Speaking of so-called weeds, here is the latest episode of the Kinoko Channel. English and Japanese subtitles are available.
Category: Japanese
Touch Detective Game Let’s Play
Here is the latest Kinoko Channel video.
Hugtto Precure Review, The Reaction of a Foreign Doll; 2018’s New Precure (VTuber’s Review)
I am very much enjoying the new Precure series this year, Hugtto Precure. Here is a review from my favorite VTuber doll, Kinoko-chan. Japanese and English subtitles are available.
Japanese Is Easy – Lesson 3: WA-particle secrets schools don’t ever teach. How WA can make or break your Japanese
Below is the third lesson in the new series by my friend and mentor, Cure Dolly. It is the best and clearest explanation of the は (wa) particle that I have ever seen. This video is not just useful to beginning Japanese students, but to students of any level who are confused about the difference between the は and the が particles.
If you are a beginner, however, I suggest that you start this series with Lesson 1.
A VTuber’s Inside Person – What sort of existence is it?
Here is a freshly translated episode from the Kinoko Channel. English and Japaense subtitles are available. Please enjoy.
What is a Virtual YouTuber?
Among my various activities, I have been translating for the Kinoko Channel on YouTube. In this episode, Kinoko-chan discovers that she has been a Virtual YouTuber without even knowing it. The video is in Japanese, and there are Japanese and English subtitles available.
Japanese Is Easy – Lesson 2: Core Secrets
Here is the second lesson in Japanese Is Easy, by my dear friend and mentor, Cure Dolly:
Japanese Made Easy – New Video Series
My dear friend and mentor in my Japanese studies has started a new series, Japanese Made Easy! What schools never teach. I highly recommend this series to any of my readers who may be interested in learning Japanese.
Feminine Speech Patterns and Japanese
A long time ago when I was first starting a career path, I would at times attend various workshops related to career development. One of these workshops that I remember was for women teaching them to rid their speech of “feminine speech patterns.” These speech patterns consisted of phrases such as “I think” and “I believe” and phrases such as “isn’t it,” which seek agreement from the listener. Other patterns were frequent apologies and self-effacing language. All of these speech patterns were to be avoided as they tended to keep women “in their place” and prevented them from “getting ahead” in the business world.
Later when I embarked on a second career, I was taught that using words such as “I think” or “I believe” was improper “hedging.” I can still hear voices of instructors saying, “No one cares what you think!” According to the conventional wisdom of my career, it was important to sound confident, even (and maybe especially) when one was not! Otherwise, one would not be taken seriously. In writing, one was to avoid passive voice, except in very particular circumstances. I also learned in other places, such as church settings, that it was important to be direct with one’s speech. Indirect speech was said to be manipulative.
As I have discussed on this blog and on others, I am currently studying Japanese. I have found it interesting that in Japanese, all of these “feminine” speech patterns that were drilled out of me in the West are all matters of ordinary politeness in Japanese.
In Japanese, it is frequent to end thoughts or sentences with qualifiers such as, to omoimasu (“I think”) or ne, (a sentence ending particle that seeks, or even assumes, agreement by the listener). Not only does one frequently apologize in Japanese, but there are many different levels of apology. The informal apologies, gomen or gomen nasai, are used all of the time, and it is polite to end a communication with a superior (or even with an equal in polite circumstances) with shitsurei shimasu, an apology meaning “I am committing an act of rudeness.”
In Japanese, self-effacing speech is considered the norm and to do otherwise is considered arrogant and rude. One never uses an honorific to refer to oneself, one’s own household (to another outside her household), or one’s company or in-group, but always uses an honorific to refer to others, unless one on very intimate or friendly terms with the other. There are different words in Japanese for “to give” based on the social position of the giver and the receiver. Kureru is to “give down” to one socially below and ageru is to “give up” to one socially above. When speaks of giving something to another, one uses ageru and when one is asking to be given something by another one uses kureru. One only uses the word jouzu, meaning “skillful” or “good at” to refer to someone else. To use jouzu for oneself sounds prideful and arrogant.
Passive voice is common in Japanese and is particularly used when one is being polite. As a general rule, speech that is passive and indirect is considered more polite than active and direct speech. For example, if one must refuse a request, it is common to do so with a simple chotto (“a little”) without completing the sentence. This means the request is a little….(inconvenient, difficult, impossible, etc.).
It is interesting that the speech patterns that are considered “feminine” in English are part of everyday Japanese, and to omit them would be seen as rude or arrogant. While Japanese does have speech patterns that are seen as more masculine or more feminine, I believe that the patterns I have mentioned are just a part of ordinary common courtesy in Japanese.
Ganbatte Kudasai!
I have been studying Japanese lately, and I am finding Japanese a very interesting language in many ways. One of the things that is so interesting is that there are words for concepts that are not expressed easily in English. One of these words is ganbaru, which roughly translates to “doing one’s best” or “hard work.”
One of the things that is quite interesting is that in Japanese the phrase, “Ganbatte kudasai!” is used in a similar context that the phrase “Good luck!” would be used in English, and is said when someone is about to undertake a difficult task or some other endeavor. The rough translation of “Ganbatte kudasai!” is “Please do your best!”
I have to say that I really like this usage. It says so much that is very important, I think. It is especially important for the work of reclaiming our Hestia as an important and even sacred space. I am not sure about anyone else, but I know that I have compared myself to others and felt that I am not good enough or organized enough to undertake such a journey. I was certainly not able to do much around the house when I had a demanding career outside the home. I was (and still am) in awe of women that are able to raise children, have a job outside the house, and still maintain a semblance of order in their home. There is a lot of pressure on women to be able to do it all, and do it all well, in the present day and age.
As you can see from previous articles, even now that I am winding down my previous career and even without children, I am having trouble with juggling my projects and endeavors. The phrase and the concept behind the phrase, “Ganbatte kudasai,” is really quite helpful.
This concept is important because it helps me remember that the important thing is doing my best. I am sure that I am not alone in worrying whether my best will be “good enough.” There are so many expectations placed on us, both by our world and by ourselves. It is easy to say, “Oh, this is impossible. I will never be good enough, so why bother.” The concept of ganbaru is so helpful with this. The important thing is not the result; the important thing is that I am doing my best!
This may seem quite strange for us, but I am learning that in Japanese culture, ganburu is actually an abstract concept, which is not related to any particular activity. I think, though, that there was a time when this was understood even in the West. I remember as a child, we would get separate grades for effort. I do not know if this is still the case, but I do know that I have heard that scoffed at, with the idea that it is achievement, not effort, that is what is important.
Yet, I think that there really is a value to effort and to doing our best, regardless of result! I am thinking of my days in school…at every level from elementary to graduate studies. There was something satisfying about doing my best in a class that was very difficult for me, and that getting a B (or even lower grade) in a difficult class was much more satisfying to me than getting even the top grade in a class that was easy. Indeed, it sometimes felt embarrassing to get a good grade in a class that I had not worked very hard at.
I have gone on a little bit of a tangent here, but I think that this concept and idea really is important. The idea of this blog is not to make anyone feel guilty or ashamed or that they are “less than.” Our society has a funny attitude around the home. It is considered shameful if our homes are not in order; however, efforts to maintain our homes are not valued. I wish I had a nickel for every time someone asked me, “So, what are you going to do all day?” when I have talked about closing my business. Some are satisfied when I talk about starting an astrology practice, but when I say that I am going to be a housewife, the looks are quite dismissive. It is almost like people think that houses maintain themselves by magic, or something. It really is a lot of work!
So, in the face of all of that, I think remembering the concept of ganbaru is so important. It is not expected that anyone is perfect, just that she is doing her best!
So, to all my readers….”Ganbatte kudasai!”
And for myself, “Ganbarimasu!” (“I will do my best.”)