Need a word or phrase translated?

[Elizabeth]

Charles Barkley:
まずは今日は先生に「あの、認知症は成人病の一種ですか」って聞いてもらおうとしたが、
-> まずは今日は先生に「あの、認知症は成人病の一種ですか」と[聞きました]が、

I think he could still say "tried to ask the question" or "tried to ask" if it wasn't clear that the teacher was understanding. Or, in other words, to back the second part of the sentence, the answer coming back in English, with a smoother explanation.

 

[Charles Barkley]

Basically, I tried to ask him the question in Japanese and he responded in English that, as usual, I could not understand (his English is far worse than my japanese). He's one of those individuals that I meet a lot out where I live, who either turns off his normal mental faculties when a gaijin is trying to speak to him and so is unable to understand the japanese (my accent is understandable, and I said precisely what was above), or is so bent on learning English that he will respond in English even if asked a question in Japanese. I never actually received an answer to my question, so that's why I used the おうとしたが form. Is that acceptable in this case?

Whenever I get the gaijin treatment described above, I just nod my head and exit the conversation as quickly as possible, then figure out whatever it is I was trying to figure out on my own. Sigh...

 

[orochi]

I think it would be weird to use しようとした to describe a problem on the receiving end.
しようとした is more a description of your effort or will stemming from YOU.

If you were asking the question, then suddenly got cut off or a siren went off or a truck crashed into the classroom, then it would work. But it doesn't really work to describe that the listener was ignoring you or not understanding.

 

[Charles Barkley]

Ahh, ok, I am now remembering studying something like that before going on winter holidays, but apparently that memory forgot to return with me from America...

 

[Elizabeth]

I think it would be weird to use しようとした to describe a problem on the receiving end.
しようとした is more a description of your effort or will stemming from YOU.

Yes, and so the question was asking the correctness of あの、認知症は成人病の一種です か. While I thought this was right, it wasn't taken as expected so there is still a lingering doubt. If it was a situation where presumably an attempt was made but the teacher still didn't get it as completely fluent then it would make sense. Or, to describe a case of you trying to engage him in the language and his not reciprocating. Basically, attempting something that isn't brought to fruition or isn't going so well.

Therefore something like "I tried to talk to him in Japanese, but he always responded in English" sounds reasonable to me.

Not being understood in a foreign language is always the burden of the gaijin after all. ☝


Although of course しようとした is often used for impossible or conflicting situations with neither party truly "at fault."

連絡しようとしましたが、誰もうちにいなかったんです。
大きな箱を一人で、持ち上げようとしたが、重くてできなかった。。。

 

[Libre]

Elizabeth:
Charles Barkley wrote 「あの、認知症は成人病の一種ですか」.

This is not a try to ask.
Obviously he already said to the teacher the sentence between brackets literally.

It's comprehensible if he means "I tried to get an answer from him".
Then he should write "先生に認知症は成人病の一種かどうかを[教えて/答えて]もらおうとした".

Do you see what I mean?

 

[Elizabeth]

Elizabeth:
Charles Barkley wrote 「あの、認知症は成人病の一種ですか」.
This is not a try to ask.
Obviously he already said to the teacher the sentence between brackets literally.
It's comprehensible if he means "I tried to get an answer from him".
Then he should write "先生に認知症は成人病の一種かどうかを[教えて/答えて]もらおうとした".
Do you see what I mean?

Yes, I know what he wrote, but how it sounded to the listener in terms of delivery obviously I cannot know. Perhaps it was the prounciation or intonation and rhythm that was unknowingly slightly off...

And I also wasn't aware when I answered that that particular teacher apparently understood but choose to practice English anyway. Or perhaps the question got through but a thorough answer would simply have been too complicated in either language...☝

 

[orochi]

Hm.
I think the key point here is that with しようとした forms, the action in question is not completed. It's only attempted.
And since you asked your question, the form was not acceptable for use.
THE END

 

[Elizabeth]

Leave it for now that you weren't able to "get through" to each other...while someone tries to come up with something closer to the truth.


なぜかよくわからないですが、私たちはなんとか意志の疎通ができなかった。。。

 

[Libre]

Elizabeth:
"なんとか" cannot be used in negative sentence.

NG 私たちはなんとか意志の疎通ができなかった
OK 私たちはなんとか意志の疎通をしようとしたが、できな かった
OK 私たちはどうしても意志の疎通ができなかった

 

[lilyofthevalley]

What does カリスマ really mean? I know it translates to "charisma", but "charisma man" or "カリスマ主婦" don't make sense in english.

 

[epigene]

What does カリスマ really mean? I know it translates to "charisma", but "charisma man" or "カリスマ主婦" don't make sense in english.

When the Japanese borrow foreign words, the definition is inclined to be narrower than the original scope of definition, thus the problem emerges in literal translation.

In Japanese, "charisma" denotes a prominent person who is admired and very often serves as a model for others (in the same discipline or field) to follow--and translates loosely also as a celebrity figure. An example of a "charisma shufu" would be pre-litigation Martha Stewart.

In Japan, it would be someone like Kurihara Harumi.

 

[shishishu]

笊の反対・・・

You know how 笊 means, in English colloquialisms, a "tank", or someone who can take their liquor well?

well what's the opposite of that term?

ie: a Cadbury or something.

 

[epigene]

You know how 笊 means, in English colloquialisms, a "tank", or someone who can take their liquor well?
well what's the opposite of that term?
ie: a Cadbury or something.

It is a sieve, originally made of bamboo (as the "take-kanmuri" radical suggests).

Well, what's the opposite of the term? I'd like to know, too.

 

[Libre]

I think the opposite is 下戸(geko).

 

[Dimitree]

What is the meaning of "soodesune" O-o ??? I watched an interview on NHK and the person repeated it on every sentance ? And now i'm watching sumo and they say it also ? What does it mean ?
so desu ne or szo desu ne ? o-o

 

[epigene]

I think the opposite is 下戸(geko).

Oh, I see!
Never thought of that one! :emoji_blush:

 

[Elizabeth]

Elizabeth:
"なんとか" cannot be used in negative sentence.
NG 私たちはなんとか意志の疎通ができなかった
OK 私たちはなんとか意志の疎通をしようとしたが、できなかった
OK 私たちはどうしても意志の疎通ができなかった

へへ。＊知ってはいたけど、考えてはいなかったよ＊ ありがとうございます。

肯定文には制限されているのは、、、、何とかは、can manage to do, somehow or other, one way or another という意味するからね。。

意思（意志って、使い分けられることもない？）（の）疎通は決まり文句ですね。


でも、「意思」はちょっと重い言葉だと思いますか？ 口語的にもよく使いますか？

言葉からの誤解の場合には当てはまるのですか？

まずは今日は先生に「あの、認知症は成人病の一種ですか」って聞いたのに、案の定英語で答えら れました。私が言ったことはＯＫはずなんですけれど、誰か確認してくれませんか。

元の文も、口語的で会話では自然だと思いますが、いろいろな言い方がありますね。

先生に「あの、認知症は成人病の一種ですか」って聞いたのに、やっぱり、英語で答えられました（答えてくれませんでした（笑い）。私が言ったことがＯＫか不自然か、誰か教えてくれませんか。。。。自分の発音や話し方は、そんなに下手じゃないと思うけど。。自分の言ったことがちゃんとわかってもらえなかったかな？ または、英語を練習したかったのだけでしょう？。。。この感じだと思う？

>「～そうにない」にはどういうニュアンスがありますか。肯定の形もありますか。
It doesn't look like...
It doesn't seem like...
etc

>「テニスをして手首を痛めてしまったので当分テニスもバドミン トンも出来そうにない。」
I hurt my wrist playing tennis, so it doesn't look like I'll be playing tennis or badminton for a while.

It's less...definite than できない (or whatever verb is being used). Shows a bit of unsureness.

It's a different way of saying 出来なさそう。

 

[Fuumei]

東京では今ちょうど桜が咲きつつある。お花見シーズンに出かける人も多い。

I just had a couple minor questions about this sentence.

咲きつつある = Is tsutsuaru another type of common suffix for verbs such as "saki" in this instance? This is the first time I've seen it, so I'm not quite sure what to think.

Also:
お花見シーズンに出かける人も多い。

"There is a great amount of people going out to flowering viewing season." That doesn't really sound right to me, so I must be missing something here.

 

[roman_torkit]

Hi Guys!
Could you please help me with this picture?



Could you please tell me what this means exactly? I know it should be something like Caution! Monkeys! And why would there be a sign like this?

And another thing, could you please check if I typed these symbols right? I'm not sure about Ni: サルに注意!

Thanks allot.

 

[orochi]

Yeah, it says to beware of monkeys.
There are probably monkeys in that area.

 

[Libre]

Dimitree:
Soodesune means "I see", "sure", "I agree", "well", "of course", and so on.


Elizabeth:
>という意味するからね。。
意味するからね->意味だからね

>意思（意志って、使い分けられることもない？） （の）疎通は決まり文句ですね。
意思の疎通 is understanding each other. 意志 means "will".

>でも、「意思」はちょっと重い言葉だと思いますか？ 口語的にもよく使いますか？
Yes, we use 意志の疎通 in daily conversation.

>または、英語を練習したかったのだけでしょう？。。。 この感じだと思う？
->ただ英語を練習したかったのでしょう？。。。こんな感じだと思う？


Fuumei:
>東京では今ちょうど桜が咲きつつある。お花見シーズンに出かける人も多い。
Maybe the writer is Japanese, but the latter part of this sentence is kind of poor.

東京では今ちょうど桜が咲きつつある。
->Cherries are coming into blossom in Tokyo.
We use つつある to make progressive form.

お花見シーズンに出かける人も多い
->お花見シーズンで出かける人も多い
Many people goes out because it's time for cherry blossom viewing.
or
->お花見に出かける人も多い
Many people goes out for cherry blossom viewing.


roman_torkit:
"give caution to monkeys"
Maybe monkeys cross the road there, or steal foods.

 

[Elizabeth]

びっくりした部分は「出来そうにない」でした。この場合は「出来るはずはない」とだいたい同じ意味ですか。「～そうにない」にはどういうニュアンスがありますか。肯定の形もありますか。

私も、その二つの表現にはニュアンスが変わってくるかどうかよくわからなかなったので、誰かに聞きました。いつもは交換できないと思うね。


「出来そうにない」はI don't think I can do...という感じです。否定文として使いますが、「出来なさそう」にも似ています。
「出来なさそう」は傍から見てそう見える場合にも良く使いますが「出来そうにない」はもっと自分の意見としての意味合いが強いです。

 

[Elizabeth]

Fuumei:
>東京では今ちょうど桜が咲きつつある。お花見シーズンに出かける人も多い。
Maybe the writer is Japanese, but the latter part of this sentence is kind of poor.
東京では今ちょうど桜が咲きつつある。
->Cherries are coming into blossom in Tokyo.
We use つつある to make progressive form.

「つつある」 と「つつ、（while ながら）」の間に歴史的関係があるだろうと思うけど。。。
確かな証拠を全然持っていないですよね。 ☝

 

[Fuumei]

Fuumei:
>東京では今ちょうど桜が咲きつつある。お花見シーズンに出かける人も多い。
Maybe the writer is Japanese, but the latter part of this sentence is kind of poor.
東京では今ちょうど桜が咲きつつある。
->Cherries are coming into blossom in Tokyo.
We use つつある to make progressive form.
お花見シーズンに出かける人も多い
->お花見シーズンで出かける人も多い
Many people goes out because it's time for cherry blossom viewing.
or
->お花見に出かける人も多い
Many people goes out for cherry blossom viewing.
roman_torkit:
"give caution to monkeys"
Maybe monkeys cross the road there, or steal foods.

Thanks for your wonderful explanation, it really means a lot.