Hi!
1. The speaker has said that he thinks Japanese people place a high value on the group that they belong to, and has been asked for examples. He starts by saying
例えば、まあ、人に対する気配りですか。
I don't really understand this sentence. My best guess is something like "Well, for example, people show consideration to the people they are with, don't they?". Is that anywhere close?
2. 人が何か言う前にその人が何を考えているかということ に気を使う。
My translation: "Before someone says something, they take care to ask what the other person thinks."
Is this OK?
3. それに、何かのグループに入れば、すぐ友達ができるので、自分の方から積極 的にほかの人たちに働きかけなくても友達が作りやすか ったですね。
My translation attempt:
それに = Also,
何かのグループに入れば = if one is in some group [of people]
すぐ友達ができるので = it's easy to make friends, so
自分の方から積極的にほかの人たちに働きかけなくても = even if one doesn't approach other people confidently
友達が作りやすかったですね = it was easy to make friends.
Particular concerns:
a) How does ので work? The way I've translated it as "so" ("It's easy to make friends ... so I found it easy to make friends") doesn't really make sense.
b) Is the speaker talking about himself or people in general, and is he talking about a specific occasion or occasions in general?
c) I translated 自分の方から as "on my part". Is that OK?
d) I translated 働き掛ける as "approach". Is that reasonable here?
4. The speaker is talking about how the Japanese emphasis on the group rather than the individual can have its negative aspects too.
私は二度目に日本に行った時は社会人として行ったんで すが、例えば会社の中で、グループのトップの人に任せて、自分では考えないし、意見を 言わない、ていうか言えない。自分の意見をあまり言う と、それはよくないという雰囲気がありました。
My translation: "The second time I came to Japan, I came as a working adult, but, for example, in the company where I worked, things were entrusted to the group leader, and people didn't think for themselves or speak their own opinions ... or, rather, weren't able to speak them. When I expressed my opinion a little, there was a bad atmosphere."
Is this OK?
1. The speaker has said that he thinks Japanese people place a high value on the group that they belong to, and has been asked for examples. He starts by saying
例えば、まあ、人に対する気配りですか。
I don't really understand this sentence. My best guess is something like "Well, for example, people show consideration to the people they are with, don't they?". Is that anywhere close?
2. 人が何か言う前にその人が何を考えているかということ に気を使う。
My translation: "Before someone says something, they take care to ask what the other person thinks."
Is this OK?
3. それに、何かのグループに入れば、すぐ友達ができるので、自分の方から積極 的にほかの人たちに働きかけなくても友達が作りやすか ったですね。
My translation attempt:
それに = Also,
何かのグループに入れば = if one is in some group [of people]
すぐ友達ができるので = it's easy to make friends, so
自分の方から積極的にほかの人たちに働きかけなくても = even if one doesn't approach other people confidently
友達が作りやすかったですね = it was easy to make friends.
Particular concerns:
a) How does ので work? The way I've translated it as "so" ("It's easy to make friends ... so I found it easy to make friends") doesn't really make sense.
b) Is the speaker talking about himself or people in general, and is he talking about a specific occasion or occasions in general?
c) I translated 自分の方から as "on my part". Is that OK?
d) I translated 働き掛ける as "approach". Is that reasonable here?
4. The speaker is talking about how the Japanese emphasis on the group rather than the individual can have its negative aspects too.
私は二度目に日本に行った時は社会人として行ったんで すが、例えば会社の中で、グループのトップの人に任せて、自分では考えないし、意見を 言わない、ていうか言えない。自分の意見をあまり言う と、それはよくないという雰囲気がありました。
My translation: "The second time I came to Japan, I came as a working adult, but, for example, in the company where I worked, things were entrusted to the group leader, and people didn't think for themselves or speak their own opinions ... or, rather, weren't able to speak them. When I expressed my opinion a little, there was a bad atmosphere."
Is this OK?