Hi David,

Thank you for your feedback! Reading your corrections is really useful for us. I learned not only from your feedback but also form your entry. I didn't know the phrase "take it from me". It's an interesting expression.

>Maybe it's confusing to change our schedules?
(Maybe it's because it would be confusing to change our schedules?)

It's an unreal condition, so I should have used 仮定法. OK.

>Japanese people tend to be quite conservative and afraid of change.

I think you are right, and there are lots of things that we should change. I would try new things if I thought the befits were worth the efforts or the costs, but as for summer time, I prefer dark and cool evenings to bright and hot evenings. Summer in Japan is very hot and humid, so I kind of feel relieved when the sun sets.(まぁ、日が沈んでも暑いときは暑いですが。。) I like twilight in summer:)

Have a great three-day weekend, everyone!

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2011年7月15日 20:47

Hi Carrie,

Thank you for leaving your comment and I'm happy to know you are fine. How about your mother and her field? I'm going to Kyoto tomorrow. I really hope it won't as hot as in Nagoya.^^

Hi David and everyone,

I really appreciate your corrections and feedback. There are lots of nice expressions to learn but they are a bit difficult for me this time, so I need more time to understand well and intake them.

The following feedback made me realize that I still don't understand the difference between "find" and "find out."

> Thanks for founding out about the past entries!
(Thanks for finding the past entries.)

I wonder if the following sentences of mine were also wrong and I'd better use just "find."

> I just found out the past entries as below where we discussed summer saving time.

> Thanks to Fumie's tip and also my guess of that David must have talked about it during summer, it was easy to find it out.

By the way, the last comment of (Amen! Animal Farm, please come back to Japan and become the prime minister!) made me smile. First, I thought you were saying a prayer, but on the second thought, it didn't seem like you, and then I looked it into the dictionary. It turned out that "amen" had another meaning: "Yes! Exactly!" That was fun!

See you next week everyone.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年7月16日 00:38

----->> I hope it won't hot as in Nagoya.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年7月16日 00:44

correction, again.

----->>> I hope it won't be hot as in Nagoya.

•  匿名
• 2011年7月16日 00:47

Hi David,

Thank you for the feedback. There are lots of points I didn't know.
I am always so thrilled to read feedback. I slowly scroll down the screen and read through it and when I find my sentences, I wonder if my sentences are corrected or be given your comment of "Nice sentence." Of course latter cases make me happy!

>Japanese people tend to be quite conservative and afraid of change.
I never realized that we are conservative and afraid of change.
We tend to worry too much about possible problems and difficulties before we even try something.

Hi everyone,
The 3-day holiday just started and soon summer holiday will coming up. For a mother of 3 sons who have voracious appetites, it's gonna be tough!
I hope the typoon will not get any damage to Japan! And cheers to Nadeshiko Japan!

Fumie

•  Fumie
• 2011年7月16日 06:57

Hi David,

Thank you for your correction.

>I didn't check carefully enough before I posted.

This is quite simple!

>Have you inspired to hospitality when you lived in Singapore?
(Were you interested in hospitality when you lived in Singapore?#

In fact,this was not what I wanted to say ;d
I'd like to know if tsuneko had a strong impression by Singarore,like humanity,culture,and spirit of their hospitality.#I was glad she understood and sent me a message :))

By the way, it was shame my poor understanding,but,
I was a bit confused that you mentioned below:
"Japan is uniquely unique" myth.
It easily make sense. However I wonder if this sentence usually has negative feelings in it,like a discrimination...?

Anyway, discussion/debating would be fun :)
I enjoy it every time,David :)

Hi Anne,

Thanks for your message !

Hi Ikurin,

Nice to have you with us.
Hope to read your next one :)

noriko

•  noriko
• 2011年7月16日 07:12

Hi David and everyone,

Thank you very much for your feedback as always! I learned a lot not only from your feedback but also from your entry.

I realized that I made a lot of basic mistakes, and thank you for correcting them.

>I first heard about this system several years ago...)----I wanted to say "知った" and used the word "know", but when I was writing this, I felt something unnatural and bad.The word "hear about" didn't come up with me at that moment.

>... but there was no one there, not even any of the hotel staff!----This is one of the mistakes I often do! I need to be more careful about this point.

>Different people have different feelings about this system.----This is exactly I wanted to say!

Hi tsuneko,
It is sometimes confusing to use 'find' and 'find out' correctly,isn't it?
I guess you remember, but we talked about these two differences in the meaning here on this blog.
Just for the record, you can read them from the following entries:

*Find vs. Find Out (2009/6/8) *Find vs. Find Out- Corrections (2009/6/12)

I went to see a ballet performed by Les Ballets Trockadero Monte Carlo last night. It is all male-ballet corps and parodies the conventions and classical ballet.
It was fabulous and fun! I've been wanting to see their performances for a long time, so I was thrilled.

Have a lovely three-day weekend,

Anne

•  Anne
• 2011年7月16日 07:24

Hi Anne,

Thank you for letting me know about those past entries. I'll read them tonight. You seem to have had a lot of fun at the theatre. I've never had a chance to see their ballet, but it seems very interesting. I'm happy for you.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年7月16日 08:38

Hi David,

Thank for your feedback.
As I said, I love summertime in Europe, and USA, but I really don’t think that it’s fit in Japan. Like Tomo mentioned, summer in Japan is very hot and humid, so why we should be bothered another daylight?? Maybe I am too negative summer time person:(
Anyway, it was fun to hear about other people’s thought about DST.

Hi everyone,

Hope you are having a nice three-day weekend!! Unfortunately, I am on duty tomorrow, so I wanted to veg out at home today. But I’ve got eyestrain from work, so I decided to go and get a massage. I’ve got to go…
Bye for now,
amo

•  amo
• 2011年7月16日 12:10

Hi David!
Thanks for your amen message and the feedback!
I realized I often made a mistake with the conditional tense. It's still difficult for me.
Thanks for the mention! I love your "Amen!"
But I don't think I can be an excellent PM.
I think I want to be a super man! :-)

Btw, I previewed your books on Amazon.
I was surprised at how many variations in your books!
That's amazing! I wish you success with your books.

Hi Fumie,
Ha-ha! I love your expression "thrilled to read feedback. I slowly scroll down the screen."
We English learners are happy if would get "Nice sentence", or "Amen!" aren't we?

Oh, you have 3 sons?! I'm sure it's tough!
My friend also has 3 kids and she says she has to buy a lot of milk, meet, and everything!
But I think you guys are lucky with 3 precious children!
Please find some relaxing time to yourself :)

Hi Tsuneko,
Please enjoy every minute in Kyoto and have a safe trip!

Hi everyone!
Please have great 3 holidays! See you next week!

Animal Farm

•  Animal Farm
• 2011年7月16日 13:59

Hi David and everyone,

I'm happy to be able to express "名古屋の3日間でひと夏分の汗をかいてしまいました" in English: (I felt like I had sweated a whole summer's worth of sweat in three days.)

Also, I can say "~だからこそ・・・" in English: (I really want Japan to try summer time, even though I'm a night owl. Actually, I want Japan to try summer time precisely because I'm a night person. I hope I would be able to get up an hour earlier automatically in summertime.)

I was going to read the old entries but give up now. Good night.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年7月16日 23:12

Hi Animal Farm,

Yea! We English learners are happy if we were praised. 私は単純な人間だから、ちょっと褒められただけで、めっちゃうれしい。

Yes, children are precious indeed. Even though they are clumsy and not clever, I love them!
不器用で賢くない親から、賢い子が生まれるはずがない。

Talk to you later.
Fumie

•  Fumie
• 2011年7月17日 05:41

By the way, the last comment of (Amen! Animal Farm, please come back to Japan and become the prime minister!) made me smile. First, I thought you were saying a prayer, but on the second thought, it didn't seem like you, and then I looked it into the dictionary. It turned out that "amen" had another meaning: "Yes! Exactly!" That was fun! Thanks!!!

•  Penis Enlargement
• 2011年7月17日 14:40

Hi Noriko,

I don't think it's discrimination, if it's just a thought.
Discrimination is an action when someone treat people differently because of who they are.

ま、とはいっても、特定の宗教、人種、性別にむかって、乱暴な発言をしたり、あきらかに相手の気分を害する発言は、差別の「はじまり」や「つながり、導く、もしくは差別そのものと判断される」可能性はあると思いますが。

でも今回のように、
先進国の銀行のボスが「急にいわれても、うちの銀行のシステムそんなこと簡単にはできない」と言いました。それを聞いたほかの国の人たちは、「なんで私の国や他の国のシステムはできるのに、あなた（の国）はそんなこというの？独特ね。ユニークね。もしくは、ボス、自分の国をことを特別だと思ってますか？」などなど、そういった”考え”もしくは”意見”があるということだと思います。

もちろん全員がそういった考えもっていたり、すべてのボスがそういう発言をしたりしてる訳ではありませんが。

でもそれをきいた人々が「ちょー気分わるいわ！差別やわ」って思うなら、もうお手上げです。何もいえましぇん。あやまって許してもらわなくては... ^^;

国や文化には千差万別の概念があると思うのです。
たとえば、私が日本に来た頃「韓国人ってみなキムチ食べるんでしょ。バイクあるの？四季は？韓国人ってアグレシブね」などなど数多くの概念を聞きました。
「○○人って、○○よね」と言うのは、ステレオタイプに多いと思いますけど。といっても、人間は完璧じゃないので、私だってそういう言い方をするときありますよ。（私もステレオタイプですね〜笑）

そして私は海外に出て多くの人に出会い思った事。
Most societies and cultures tend to think they are been special and number one in at least some areas.

でもそれ（自分の国を特別に思う感情、もしくはナンバー１感情）って、誰（全員じゃない）にでもあるように、それをみた（もしくは感じる）まわりは、「どこどこの国って不思議ね」と思う気持ちだって、誰（全員じゃない）にでもある事だと思うのです。

そして、国、文化、時代や人々の思いは、時には思う方向とは逆に働くことだってあると思うのです。
たとえば、このメロンパンだって、
http://youpouch.com/2011/07/01/080010/

私は、グローバル化した社会の中で、他の文化の概念を理解する事はとても大切だと思いました。

同じ国や語源を話す人の間にも、誤解や、よかれと思ったことや何気ない一言が、相手の迷惑だったり傷つけたりすることがあるのと同じで。

ま、公の場ですので、このへんで。
ハバ・ナイス・デイ〜♪♪

Animal Farm

•  Animal Farm
• 2011年7月18日 01:49

Nadeshiko Japan did it!!!
Nadeshiko Japan beat the U.S with PK.

•  Anne
• 2011年7月18日 06:28

Hi Animal Farm,

Thanks for your opinion :)

discriminationというのは、ちょっと違うかな～とは投稿したあと思ったのですが、他にふさわしい言葉が見つからなかったもんで。
でもなんか引っかかったのは事実で。
このブログでわざわざそんなコメントをするのは場違いかな～とも思ったり、デビッドは一般論としていったわけで、そこをつっこむのは空気よまなすぎかな～と思ったり（あ、私、空気読むとか、しますけど、あまりそのことに神経遣うのは苦手です）。
このまま次のトピックに何事もなかったように進むのは、ちょっとイヤだったんすよ　＾＾
　
国や文化に千差万別の概念がある・・・というのはそのとおりです。あと、ナンバー１感情って、いい表現ですね。
日本は確かに自分たちって特別！と思う人たちは多いと思いますが、他の国の人たちだって自分たちは一番って、必ず思っているはず。
それが一種の愛国心にも繋がると思うのですが。

だからjapan is uniquely unique という表現は言われてあまり気分よい言葉ではないですが（ていうか、そう思ったのは私だけ？）Ｊａｐａｎを他の国名に置き換えて、考えてもいいのかな～と思いました。

なんか収集つかないですね＾＾
反応してくださってありがとうございます。
つっこんでいろいろ考えたり話すのが好きなもんで（夫や家族には少々うっとおしがられてますが）、お返事いただけて嬉しいです。
今回のコメントで、ブログメンバーのみんなからも（デビッドからも）うっとおしがられるかな～（汗）

おっと、子供が邪魔しにきました。
私もこの辺で・・・

noriko

•  noriko
• 2011年7月18日 16:45

Hi Anne,

Congratulations! You must have watched the game live. I missed it. When I saw the highlight sceans on TV news, I also shed tears.

Hi David, Anne and everyone,

I read old entries and found out that my sentences below were wrong after all. I shouldn't have used "find out" but "find" because I can see the "past entries", and they are not "information" but like "things." I hope my understunding is OK.

> I just found out the past entries as below where we discussed summer saving time.
→　I just found the past entries ~.

> Thanks to Fumie's tip and also my guess of that David must have talked about it during summer, it was easy to find it out.
→ Thanks to ~, it was easy to find it.

Hi noriko and Animal Farm,

I've read your comments in Japanese. It was interesting to read and consider. I used to hear quite a lot of Japanese people say that Japanese language is too unique for foreigners to master.
But, I wonder if it really is true. Every nationality can think that his/her own country is uniquely unique. However, just because it is uniquely unique, it doesn't mean that people from other countries cannot understand it, I think.

Noriko, I don't dislike your way of thinking at all. Do you remember Doctor KMI saying that
indifference was the main enemy." Showing your interests in someone's opinions would be always welcome, I believe.

•  tsuneko
• 2011年7月18日 20:48

Please let me know if you're looking for a article writer for your site. You have some really great posts and I feel I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I'd love to write some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please send me an email if interested. Regards!

•  Kaila Steinbruckner
• 2011年10月 9日 08:09