Hi everyone, how's it going?

I just wanted to say that I managed to have my PC 日本語 ‘*type-able’ (*this is not a real word)!! Yeah :)

Have a good weekend!

•  Michelle
• 2009年10月 2日 14:01

Hi David,
Yes, we wrote so many comments on the last entry that I thought we were going to break our record! Anyway, thanks for your corrections. Now we can read new comments easily;-)
By the way, Nao replied to your question, but you haven't given her your feedback yet.

Hi David,
Yes, we wrote so many comments on the last entry that I thought we were going to break our record! Anyway, thanks for your corrections. Now we can read new comments easily;-)
By the way, Nao replied to your question, but you haven't given her your feedback yet.

(I don't really understand this line.)

Here's her comment.

『Hi David

I read your correction.
A joke of Japanese means "日本人は昼も夜も研究をして青いキリンを作った".I will write it in English again."Japanese made a blue giraffe by improvement of a species of giraffes."How about this?
It's difficult for me to use "if" or "whether".

Nao』

Would you check it again? I'm interested in this line, and I'd like to read your feedback.

Hi Michelle,
Glad to hear that you managed to have your PC 日本語 ‘type-able’;-)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2009年10月 2日 15:08

Hi David,

Thank you for your corrections.
There are lots of comment in this blog what I should learn from it.

Hi Michelle,

I know this explanation.
>>*type-able’ (*this is not a real word)!! Yeah :)

It is understand-able. :)

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2009年10月 2日 15:31

Hi David,
Oh, I learned a lot of cases related to "hasiru" in your book, but still I forgot the rule! Anyway, I have to be out from this bad thought pattern"走る"equals to "run". Thanks for your correction.
By the way, my English has improved a lot? Your words made me happy!

<Tomo,
Yes, I did! We had a good fun talking about jokes,didn't we?

< Michelle,
It's good for you! Isn't it frustrating you can't write and read Japanese? Now I got that there were no words in your blog. By the way, I love your photos^^)

Have a lovely weekend !

Anne

•  Anne
• 2009年10月 2日 15:49

Hi David & everyone,

I learn English almost every day.

However, I'm no good at grammar, particularly the usage of prepositions.

I came across a sentence 'This site is of great archaeological interst,'

I don't understand why the setence needs 'of' in this positon.

If you give me advice, it would be appreciated.

See ya,

•  Gussan
• 2009年10月 2日 20:11

Hi Tomo

Thank you for asking David insted of me!
I'm looking forward to reading his correction,too.

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年10月 2日 21:18

Hi David and everyone

The third story is a religion.

I'm not spreading a religion.I just mention a concept of Japanese religions.
Japanese religions are interesting for me.Maybe the reason is as same as a reason that other nationalities wonder about it.A lot of other nationalities will wonder at Japanese religions because we seem to believe some religions.The same is the case with me,so I studied about it at university.

Some of us may think that we don't particularly believe a religion,but we go to temples in January,we get married in a charch,and we go to festivals of shrines and so on.There are a lot of religions in Japanease culture like that,so we live with a lot of religions.Why do our lives connect a lot of religions?A key of the question is our history.Long long time ago we all farmed,so we praied God of nature for good harvests.It's said that this is a beginning.(This is called animism.)After that,we established a small country,so shamanism happened for a politics.(Himiko seems a shamanist.)At that time we accepted a new religion smoothly.When Buddhism was brought into Japan from China,we accepted a new religion again to make our lives better,and Christianty wasn't accepted for a short time,but we accept it now.

Japanese didn't refuse most religions,so our religions are unique.Our religions are a collection of various kinds of religions.I think our religions show our history and our character.For example it shows we prefer harmony to opposition,and we accept anything good to make us happy.

I think Japanease religions are as interesting as Christianty or Buddhism and so on.

By the way I have a story that my Australian friend asked me about my religion.At that time I said,"I believe Gods of eight millions."(Gods of eight millions is yaoyorozunokami八百万の神 in Japanese.It means that Japanese believe a lot of Gods.)How about you?What do you answer?
Please tell me.

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年10月 3日 00:30

Hi David

Thank you for your corrections. Nao’s Challenge seems goes well so far, and it is really useful for us. Comparing Nao’s sentences and yours, we could learn a lot of natural way of writing in English. Thanks again.

Hi Lily

Off cause I remember you are from Osaka. When I was writing the comment for Nao, I could not think of proper word for “身近に”(I know the phrase “around me” but at that time, it did not come to mind), so I just wrote “I don’t have any friends ….” and kept writing other thing. I was supposed to rewrite that part, but I totally forgot and post it. After posting, I noticed that I had posted the unfinished comment, so I corrected it quickly.

Hi everyone

Regarding this word “身近に(周りに)”:
I wanted to write “私の身近には大阪出身の人はいない” in my last comment, and I wrote “I don’t have anyone around me is from Osaka” is this sentence acceptable? Or what would you say?

It is raining here in Tokyo, how about your area?
I am going to the movies tomorrow, so I hope it is going to be fine tomorrow.

Have a nice weekend!!

•  amo
• 2009年10月 3日 14:26

Hi Daivd,
Thank your for your feedback! I've heard "I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you" before, but I totally forgot it. Thanks, Michelle!

Hi Everyone,
How's your weekend going on? It's a lovely day here and the moon is very beautiful! You know, today is 十五夜. Have a look at the Google Japan's logo. ;-)

Have a lovely weekend!

Maki

•  Maki
• 2009年10月 3日 18:54

Hi Michelle,
Good to know that you can read and write Japanese with your PC!;-)

Hi Nao,
You've already written the third story!! Thanks for an interesting one! As you say, a lot of Japanese aren't believers of specific religions, but people more than a little believe that there are something spiritual, I think. Maybe it's strange for people from other countries, who have religions. Your answer to your friend is very nice!! We have eight millions Gods, yeah!!

Talk to you later,

Maki
最近「アクセス不可」が多い～＞＜

•  Maki
• 2009年10月 3日 19:50

Hi everyone,

I was thinking about my English skill after David's idea had started.
It's a good opportunity to think about it for me.
Actually, I can't tell myself whether I've improved or not.
My weak point about English is to explain my emotions.
To be honest, there are lot of a good sentence here except mine.
When I saw this blog, I thought,I'm the one who needs David's help.
I want to improve more.

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2009年10月 3日 21:29

Hi Maki

I'm happy to read your comment because you said,"Your answer is nice."I think Japanese religions is unique,and it was made by a Japanese culture.
I'm proud of it!

Today is 十五夜,isn't it?I didn't know,but I ate a dango without watching the moon.

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年10月 3日 22:47

訂正です。。。
I've heard "I’ll keep~"
⇒ I've heard the expression; "I'll keep~"
an interesting one ⇒ the interesting one

Hi Nao,
Your comment made me laugh!;-) That means your eating dango wasn't related to 十五夜, right?＾＾

Maki

•  Maki
• 2009年10月 3日 23:33

Hi Maki

Yes,that's right!I ate a dango,and I felt tasty,but I couldn't remenber 十五夜.
I was satisfied with just eating a dango:)

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年10月 4日 00:27

Hi Nao,
You have already written three entries! That's great. As you said, Japanese are generous about religion and ideas towards religion are quite unique and it might sometimes be difficult to understand for people who have a strong belief in God.
By the way, I like your answer to your friend.

Hi Gussan,
不確かですが、of interest= interesting,だと思います。ですからここでは'This site is of great archaeological interest,'→’This site is very interesting archaeologically'になるのでは?（このサイトは考古学的に非常に興味深い）
よく、of importance= importantの例を見るような気がします。

Hi amo,
around meの他では、among my friends/ acquaintances　　というのはどうでしょう？

Hi Maki,
I had a look at google log, and I like today's logo!
" Dumplings rather than blossoms" !
By the way, did you post your comment from your cell phone again?

Hi Kazu,
It's very frustrating to express what you really want to say in English, isn't it?
Keep writing and have fun together^^)

Bye for now,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2009年10月 4日 00:40

Hi Anne and everyone,

Yes, you can say that again!
Even if I remember some of phrase, I can't come up to mind in a flash.
I have to learn more.

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2009年10月 4日 03:44

Hi Ann,

Thank you for your answer to my question.

You make me very happy becasue I was worried that I might be ingored.

You mean 'of interest' is a set phrase.

I'd like to know a little more in detail.

Your sentence: 'This site is very interesting archaeologically' is very easy to understand.

If I have to translate the Japanese sentence: 'このサイトは考古学的に非常に興味深い'into English, I will use your sentence.

Do you understand the difference of nuance of both sentences between 'This site is of great archaeological interest.' and 'This site is very interesting archaeologically'?

See ya,

•  Gussan
• 2009年10月 4日 14:20

>Anne

I think so,too. Most Japanese are generous about religion,and we don't like fighting.It is a national charactor,isn't it?

I'm writing a next comment to entry four times in a week.

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年10月 4日 16:46

Hi Anne,
「花より団子」ですね！私もその口です。＾＾；　
We have another beautiful moon tonight.
Last night, I managed to post the comment from my PC after I tried to do several times. It seems to go well tonight.＾＾ｖ

Hi Nao,
You work very hard to write your entries! Enjoy it, but don't work too hard.;-) I'm looking forward to your third one.

Good night.

Maki

•  Maki
• 2009年10月 4日 23:36

Hi Maki

Thank you for a warm comment.
I enjoy writing now:),and I have some topics to write in English,but it's difficult for me to write it.
It's my problem..

Nao

•  Nao
• 2009年10月 5日 12:07