ビデオブログ２

みなさん、期末はいそがしですか。がんばって下さい！

私は四年生で、一ヶ月後でそつぎょうするので、うれしいですよ！

来年の新しい大学生！

今週の週末、たくさん高校生はプリンストンに来ましたから、とてもにぎやかでした。工学のじゅぎょうに高校生が五人ぐらいいて、たのしかったです！その学生は頭がいいです。

高校生の中では、一人ベネズエラからきました。とても遠い（far）ですね～。来週の週末もたくさん高校生は来て、うれしいです！会いたいですよ！

ビデオブログ１

みなさん、見て下さい。

カタカナ ワーク (Final)

カみのかミ
カミナリのナリ
ナりのなリ


Definitions (from jisho.org):


かみ - long ago, paper, hair, god/deity
かみなり - thunder
なり - shape, style, sound

日本のミーム(Meme)

みなさん、今晩は！
たくさん日本のミームビデオがありますね～見て下さい：

おもしろいですね。ケッチーと思います。
つぎ：

とても上手にビットボクスをします。

すごいね～！

すみませんけど、あしたミドタームがありますから、勉強しに行きます。
じゃあ、また！

カタカナ ワーク

カみのかミ
カミナリのナリ
ナりのなリ

Katakana Analysis

「ゴン」、「ザッ」、「シュルルル」、「ググッ」,Onomatopoeia, なるとまんが

カタカナ is often used for emulating sounds and noises. As indicated in our なかま textbook and various online sources, this is one of the easier-to-spot uses of  カタカナ. In this sense, カタカナ can be interpreted as conveying no inherent meaning in the characters, similar to its use serving as a loanword alphabet, in which the word itself contains no meaning, instead referring to a borrowed concept. Contrast this with ひらがな or かんじ, in which characters or sets of characters carry meaning.

The examples seen in the manga page are very interesting. The first,「ゴン」 , is fairly straightforward, perhaps similar to "gong", or some other loud, resonant sound effect. 「ザッ」and 「ググッ」both have a very interesting small ッ at the end. I suspect the intent is to indicate a staccato sound; that is, to signal an abrupt cut-off to the sound preceding. This style is often seen in sounds produced by sudden events or movements, often in a very dramatic fashion. Lastly, 「シュルルル」may represent some sort of repeated swishing noise or higher pitched rumbling.

A very interesting aspect of  カタカナ use in these sorts of situations is the physical appearance of the script. As opposed to ひらがな's rounder, more fluid strokes, カタカナ can be presented in sharp, angular styles. This often adds to the dramatic feel of the events and actions being illustrated, and I find that the characters themselves play a huge role in the feel of any given page or frame of まんが. The 「ゴン」script is even stylized to appear as if the text itself is being shaken and jarred by the event, and works to further engage the reader in subtle manners.

「スズキ」、「ニュ－スリリース」, Business words, Suzuki Motors website
In orders of official business, カタカナ is often used.  In this particular example, カタカナ and kanji are dominant, with ひらがな being used only as particles, and sparingly at that.This is likely due to the historical/traditional relationship between カタカナ and patriarchal society. That is, areas of life more commonly controlled by males is likewise linked to カタカナ. Of course, as gender roles have merged and blurred, this distinction may no longer be strictly valid, but it appears that the tradition of using カタカナ script for more male-controlled areas of life (such as business and government) have perpetuated.

While most sources and texts tend not to mention this area of カタカナ usage, some do refer to "orders of official business" as common areas, which I take to mean business itself, in a broader sense.

The visual appearance of カタカナ itself may also suggest a more serious, more reliable nature, contrasting with the more curvy, free form of ひらがな. This in turn suggests professionalism that many/most companies wish to present. The angles and straight(er) strokes of カタカナ may also convey a feeling of higher technical prowess. As such, many products appear to be named in カタカナ: 「アルドエコ」、「ソリオ」、「スイフト」、「MRワゴン」.

須藤元気（すどう げんき）

みなさん、見て下さい！

うたを書く人は須藤元気さんです。須藤さんはめがねをかけていて、スーツをきていて、ひげがあるひとです。せが少しひくくて、かおが四角いです。ダンスをするのがとても上手です。須藤さんは MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) をしました。エントランスはとてもおもしろかったです！

そして、須藤さんは仏教（ぶっきょう Buddhism ） の本を書きましたから、あたまがいいです！
せいかくはたのしそうですね～！

Katakana Analysis Draft

「シュルルル」,Onomatopoeia, なるとまんが
カタカナ is often used for emulating sounds and noises. As indicated in our なかま textbook and various online sources, this is one of the easier-to-spot uses of  カタカナ. In this sense, カタカナ can be interpreted as conveying no inherent meaning in the characters, similar to its use serving as a loanword alphabet, in which the word itself contains no meaning, instead referring to a borrowed concept. Contrast this with ひらがな or かんじ, in which characters or sets of characters carry meaning.

「スズキ」、「ニュ－スリリース」, Business words, Suzuki Motors website
In orders of official business, カタカナ is often used. This is likely due to the historical/traditional relationship between カタカナ and patriarchal society. That is, areas of life more commonly associated with males is likewise linked to カタカナ. The visual appearance of カタカナ itself may also suggest a more serious, more reliable nature, contrasting with the more curvy, free form of ひらがな.

新しい学期

わあ、新しい学期ですね！期末テストは少し大変でしたが、終わりでした。中休みは少しつまらなかったですけど、よかったです。どこにも行きませんでした。そして、だれもきませんでした。でも、私はゆっくりしましたから、大丈夫でした。毎日たくさん寝て、ゲームをしました。それから、バイオリンをひいて、たくさんまんがを読みました。とても楽しかったです！

この学期はとてもおもしろそうですから、私はうれしいです。でも、この学期の授業は少し難しそうですけど、とても楽しそうです。

今、たくさんしゅくだいがあるので、私は勉強しに行きますよ。

じゃあ、また！

Cycle 3: Reflection Statement

Over Christmas break, I was home in Taiwan, where I was exposed to a lot of Japanese culture and language. I was able to shadow some segments of news on local television channels, along with some exclamatory phrases from Japanese game shows.

It was tons of fun reading Japanese phrases and a lot of the menus had Japanese script.

I feel that my control of long vowels has improved and special moras such as double consonants have also become clearer!

食べ物：二番

こんばんは！

台湾（たいわん）に　たくさん夜市 （night market）があります。

寧夏夜市 (Ning Xia Night Market)

士林夜市 (Shilin Night Market)

毎日たくさん人がいます。とてもにぎやかで、たのしいです。そして、たくさんたべものがあります。たくさん少年（しょうねん）はそこに買い物に行きます。

Night markets feature small dishes with prices ranging from $0.75 USD to $3.00 USD. Seafood is a significant portion of the diet in Taiwan, and is featured quite prominently in Taiwanese, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine. 

蚵仔煎 (Pan-fried Oysters)

Pan-fried with vegetables, eggs, and vegetables. Served with magic sauce.

Visitors pick and choose among the huge selection of stalls and eat/purchase whatever they want. Any night of the week, night markets are full of people, and it's even more crowded during weekends (the atmosphere is quite unique and a crucial part of the experience).

糖葫蘆 (Candied Fruits)

魷魚羹 (Cuttlefish Stew)

胡椒蝦 (Pepper Shrimp)

豬血糕 (Pig's Blood Cake)

食べ物：一番

日本のすき焼きと台湾（たいわん）の火鍋（hot pot）がとても好きです。たくさんたべました。

さかなとにくややさいがあります。

台湾の中にはたくさん日本のレストランがあります。

Since coming back to Taiwan, I've eaten at a number of sukiyaki/hot-pot restaurants, each with its unique style and offerings. The first and foremost defining element is the soup base, ranging from sea-salt boiled seaweed to 味噌(miso) to chicken broth to vegetable stew and beyond. As you cook the foods and eat them, the flavor of the soup develops, making each meal a unique experience (even the order in which you cook the foods affects the end product). The great thing about this style of eating is that each person can order and eat exactly what he/she wants, and it's always fun to cook your own meal!

クリスマス！

私はたいわんにかえりました。ニューヨークからたいぺいまで二十時間ぐらいかかりました。少し大変でした。えいがを八本見て、たのしかったです。「Cowboys and Aliens」 と「Stupid, Crazy, Love」や「Contagion」を見ました。

クリスマスブレイクはとてもよかったです。私はとてもたべものを食べました。おいしかったです。たいぺい１０１にいきました！

We visited family all throughout the country and ate all sorts of fantastic food, which I will present in the coming days! Stay posted!

さくぶん

山田さん、

はじめまして。私はプリンストン大学の四年生です。専攻は工学です。工学はおもしろくて、いいです。大学生のせんかつはいそがしいですが、たのしいてす。月曜日から金曜日までじゅぎょうがあって、しゅくだいをします。週末はひまなので、好きです。

山田さん、今日本はどうですか。日本のたべものの中で何が一番おいしいですか。テレビとえいがとどちらの方が好きですか。

では、明日はテストがあります。よろしくおねがいします。

ホワン

となりのトトロ

先週の週末、となりのトトロをみて、よかったです。私は大好きです。したにはえがあります。

でも、トトロは何ですか。「チンチラ」ですか。

くさかべさつき　と　くさかべめいは　新しいうちに　いますが、へやはとても古くて、かおいです。でも、おもしろい友達にあります。トトロです！さつきちゃんとめいちゃんのお母さんは病院にいて、ざんねんです。友達のトトロとあそんで、たのしいです。

「となりのトトロ」は　私の　一番宮崎のえいがです。

If you haven't seen it yet, DO SO NOW!!! みてくれませんか。

ありがとう 台湾！

台湾 (たいわん) の aid effort was brought to my attention during 日本の struggles through the tsunami/nuclear fallout disaster. Despite the size of the country (only 20 million people or so), it managed to be the single largest donation source in the world, a feat that 日本人 recognized in a message of thanks spread through local 新聞 (しんぶん). The message is below:

It goes to show the close ties many 台湾人 feel towards 日本 (though unfortunately not all) and the great good that can come out of this compassion. As 日本 continues to recover from this serious blow, I (and many other 台湾人) wish  the very best!

Original article here.

Cycle 2: Reflection Statement

Cycle 2 turned out more or less how I planned. I was able to shadow a number of clips from various sources (some music, some 日本のえいが, some アニメ). I was also able to submit approximately two shadowing recordings per week to しばた先生. The feedback was helpful as always, and she even complimented me on some of my work! Hopefully this means I really am improving, and that this method of practicing is producing results.

Some intonation details are starting to become slightly tricky, especially when I need to speak quickly. The introduction of the plain form and asking questions by only manipulating pitch instead of adding か might be a challenge, but I'll certainly try my best!

For Cycle 3 I will continue the same plan as before, viewing clips of Japanese movies or videos and shadowing the parts that seem reasonably paced. More みやざき films, of course! I will also try to submit 1-2 extra shadowing recordings per week to しばた先生 to comment!

Cycle 2: Goal Statement

For Cycle 2, I will work on special moras, paying special attention to length of vowel sounds.

I will continue to the various films I plan on watching, along with any anime or clips that are appropriate. My plan is to do 2-3 shadowing recordings a week off the Blackboard site and submit self evaluation sheets for feedback.

I intend to (re) watch a significant number of Miyazaki films and post about them, and I will try to shadow what I can while I watch them.

七人の侍

せんしゅうのしゅうまつえいがをみました。なまえは七人の侍（しちにんのさむらい）です。In English, the film is called Seven Samurai, directed by 黒澤明（くろさわ　あきら）. The DVD cover is below:

The film follows a small farming village as it seeks to hire samurai in order to defend itself from an eminent bandit raid. We are successively introduced to the...you guess it...seven heroes who embark on a heartwarming mission whose only rewards are meals and self satisfaction. とてもおもしろいです！いちばんえいがです！I have heard tons of great things about Kurosawa in general, in particular Seven Samurai and Rashomon, but the film exceeded even my high expectations! Despite being THREE HOURS in length, at no point did the thought "I am watching a film." cross my mind; which is to say, I was entirely engaged for the duration of the movie.

The story, while seemingly simplistic at first, actually ties in many subplots that elicit a whole spectrum of emotions and responses. Kurosawa elegantly shows class divides and social biases plaguing Japanese society during the time period, but never loses sight of the select few who truly understand honor and responsibility beyond war and rank. The samurai come from a variety of backgrounds, but in coming together for the village reveal their own perspectives and philosophies. Kurosawa also neatly touches upon gender biases, coming of age, and the psychological effects of loss, all the while presenting the issues in ways that the audience can relate to and understand. Amazingly, Seven Samurai's messages and commentary do not seem any less relevant despite nearly 60 years since its filming.

What struck me the most was one of the final lines spoken by the head samurai, explaining his opinion of a "loss". The remark echoes a statement he makes early on in the film, and sheds an entirely different light on his experiences and our understanding of his past.

The action sequences, however, are understandably simplistic compared to modern technology and cinematography. I found myself wondering why certain characters were dead if all that had happened was a simple jab to the leg, but this is hardly a flaw that detracts from the overall film.

All in all, I greatly recommend the film to anyone who hasn't seen it yet, and urge those who have to watch it again!

じゃあ、ね！