Hiya,
1. This is part of a letter from an American student staying in Japan to her parents in America.
私がさびしくないかと気を使って、他の交換留学生に電 話をかけたくないかと聞いてくださいます。
I'm struggling to understand this. Part of the problem is that I'm not clear who is the subject of the verbs. Could it mean something like "You were worried whether I was lonely, and asked whether I wanted to phone other exchange students"? I'm not very happy with this; it doesn't seem right somehow...
The letter continues:
たとえ私がさびしくないと言っても、二時間以上私を部 屋の中に一人にしておくことはありません。
The best I can do with this is "Although I say I'm not lonely, I'm never left alone in my room for more than two hours", but the word "although" makes no sense here. Also, I am not sure who is the subject of 言って.
Just to round this off, in case more context helps, the next sentence is:
私がさびしいと感じるのは日本語や習慣がわからない時 です。
My translation: "The times when I feel lonely are when I don't understand the Japanese language and customs."
2. 初めてお風呂に入った時は本当におどろきました。だっ てお風呂場は全部タイルばりだし、お風呂はとても深いのに、足をのばすにはせま過ぎるんですもの。
My translation: "The first time I entered the bathroom I was really surprised. The room was completely covered in tiles, and, although the bath was very deep, it was too small to stretch out one's legs".
I hope this is broadly correct, but:
a) What is the meaning of だって here?
b) I'm not sure about ばりだし. I'm guessing it's ばり(張り) + だ ("is") + し ("and, what's more..."). Is that right?
3. 私がどう入るのかしらと考えていると明子ちゃんが「さ あ、一緒に入りましょう」と言って服を脱ぎだしたでし ょう。
My translation: "As I was wondering how to get in (the bath), Akiko said 'Well, let's get in together' and began undressing."
a) I translated the と after 考えている as "As...". Is this OK?
b) Why is でしょう used? What meaning is it adding?
4. お湯がものすごく熱くて体がまっかになりました。それ なのに明子ちゃんはとても気持ちよさそうにしているし 「熱すぎませんか」と言っても「そうかしら」と言うだ けなので私もがまんしました。
My translation of the first part: "The water was incredibly hot and my body turned bright red. Despite this, Akiko seemed to be greatly enjoying it and said 'It's not too hot, is it?'..."
At this point I get a bit lost about who is saying what. My guess is that it continues "... while all I could do was say 'I wonder if it is...' and try to endure it too".
Is this anywhere close?
1. This is part of a letter from an American student staying in Japan to her parents in America.
私がさびしくないかと気を使って、他の交換留学生に電 話をかけたくないかと聞いてくださいます。
I'm struggling to understand this. Part of the problem is that I'm not clear who is the subject of the verbs. Could it mean something like "You were worried whether I was lonely, and asked whether I wanted to phone other exchange students"? I'm not very happy with this; it doesn't seem right somehow...
The letter continues:
たとえ私がさびしくないと言っても、二時間以上私を部 屋の中に一人にしておくことはありません。
The best I can do with this is "Although I say I'm not lonely, I'm never left alone in my room for more than two hours", but the word "although" makes no sense here. Also, I am not sure who is the subject of 言って.
Just to round this off, in case more context helps, the next sentence is:
私がさびしいと感じるのは日本語や習慣がわからない時 です。
My translation: "The times when I feel lonely are when I don't understand the Japanese language and customs."
2. 初めてお風呂に入った時は本当におどろきました。だっ てお風呂場は全部タイルばりだし、お風呂はとても深いのに、足をのばすにはせま過ぎるんですもの。
My translation: "The first time I entered the bathroom I was really surprised. The room was completely covered in tiles, and, although the bath was very deep, it was too small to stretch out one's legs".
I hope this is broadly correct, but:
a) What is the meaning of だって here?
b) I'm not sure about ばりだし. I'm guessing it's ばり(張り) + だ ("is") + し ("and, what's more..."). Is that right?
3. 私がどう入るのかしらと考えていると明子ちゃんが「さ あ、一緒に入りましょう」と言って服を脱ぎだしたでし ょう。
My translation: "As I was wondering how to get in (the bath), Akiko said 'Well, let's get in together' and began undressing."
a) I translated the と after 考えている as "As...". Is this OK?
b) Why is でしょう used? What meaning is it adding?
4. お湯がものすごく熱くて体がまっかになりました。それ なのに明子ちゃんはとても気持ちよさそうにしているし 「熱すぎませんか」と言っても「そうかしら」と言うだ けなので私もがまんしました。
My translation of the first part: "The water was incredibly hot and my body turned bright red. Despite this, Akiko seemed to be greatly enjoying it and said 'It's not too hot, is it?'..."
At this point I get a bit lost about who is saying what. My guess is that it continues "... while all I could do was say 'I wonder if it is...' and try to endure it too".
Is this anywhere close?
