October 10, 2002
Speaking of Speaking

よの中に話しますが好きじゃありません。いつも不安なります。日本語で英語でなんでもない。話して言をわすります。

今日日本語のクラスのさいしょのオーラルテストがありました。とっても易しかったです。先生の話すが分かりましたでも私は話しましたがたいへんですよ。じゃ。たぶんわるいくなかったですね。これかれんしゅうをしっていますとおもうけど。

Generally Speaking

I don't like speaking in public. I always get nervous. English, Japanese--it doesn't matter. I stumble over the words when I'm speaking.

Today, in my Japanese class, we had our first oral test. It was very easy. I could understand my teacher, but when I had to speak, it was a disaster. Okay, maybe it wasn't that bad. However, I obviously need to practice more.

Posted by スティーブンズ.
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Comments

When you say "yo no naka," it's more when you talk about like "the world" or "life." I am not good in grammar, but, how about "hito no mae de?" hanasu no wa suki~. Perhaps Kiyo or Eri will have better expresssions.


Posted by: Ken Loo on October 10, 2002 03:03 PM

Yes, Ken Loo, 「人前(ひとまえ)で話すのは好きじゃ(or では instead of じゃ)ありません」 is perfect.

By the way, I now understand what M said before: connecting phrases is difficult. Connecting words are independent in English, while Japanese ones are not. So when Japanese people write something in English, they(I may have to say, "we") often connect sentences only with commas(I mean without conjunctions).

Today I was asked about the meaning of the sentences below.

"When you come to get MILK FRANCE, you should always remember to buy two, you will not be able to resist taking a bite on the way home."

This is what is written on a plastic bag of a bakery and MILK FRANCE is the name of a special bread. Does it make sense?


Posted by: Eri on October 10, 2002 05:09 PM

Eri, when two independent clauses (complete sentences) are connected with only a comma, this is a writing error called a "comma splice". It can be corrected three ways.
1. Replace the comma with a period. Begin a new sentence.
2. Replace the comma with a semicolon; this shows a close relationship between the sentences.
3. Add a conjunction. In this example I would have used "because." You should do A because of reason B.

By the way, it's true, isn't it? I can never resist pulling off a bit of French bread to eat on the way home. I wonder if Japanese people feel the same way? I've heard that it's not considered polite to eat while you're walking.


Posted by: M on October 10, 2002 10:39 PM

The bakery is quite famous around here, especially for its French bread with sweet cream.
So, yes, it's true in a way. These days more and more people eat or drink something while walking, but I think middle-aged women like me don't do that so often. So I think that even though we feel like eating it we try not to take a bite until we get home.


Posted by: Eri on October 11, 2002 12:11 AM

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