Miyamoto Yuriko

[Toritoribe]

Hi, have just found out that モウニング= morning coat!

I thought you meant "morning coat" by "morning" in your translation.

Is there a difference between calling someone ~さん or ~氏?

Usually, 氏 is more formal and written-language-like, but it can be used jokingly like 女史 in this novel.

why does some passages come between "― ― " like in " ― ―そうなんですか"? Does it indicate a pause or something else?

Yes, it indicates a pause as same as "…" .

 

[karenk]

I thought you meant "morning coat" by "morning" in your translation.

No, i had never heard this word before, I knew the meaning was totally off though.

 

[karenk]

Hi, Tori! I've some doubts concerning this passage: それは母って云う人は一体理性のかった人で（但し恐っ(（ママ）)た時にどなり出すのはくせだけれど）可愛そうで泣きたいように私の思う事でも世の中にはたんとあるこったものと云う人であるに引きかえ、私は泣きたければすぐ泣く、笑いたければすぐ笑う。

The narrator says that in contrast to her mother, who is totally rational (一体理性のかった人) and talks in a elaborate way (こったもの) even about all those things in the world that she (the narrator) finds pitiful and wants to cry about, she cries and laughs as soon as she feels like doing it. Is it so?

 

[karenk]

Hi, could you please explain the difference between: 人なみにして and 人をして? In the first case, does she mean that she uses half her head as a normal person to write, speak, etc. and the other half represents the people who calls her "weird child"?

「そんなに妙だ妙だって云わずといいじゃあないか。妙な子だと云ったところでなおるわけでもなし、私は死ぬまで妙な子でいいんだ、面倒くさい」
となげ出したようにいう。私はその心の云うことも聞こえないふりをしていまだになぜ生きてなくっちゃあならないんだ？　と思いながら半分の頭ではよんだり書いたりしゃべったり、ねたりおきたり人なみにして半分の頭が人をして時々今だに妙なお子さんと云わして居る。私は死ぬまで妙なお子でいいんだ。

 

[Toritoribe]

The narrator says that in contrast to her mother, who is totally rational (一体理性のかった人) and talks in a elaborate way (こったもの) even about all those things in the world that she (the narrator) finds pitiful and wants to cry about, she cries and laughs as soon as she feels like doing it. Is it so?

世の中にはたんとあるこったもの is a direct quotation. あるこった is a dialect of あることだ, thus, her mother says that all those things are common in the world.

Hi, could you please explain the difference between: 人なみにして and 人をして? In the first case, does she mean that she uses half her head as a normal person to write, speak, etc. and the other half represents the people who calls her "weird child"?

Yes, your understanding is correct. ～をして…せる/せしむ is a classical causative of ～に…させる.

 

[karenk]

Thank you, Tori! Much appreciated, as usual!

 

[karenk]

Hi, Tori, can "Takeo" be a girl´s name? At first I thought that the character was a boy, but then I read:

　トラは自分より学問もあり、稼ぎもしている年かさのまま娘には何かにつけて遠慮し、よその人に向ってたけをさんと呼び、うちでは姉(あね)ちゃんと呼んだ。

For what I gather, Tora, the stepmother is more instructed than Takeo, has been working for a longer time (that's what 稼ぎもしている年かさ, right?) than Takeo, but has many reservations and calls her Takeosan in front of the others and "sister" at home. That's it right?

 

[karenk]

Hi, how should I interpret the second part of the passage below?

四日に一度ずつ今日のように半休があったが、逆に四日に一度ずつの出番にあたれば売場で倍いそがしい目を見るということになる。"Each 4 days there was half day free, like today, conversely each 4 days someone was chosen to work at the counter and had double the work to do." Is it something so? Does 出番にあたれば has this meaning of been chosen/picked? Thanks!

 

[karenk]

Hi Tori, does "宮さん" mean an imperial princess? Then, does the first part of the passage below mean that an imperial princess who lives in Tokyo is getting married to a commoner in Kyoto? Thank you!

……東京の宮さんから京都へ御降嫁になるんじゃそうな。ついては御殿を二十万円で新築せにゃならんそうで、全国の信者が寄進せにゃならん塩梅(あんばい)じゃ――」

 

[Toritoribe]

can "Takeo" be a girl´s name?

Yes. Other kanji, not 男, 雄 or 夫, are usually used for お/を in female names like 珠緒(たまお).

For what I gather, Tora, the stepmother is more instructed than Takeo, has been working for a longer time (that's what 稼ぎもしている年かさ, right?) than Takeo, but has many reservations and calls her Takeosan in front of the others and "sister" at home. That's it right?

All of 自分より学問もあり, 稼ぎもしている and 年かさの modify まま娘, thus, Takeo is more educated than Tora, and she is working.

年かさ usually means "older", but judging from the context, the writer would use it as "matured/adult", I think.

how should I interpret the second part of the passage below?

四日に一度ずつ今日のように半休があったが、逆に四日に一度ずつの出番にあたれば売場で倍いそがしい目を見るということになる。"Each 4 days there was half day free, like today, conversely each 4 days someone was chosen to work at the counter and had double the work to do." Is it something so? Does 出番にあたれば has this meaning of been chosen/picked?

I think 出番にあたれば means 出番が来れば here, thus, it's not "chosen/picked".

does "宮さん" mean an imperial princess?

宮さん means 宮家, i.e., an imperial family.

does the first part of the passage below mean that an imperial princess who lives in Tokyo is getting married to a commoner in Kyoto?

It mustn't be a commoner. 降嫁 is used even for a marriage with Shogun family.

Sorry for the late reply!

 

[karenk]

Hi,

Yes. Other kanji, not 男, 雄 or 夫, are usually used for お/を in female names like 珠緒(たまお).


All of 自分より学問もあり, 稼ぎもしている and 年かさの modify まま娘, thus, Takeo is more educated than Tora, and she is working.

年かさ usually means "older", but judging from the context, the writer would use it as "matured/adult", I think.


I think 出番にあたれば means 出番が来れば here, thus, it's not "chosen/picked".


宮さん means 宮家, i.e., an imperial family.


It mustn't be a commoner. 降嫁 is used even for a marriage with Shogun family.

Sorry for the late reply!

Hi Tori! No need to apologize, you've already answered so many of my questions, you surely deserve a respite from time to time. Hope you are doing well. Happy New Year! And thank you again!

 

[karenk]

Hi, I'm translating Miyamoto's "Ippon no hana" and have a doubt about a passage:
去年からでは、でも千ばかり減りましたね。……田舎のひとだって、この頃は婦人雑誌どんどんとるんだから、断るのが自然ですよ。比べて見れば、誰だってほかの雑誌がやすくって面白いと思う んだもの」
　一円本の話が出て、それに矢崎も加わった。
「娘がやかましく云うんで、小学生全集をとっているんですが、一体あんなものはどの位儲かるもんでしょうな……」
「社でも何か一つとってくれないかな、そうすると僕たち助かっちゃうんだが」
「矢崎さん、いかが？　それ位のこと出来ませんか」

Is the person asking Yazaki to subscribe to the 小学生全集 and saying that they would help with the money? Could anyone clarify? Thanks!

Hi, Tori. I've asked about this passage before, to me, Ida is asking if they couldn't subscribe to one of these 一円本, but someone asked me if he is not asking if they couldn't publish this kind of cheap book since they are a publishing house and it would help them make some money.

 

[Toritoribe]

Majestic-san's interpretation is correct. とる can't mean "to publish".

 

[karenk]

Hi, what would the meaning of 相互扶助を忘れた結果? Does it mean that he lost the game because he was not a good strategist or because he was selfish and played without showing any consideration for his opponent?

ああ、女の執念ですからね」
　大平が、行き悩んで駒で盤の上を叩きながら云った。
「対手にとって不足はないが、と。……どうも詰っちゃったな。朝子さん、何とかなりますまいかね」
「相互扶助を忘れた結果だから、さあそうして当分もがもがしていらっしゃい」

And what does 工面 mean here? さもなけりゃ、私んところへこのまま行っちゃって、御馳走をあなたに工面して貰ってから幸子君を呼ぶんだ. That he will manage to prepare something for her to eat or that he will manage for her to prepare something for him?

 

[Toritoribe]

what would the meaning of 相互扶助を忘れた結果? Does it mean that he lost the game because he was not a good strategist or because he was selfish and played without showing any consideration for his opponent?

Right.

what does 工面 mean here? さもなけりゃ、私んところへこのまま行っちゃって、御馳走をあなたに工面して貰ってから幸子君を呼ぶんだ. That he will manage to prepare something for her to eat or that he will manage for her to prepare something for him?

He is asking her for making dinner for the three of them.

 

[karenk]

Right.

Because he was selfish and played without any consideration for his opponent? Or is she refering to the pieces of the game? Like, he didn't have a strategy to use them to his benefit.

 

[Toritoribe]

Oh, sorry, "Right" is not an appropriate answer. I meant the latter one "because he was selfish and played without showing any consideration for his opponent" is correct.

 

[karenk]

Oh, sorry, "Right" is not an appropriate answer. I meant the latter one "because he was selfish and played without showing any consideration for his opponent" is correct.

No problem, I was just wondering if 相互扶助 could be used about the pieces of the game, like a strategy, using each to maximize the chances of winning. It means "mutual aid", right? I suppose it really can just be about the other opponents.

 

[Toritoribe]

It means "mutual aid", right? I suppose it really can just be about the other opponents.

Right.

 

[karenk]

Hi, there!
I have a question regarding the passage below. In this scene some people are waiting for an order of kitsune soba to be delivered at New Year's Eve, and Sawako, who placed the order, wonders if they (I suppose the restaurant people) understood what she said. Maybe they heard "tanuki" instead of "kitsune", she says. My question: why an order of tanuki soba would take longer than one of kitsune soba? Or is it related to the idea of the kitsune and the tanuki?

「そば、忘れちゃったんじゃないか」
　進が待ちかねたように云い出した。
「いや」
　目をしばたたきつつ、
「今夜は、待たせることをむこうじゃ勘定にいれてるんだ」
　佐太郎が説明したが、サワ子は自分が云って来た責任上当惑そうに、
「わからなかったんでしょうか」
と、皆の顔を見まわした。
「きつねを、たぬきとでもきいたんであるまいか」
「サワ子さんたら！」
　満子が編物をとり落すほど笑いこけた。サワ子は、プリントの仕事などさせられると粒の揃った細かい字が書けないで先ず閉口するたちであった。いつかもこういうことがあった。

 

[Toritoribe]

たぬきとでも, i.e., "tanuku or something" shows that she is not talking about the difference between kitsune and tanuki specifically. She would be just saying that the restaurant could be confusing/misunderstanding with a bit of joking nuance.

 

[karenk]

たぬきとでも, i.e., "tanuku or something" shows that she is not talking about the difference between kitsune and tanuki specifically. She would be just saying that the restaurant could be confusing/misunderstanding with a bit of joking nuance.

Thank you Tori! And what the last part could be refering too? It says that Sawako was the type of person who used to have trouble writing the little words when she was put to do print work and then: いつかもこういうことがあった. Could it mean that she wrote the order to the restaurant and it was written in a confusing manner? But she says: きつねを、たぬきとでもきいたんであるまいか; which makes me think that she didn't place the order in written form.

 

[Toritoribe]

こういうこと refers to the part following it, i.e., an episode regarding 安否を見とどける, not the preceding part about プリントの仕事.

I think the writer wants to say that she is a bit ずれてる, i.e.,, her characteristics is unique, a bit different form people in general. The point is why the one who saw their comrade was arrested didn't do anything at the time, but she is talking about the problem/strangeness in the expression 安否を見とどける. Similarly, her concern is not print work itself but to write even-sized little letters/characters. Judging from these descriptions, she might not say きつねを、たぬきとでもきいたんであるまいか as a joke. She would be just ずれてる.

 

[karenk]

こういうこと refers to the part following it, i.e., an episode regarding 安否を見とどける, not the preceding part about プリントの仕事.

I think the writer wants to say that she is a bit ずれてる, i.e.,, her characteristics is unique, a bit different form people in general. The point is why the one who saw their comrade was arrested didn't do anything at the time, but she is talking about the problem/strangeness in the expression 安否を見とどける. Similarly, her concern is not print work itself but to write even-sized little letters/characters. Judging from these descriptions, she might not say きつねを、たぬきとでもきいたんであるまいか as a joke. She would be just ずれてる.

Got it! Thank you, Tori!

 

[karenk]

Hi! In the passage: 諏訪神社近くの大きい料理屋へ行った。廊下をいく曲りかしたところにドアつきの小部屋がある。西洋風に壁で一方だけに窓がひらき、大炬燵がきってある。そういう部屋に落付くと、直ぐ○○君がやって来て「ここは私の同情者(シンパ)でしてね、重宝ですよ」と笑った。○○君 is refering to a person when he uses ここは, right? Not to the room they are in? Something like: This one is my sympathizer, she is very helpful!