Hiya,
1. A student is talking to a university professor:
実は、日本語のクラスでプロジェクトワークをしていまして、私は日本の歴史の教科書をトピック に選びました。先生がその問題について研究なさってい ると伺ってので、いろいろお話をお聞きできたらと思っ ているのですが。
My translation: "Actually, I'm doing some project work for my Japanese class, and I've chosen the topic of Japanese history textbooks. I've heard that you, professor, carry out research into this subject, so I thought it would be good if I could ask you one or two things."
Is this OK? Especially....
a) Is he doing his project on the subject of Japanese history textbooks in general? Or has he chosen a topic *from* a Japanese history textbook?
b) Is it OK here to translate 問題 as "subject", "topic" or similar (rather than "problem" or similar)?
c) Is いろいろお話をお聞き referring to the student asking the professor "various things"? Or is it referring to the student listening to the professor talking about various things?
2. あのう、ミラーさんは10年間日本に住んでいらしたんですが、日本に 住んでいて、これはアメリカと違うなと思われた点があ りますか。
My translation: "Well Mr Miller, you've been living in Japan for ten years; (while you've been) living in Japan, are there some things [points] that you've noticed [thought] are different from America?"
a) Is いらした = いらっしゃいました?
b) What does これ refer to? Does it refer, generally, to Mr Miller's living in Japan?
b) What is the function of な in 違うなと?
c) Is 思われた a passive form (i.e. "(points that) were thought (to be different)"), or is it an honorific/polite active form (i.e. "(points that) you thought (were different))"? I often seem to have difficulty understanding which of these two senses is intended. Are there any general tips anyone can offer? To a native speaker is there always an obvious clear-cut distinction, or do the two senses (passive and honorific) sometimes kind of merge into one idea?
1. A student is talking to a university professor:
実は、日本語のクラスでプロジェクトワークをしていまして、私は日本の歴史の教科書をトピック に選びました。先生がその問題について研究なさってい ると伺ってので、いろいろお話をお聞きできたらと思っ ているのですが。
My translation: "Actually, I'm doing some project work for my Japanese class, and I've chosen the topic of Japanese history textbooks. I've heard that you, professor, carry out research into this subject, so I thought it would be good if I could ask you one or two things."
Is this OK? Especially....
a) Is he doing his project on the subject of Japanese history textbooks in general? Or has he chosen a topic *from* a Japanese history textbook?
b) Is it OK here to translate 問題 as "subject", "topic" or similar (rather than "problem" or similar)?
c) Is いろいろお話をお聞き referring to the student asking the professor "various things"? Or is it referring to the student listening to the professor talking about various things?
2. あのう、ミラーさんは10年間日本に住んでいらしたんですが、日本に 住んでいて、これはアメリカと違うなと思われた点があ りますか。
My translation: "Well Mr Miller, you've been living in Japan for ten years; (while you've been) living in Japan, are there some things [points] that you've noticed [thought] are different from America?"
a) Is いらした = いらっしゃいました?
b) What does これ refer to? Does it refer, generally, to Mr Miller's living in Japan?
b) What is the function of な in 違うなと?
c) Is 思われた a passive form (i.e. "(points that) were thought (to be different)"), or is it an honorific/polite active form (i.e. "(points that) you thought (were different))"? I often seem to have difficulty understanding which of these two senses is intended. Are there any general tips anyone can offer? To a native speaker is there always an obvious clear-cut distinction, or do the two senses (passive and honorific) sometimes kind of merge into one idea?