新しい言葉
| むし暑い | Humid, sticky heat |
| 残業する | To work overtime |
| 別に | Not particularly, not really |
| 料金 | Fee, charge |
| 特急 | Express (train) |
| 車内 | Inside the train, train car |
| 乗車する | To board a train, to get on |
| 券 | Ticket |
| 必要な | Necessary |
| 間違う | To make a mistake |
| アナウンスする | To announce, to make an announcement |
| ちょっとした | A little, slight |
| 気にかかる | To be concerned, to worry |
| 敬語 | Honorific language, polite speech |
| 気に入る | To like, to be fond of |
| 感じる | To feel, to sense |
| について | About, regarding |
| 投書する | To submit a letter (to a publication) |
| 残す | To leave behind, to save |
| 〜とか | And so on, things like |
| できるだけ | As much as possible |
| 離れる | To separate, to move away |
| 命令する | To order, to command |
| 禁止する | To prohibit, to forbid |
| うんざりする | To be fed up, to be tired of |
| 目にする | To see, to come across |
| 〜といっても | Even though (someone) says |
| 思いやり | Compassion, consideration |
| 伝わる | To be conveyed, to be communicated |
| もの | Thing, object, (used for emphasis in a sentence) |
| つもり | Intention, plan |
| たしかな | Certain, sure |
いっしょに考えましょう
- When speaking Japanese, what do you pay attention to?
- Have you ever felt uncomfortable with something someone said?
- Have you ever been told something that made you really happy?
読みましょう
On days when it’s unbearably humid or when I’m very tired after working overtime, I sometimes pay extra to ride the limited express train. In the train, there’s an announcement repeated several times: “In addition to a regular ticket, a limited express ticket is required. Please don’t make a mistake.” Sometimes, certain ways of using words bother me, and for me, this announcement is one of those cases. It’s not that the choice of words or the use of polite language is wrong, nor is it that I dislike the way it’s said. The grammar is correct, too. However, after hearing it several times, I start to feel as if I’m being told, “If you don’t have the ticket, don’t get on.”
I once read something from a young mother about the power of words. She said that she’s tired of constantly giving her children commands and prohibitions all day long, such as, “Finish your food, don’t leave anything behind,” or, “Watch TV from a distance.” What do you think people who read this would think? Some may have felt that, despite being commands or prohibitions, the mother’s words conveyed care for her children—like telling them, “Eat a lot so you can grow big and strong,” or, “Watching TV too closely will hurt your eyes.”
Even when we try to consider the other person’s feelings and convey our thoughts correctly, things often don’t go as we intend. Sometimes, even if we think we’ve spoken kindly and politely, it may still come across as a command. On the other hand, even if we use commanding language, our kindness may be understood. While it’s true that proper grammar and the meaning of words are important, isn’t it also necessary to learn how to use language in a way that considers how it will be received by others?
答えましょう
- When does the author take the express train?
- What announcements are made on the express train?
- Why does it concern the author?
- What does the young mother say to her children?
- What does she think about her own way of speaking?
- What feelings does the author say are conveyed through the mother’s words?
- What does the author say they are unable to do as they had planned?
- Why are they unable to do as planned?
- What does the author say they need to learn?
使いましょう
まとめましょう
- Why does the author care about the announcements on the express train?
- What did the author think after reading the young mother’s statements?
- What do they say they need to learn?
話しましょう
- When do you think it is difficult to use language appropriately? Give an example and explain.
- Are there any words you’ve read or heard that you still remember well? What are those words? When did you hear them?”
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