well into their twenties or thirties until they get married.

• Japanese gender roles are still quite traditional, with women expected to stay home and take care of their children and men expected to support the family financially.

• A few problems have recently plagued Japanese family life and society. One of them is the decreasing birthrate, which hit a record low in 2005 when the number of deaths outnumbered the number of births.

For more great lessons like this one, check out our other lessons: Click Here