Teenagers Studying Japanese (92/07/01)
The Bronx is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It is located north of Manhattan. Mainly a residential area, in its southern, economically depressed section, residents include a mixture of minority groups, immigrants and the children of immigrants from many different countries. In recent decades, this area has often become the site of violent activities of various gangs of young people who found greater challenge on the streets than in the schools. Now an attempt is being made at a junior high school there to instill a sense of being special into its students. You may be surprised to know that one way of doing this is to teach them the formidable Japanese language. All 250 teenagers who attend this school, now known as FLAGS, an acronym for Foreign Language Academy and Global Studies, are studying Japanese. Since this new program has been adopted, attendance has risen to about 95 percent, a big leap from the 50-60 percent common in earlier years. Students who become proficient in Japanese will have a clear advantage when they look for employment in certain prosperous companies. It is important to give children, youth and all people a sense of being special and challenge them to channel their abilities into socially beneficial programs. --Clark Offner (3991)
Opposite Meanings (92/07/02)
Foreign students of English soon discover that not only English pronunciation is irregular; at times the meaning and usage of English words is quite confusing. In some expressions, words that usually have opposite meanings are used to mean the same thing. For example, "sharp" and "blunt" are usually opposite. A sharp knife has a keen edge and cuts well while a blunt knife has a dull edge and cuts poorly. When used of speech, however, "sharp" and "blunt" are quite similar. Speaking sharply and speaking bluntly both imply frank, harsh remarks which the listener would rather not hear. Similarly, "fat" and "slim" are usually opposite. Sumo wrestler Konishiki is the prime example of a fat man while a slim man is slender, lean or thin. "Slim" also means meager, so a "slim chance" implies that the possibility of something occurring is very poor, but the slang expression, "fat chance" has the same meaning. In this case, "fat" and "slim" are synonyms rather than antonyms. In political speeches, precise meanings of words are often unclear. President Eisenhower complained about the usage of such words as radical, liberal, conservative and reactionary. "If our attitudes are muddled", he said, "our language is often to blame." --Clark Offner (3992)
Georgia's Flag (92/07/03)
Cities chosen to host the quadrennial Olympic Games often initiate significant changes to improve their image in the eyes of the world. The 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, for example, resulted not only in a modern, new gymnasium but in an improved subway system in Tokyo, the establishment of the 'shinkansen' between Tokyo and Osaka and the choice of October 10th as Sports Day as well. The site of the 1996 Olympics will be Atlanta, capital of the U.S. state of Georgia. One of the changes that Georgia's governor, Zell Miller, has in mind is related to the state's flag. Each of the 50 American states has its own flag which may be considered a symbol of the state. The Confederate States of America, consisting of those rebellious southern states that seceded from the Union in 1861, also had its own Confederate flag. In 1956, more than 90 years after the end of the Civil War, the Georgia State Legislature voted to incorporate that Confederate emblem into its state flag to demonstrate its opposition to school integration of whites and blacks. At the next session of the state legislature, Governor Miller will introduce a bill to remove that symbolic reminder of slavery and segregation from the state flag. Supporters of the current flag view it as a symbol of Southern pride, but critics consider it an embarrassment to the state. Symbols have meaning and can stir up emotions--for better or worse. -- Clark Offner(3993)
Adjust To Customs (92/07/04)
When my wife and I came to Japan in 1951, we had to learn to adjust to the customs and conditions here. My wife did not wear any red dresses, since she had been informed that red was not a color that respectable married women wore. Putting on and taking off our shoes every time we left or entered a house seemed troublesome, so after my first term of service here I never bought shoes that had shoestrings--except for tennis shoes. When we arrived in Japan, U.S. Occupation Forces were still here. Those servicemen and their families were permitted to ride on the second-class cars on the trains, but we joined the rest of the common people in the crowded third-class cars. When we went out to eat, however, we did try to limit our choice of restaurants to those that displayed a large "A" in their front window to indicate that they were approved by the Occupation Forces. Before coming to Japan, we had never eaten raw fish nor used chopsticks. Rice and green tea were also novelties for us at that time, but it didn't take us long to become accustomed to such exotic foods. When preparing our meals, my wife always put some medicinal tablets in the water when she washed fresh fruits and vegetables to rid them of bacteria, but even so, we regularly took medicine to flush parasites out of our intestines. -- Clark Offner (3994)
Yahweh (92/07/05)
In Japan, parents choose meaningful names for their children that may include their hope for that child's character or future. Names in the Bible are also important. In the third chapter of the Old Testament book of Exodus is the strange but fascinating story of Moses' initial encounter with God and of his request to know God's name. The God who revealed himself to Moses in nature was a personal God who knew Moses' name and the sufferings of the Israelites in Egypt. He called Moses to be his representative to deliver the people from slavery. When Moses asked to know his name, God gave the cryptic reply: "I am who I am." It is from this statement that Yahweh, the Hebrew name for God, was derived. This name implies the eternal and essential nature of God as Being itself, the Source of life. Yet, the Biblical God is not merely a philosophical concept but a personal Being who is aware of the suffering of his creation and inspires men and women to be his messengers to bring salvation. When Moses hesitated to accept God's call, God promised to be with him even as he promises to be with those he calls today to be his representatives. -- Clark Offner (3995)
Too Much of One Thing (92/07/06)
Confucianistic attitudes and concepts have had a great influence upon traditional Japanese life and society. In this postwar era, however, their importance has seemed to decrease. One area in which this is obvious is in the present attitude related to economy, 'setsuyaku' or 'kenyaku'. A well-known saying of Confucius from that collection of his sayings known as the 'Analects', or 'Rongo', is 'Sugitaru wa nao oyobazaru ga gotoshi', literally, Too much is like too little. These days, there are many examples of overdoing, carrying something too far, or going to excess. In English, we have such sayings as: More than enough is too much and Too much of one thing is good for nothing. Why is it that we desire more than we need or can possibly use? A philosopher who lived long before Confucius wrote in Ecclesiastes 5:10, "If you love money, you will never be satisfied." --Clark Offner (3996)
Ox-walk Tactics (92/07/07)
A famous fable of Aesop is about a race between a hare and a turtle. In this story, the turtle was chosen to represent a very slow-moving animal. In English, we may speak of something or someone moving at a snail's pace, but in the Japanese Diet, slow-moving representatives are said to walk like oxen. Last month, by means of television, the world was introduced to the special Japanese method of delaying legislative action, 'gyūho senjutsu', or "ox-walk tactics". In the United States Senate, the preferred delaying tactic is a time-consuming speech called a filibuster. A single senator may delay a vote by making a very long-winded speech. The longest continuous speech in the history of the U.S. Senate was that of Wayne Morse, who spoke for 22 hours 26 minutes without resuming his seat on April 24-25, 1953. What did you think of the ox-walk tactics of the Socialist and Communist parties last month? Why do you think they did it? What was its purpose? Did it accomplish something? Do you think the PKO bill is in keeping with the spirit and letter of the Constitution? Essays on this theme sent to me will be corrected and printed in the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes. This is: "Daily Word", P.O. Box 30, Moriyama Post Office, Nagoya 463. --Clark Offner (3997)
G-Men (92/07/08)
The headline of an article in a Japanese newspaper recently attracted my attention because it contained one English letter, a capital G. This letter was followed by the katakana symbols pronounced 'men'. Do you know what "G-men" are? The article stated that the Aichi Police Department has begun using G-men to catch parking violaters in a downtown area of Nagoya. This area has many night-clubs and every night the streets are lined with cars despite "No Parking" signs. When uniformed policemen come along and begin ticketing cars, word is immediately spread throughout the district and drivers rush to move their cars, only to return after the policemen have departed--a kind of 'itachi gokko'. The so-called G-men are actually plainclothes policemen who are able to carry out their duties less conspicuously. The term "G-man", meaning "Government-man", began to be used in the United States in the 1920s for agents of the Department of Justice. Later, their bureau's name was changed to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or F.B.I. Even without uniforms, however, some G-men may be recognized by certain characteristics they exhibit even before they show their badges. Likewise, genuine faith is recognized by attitudes, not only by external symbols people wear. --Clark Offner (3998)
Elias Howe (92/07/09)
There are three common English words pronounced 'so.' The word spelled s-o, may be either an adverb or a conjunction. In the sentence, "Today's message was so difficult that I could not understand it", it is used as an adverb, but in the following sentence, it is a conjunction: "I did not know the meaning of the word so I looked it up in a dictionary." When spelled s-o-w, it means to scatter seed. In his parable of the sower in chapter 4 of the Gospel of Mark, Jesus compared proclaiming God's message with sowing seed. The third word with this pronunciation is spelled s-e-w and means to make, repair or fasten something with a needle and thread. Tailors and seamstresses these days use sewing machines to do most of their sewing. In 1846, the first sewing machine with an eye-pointed needle was patented by Elias Howe, who was born in the United States on July 9, 1819, 173 years ago today. Sometimes so-called time-saving inventions make people busier than before. Those of you writing essays for the next issue of "Daily Word" Echoes should send them to reach me by July 18th. --Clark Offner (3999)
Diamond Phone (92/07/10)
One of many evidences of affluence in Japan these days is the increasing use of mobile telephones. These devices are convenient since they can be used in many places where regular telephones are not available. Nevertheless, I was surprised to see the newspaper article with an accompanying photograph regarding an extraordinary mobile phone for Japanese women who have more money than they know what to do with. The article quoted a lady from the Diamond Information Center who stated, "One out of two women in Japan aged 20 to 30 now owns diamonds." She added that "The second or third diamond for these working women must be something practical." The "something practical" is a diamond-encrusted mobile phone. Displayed recently at "Diamond Jewelry for Working Women" promotions in jewelry and department stores, this mobile phone, studded with 1,300 diamonds set in 18-karat gold and platinum, may be purchased for ¥100 million. The article did not mention whether many such phones were being sold, but the mere fact that they were on sale would cause raised eyebrows on many people throughout the world. How many reasons can you think of regarding why anyone would buy such a thing? The sole reason I can think of is not a complimentary one and I hope affluent Japanese women will find better ways to spend their money in this world in which countless suffering people are struggling to obtain the barest necessities of life. -- Clark Offner (4000)
Living In Tokyo (92/07/11)
My wife and I spent the first year and nine months of our life in Japan living in Tokyo. During that time our main purpose was to gain a basic understanding of the Japanese language and to that end we attended classes in a language school five days a week. On Sunday mornings we often attended a Japanese Church, either in Yoyogi, where our landlord and his wife were members, or in Denenchofu, whose pastor had attended the same seminary I did in New York City. On Sunday afternoons, we attended Tokyo Union Church which held its service in English. On Sunday evenings, I began teaching an English Bible Class at the Yoyogi Church. One of the members of that class was an engineer at the research laboratory of the Furukawa Electric Company. At his invitation, I also began an English Bible Class at that laboratory. Of course, during this time in Tokyo, we were also being introduced to Japanese culture and customs. Just as we had gotten adjusted to buying food using such traditional Japanese measurements as 'momme' and 'kin', however, the metric system, which we had never used in our homeland, was introduced. Consequently, even today, weights and measurements, including grams and ounces, liters and quarts, kilometers and miles, Celsius and Fahrenheit are sometimes confused in our minds, but along with many Japanese, 'tsubo' is a clearer concept to us than square meters. -- Clark Offner (4001)
Never Take Revenge (92/07/12)
Oriental concern related to saving face and expunging shame has encouraged vendettas or acts of retaliation against enemies. In some cases, revenge was considered necessary to console the spirits of the dead and has been considered virtuous in Japanese history. In the Old Testament also, the law of retaliation was recognized. According to Exodus, chapter 21, "the punishment shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise" [23-25]. The New testament, however, has a completely different perspective on this matter. Jesus taught his disciples to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecuted them [Matthew 5:44]. In Romans, chapter 12, the Apostle Paul wrote: "If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong" [17], "Never take revenge" [19]. Jesus himself provided us with the example of not seeking revenge. Even from the cross where he was being unjustly executed, he prayed that his killers would be forgiven [Luke 23:34]. When we seek revenge, we lower ourselves to the level of those who have wronged us. If we believe in a just god or a moral universe, we should be willing to suffer injustice and leave the results in god's hands. Rather than lowering ourselves to the level of those around us, let us seek to raise the moral of society by our good example of love and mercy. -- Clark Offner (4002)
Okame Hachi-moku (92/07/13)
The Japanese word 'okame', consisting of characters meaning hill and eye means an "onlooker", that is a person who looks on while another is playing a game, such as 'go'. The proverb, 'okame hachi-moku', implies that the onlooker has a better view of the game than the player himself and is able to see eight moves ahead. We do not have a comparable proverb in English, but you should know that the English word "kibitzer", spelled k-i-b-i-t-z-e-r, does not denote simply a bystander or onlooker who stands by and looks on while another is playing a game. It means one who offers unwanted advice to the player. Therefore kibitzers are not very popular people. Sometimes, however, advice from the sidelines can be very helpful and we should not be so proud as to ignore the comments of others who may have a wider perspective than we do. --Clark Offner (4003)
Shizuko Natsuki (92/07/14)
Although I have never read any of the many mystery novels by Agatha Christie, I have enjoyed viewing television renditions of some of them on NHK featuring Detective Poirot. Shizuko Natsuki, a Japanese mystery writer who began her career writing for an NHK detective show, has been called the Japanese Agatha Christie. Fifty-two-year-old Ms. Natsuki is a member of The Mystery Writers of America and the only Japanese to have received the Prix du Roman d'Adventure, one of Europe's most prestigious literary awards. She now has written over 70 books, short stories and serials, more than 40 of which have been made into TV movies. She doesn't enjoy watching the television adaptations of her stories, however, because they are changed in a number of ways. For example, a popular actress may not want to die in a story, so the director permits her to live, a car company sponsor objects to car accidents, or an American editor changes the main character from a Japanese to an American English teacher. Although her mystery novels have touched on social issues, she now wants to treat social problems on a more literal level in hopes of stimulating the interest of western writers in contemporary Japanese literature. --Clark Offner (4004)
"W" (92/07/15)
As you know, the 23rd letter of the modern English alphabet is pronounced "double-u" but actually, in its printed form, a "w" resembles a "double-v" rather than a "double-u". The sound indicated by this letter differs depending upon its place within a word and the letters that precede or follow it. When it comes at the beginning of a word and is followed by a vowel, its pronunciation is quite regular, as in the sentence, "We want warm water". But in modern American English, when it is followed by an "h", in many cases, for many people, the sound is not different even if the "h" is removed. Take the words w(h)en, w(h)et, w(h)it and w(h)ine, for example. On the other hand, if the "w" is removed from such words as what, when, where and wheat, the pronunciation changes considerably. In the case of "whole", when spelled with a "w", it means complete, but if the "w" is removed it means a cavity or an opening. Thus, I feel a bit strange when I ask for "doughnut holes" at a doughnut shop. Actually, I am not buying "doughnut holes" but doughnut balls which were taken out of the holes. Even though I eat doughnut holes for breakfast, that does not mean that my breakfast is wholly good or holy at all. Only God is wholly good and truly holy. --Clark Offner (4005)
Washington, D.C. (92/07/16)
The United States of America consists of 50 separate states, each with their own state governments and representatives in the national Congress, but Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, is not included in any state. It is a special district by itself. The first, temporary capital of the new republic was New York City until the seat of government was transferred to Philadelphia, where it continued to function for ten years. Two hundred years ago today, on July 16, 1790, the District of Columbia was established to become the country's permanent capital on a site chosen by President Washington. The states of Maryland and Virginia granted land on the banks of the Potomac River and on this 10-square-mile tract of land, a unique capital city was carefully planned by a French engineer. Until 1967, the District of Columbia was administered by commissioners appointed by the President, but now residents are able to elect their own local officials. They have one non-voting representative in the House of Representatives and, following the ratification of the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution in 1961, they have also been able to vote for President. President Kennedy is credited with the ironic statement that "Washington is a city with Southern efficiency and Northern charm." -- Clark Offner (4006)
Braille Newspaper (92/07/17)
Braille is a system of writing and printing for the blind, in which raised dots representing letters and numerals can be identified by touch. It was devised over 150 years ago by Louis Braille, a French teacher of the blind, who was blind himself. By means of Braille, people unable to see may read with their fingers instead of their eyes. For the past six-and-a-half years, an English language Braille newspaper has been published by a group of volunteers in the Tenpaku Ward of Nagoya. Called 'The Japan Braille News,' this 14-page monthly periodical is sent without charge to 520 readers in 47 foreign countries. The response of readers indicates a deep interest in what is happening in Japan. To encourage a deeper understanding of this country, last year the 20-member volunteer group, headed by Yuji Teranishi, a lecturer at Nihon Fukushi Daigaku, printed a Japanese language textbook. This year it is printing English translations of a couple of Japanese novels to introduce readers to Japanese thinking and life. The efforts of this group will certainly help its blind readers to see. According to a Persian proverb, A blind man who sees is better than a seeing man who is blind. -- Clark Offner (4007)
Where To Begin Work (92/07/18)
While engaged in language study in Tokyo, we also had to consider where to begin our missionary work. Desiring to do pioneer evangelism in a churchless community, we looked for cities, towns and villages where no churches were listed. Then we took a couple of trips to visit such communities. On one such trip along the Tokaido Line of the National Railway, we got off of the train at a certain station and walked around the town for an hour or so to get an impression of the condition and atmosphere of that community. We then boarded another train to take us to the next place. Of the various places we visited in this way, the place that gave us the worst first impression was the place we eventually decided to go to begin our ministry. It was the city of Kariya in Aichi Prefecture. How we decided on that location will be the subject of next Saturday's message, but we will always remember a particular incident that occurred during that trip in early 1953. The aisle of one train was so crowded that we realized it would be impossible for us to get to the exit during the brief stop at the station, so we both climbed out of the train window and onto the platform--even though my wife was pregnant at that time. -- Clark Offner (4008)
Living Hope (92/07/19)
Among many examples of strange uses of English words for commercial purposes in Japan is a cigarette called "Hope". Hope is a necessary element in healthy outlook, but medical research makes clear that smoking actually decreases hope for a healthy life. From the beginning of the Christian church, Christians endured various kinds of persecution because of their faith. but in the midst of such difficulties, they did not become discouraged because of their hope. In the first chapter of the First Letter of Peter, which was written to Christian "refugees" scattered throughout Asia Minor, the writer speaks of the "living hope" believers have based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. Despite their present situation, they have hope for future salvation based on their faith in God. In chapter 4, he urges his readers to be ready at all times to explain the hope they have to anyone who asks. Christians should always be willing to share their faith and hope to anyone who inquires. But the Bible passage emphasizes that his sharing must be done with gentleness and respect--and backed up with the kind of good conduct which will cause those who insult believers to be ashamed of themselves. A healthy hope, based on faith, is seen in an exemplary life. -- Clark Offner (4009)
Crocodile Tears (92/07/20)
As you may know, not all of the Chinese characters that have the radical meaning "fish" denote fish in the literal sense of the word. One Chinese character combines this radical with another meaning "surprise". This "surprising fish", or 'wani', is actually a large reptile with thick, armorlike skin and long, tapering jaws. "Crocodile", the English word for this creature, is derived from Greek words meaning "pebble worm". Because of a legend that crocodiles make weeping sounds to attract their victims and then shed tears while eating them, "crocodile tears" denote an insincere display of grief. They are the sham or empty tears indicated by the Japanese term 'sora-namida'. People who shed crocodile tears may be called hypocrites and in the sixth chapter of Matthew, Jesus taught his disciples not to follow the bad example of hypocrites. --Clark Offner (4010)
Ernest Hemingway (92/07/21)
On July 21, 1899, 93 years ago today, Ernest Hemingway, one of the great American writers of the 20th century, was born in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. In the First World War, he was a volunteer in an American ambulance unit that served with the French army. His wartime experiences left a lasting impression on him and death and psychological insecurity are underlying themes in his subsequent novels and short-stories. After the war, he remained in Europe as a journalist, living in Paris and Spain, where he reported on the Spanish Civil War. His writings are characterized by an unadorned, direct, terse style. In his essay on the pageantry and excitement of bullfighting, 'Death in the Afternoon', which is actually a treatise on death, he expressed the feeling of many of his generation who had left their moral moorings when he wrote: "What is moral is what you feel good after and what is immoral is what you feel bad after." In 1945, he settled in Cuba, where he wrote 'The Old Man and the Sea', for which he received a Pulitzer Prize. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 1954. Later, he moved to the American state of Idaho, where he committed suicide in 1961. --Clark Offner (4011)
Spoonerism (92/07/22)
Foreigners who speak Japanese often make mistakes in the pronunciation of words. When the incorrect pronunciation denotes a completely different word, the result may be humorous, or embarrassing. In English also, so-called slips of the tongue may be amusing. An unintentional interchange of sounds in two or more words is called a spoonerism, after William Spooner, an English clergyman and educator, who was born 148 years ago today on July 22, 1844. Rev. Spooner became famous for his frequently amusing, but unintentional, transposition of the sounds of words, saying, for example, "a blushing crow" instead of "a crushing blow". One day, noticing a lady sitting in the wrong pew in his church and desiring to show her to another seat, he said, "Aren't you occupying the wrong pie? May I sew you to another sheet?" At the close of a wedding ceremony, he realized the groom had not kissed the bride as was customary, so he encouraged him with the words: "Son, it is kisstomery to cuss the bride." At another time, he referred to Queen Victoria as "our queer old dean" instead of "our dear old queen." It is good to have a sense of humor and I am sure that we foreigners, in our attempts to speak Japanese, often inject a bit of humor into humdrum situations by our strange, mistaken pronunciations. --Clark Offner (4012)
Rights of Foreigners (92/07/23)
Chapter III of the Japanese Constitution deals with "Rights and Duties of the People". In this chapter, there are references both to 'kokumin', translated into English as "people", and to 'nanbito mo' or "persons". Obviously, the latter term is not limited to Japanese citizens but includes foreigners living in Japan. The legal rights related to those charged with crimes, noted in articles 31 to 40, apply to all persons. As the number of foreigners in Japan has increased, so have crimes committed by them, but there is a question whether the rights of those foreigners arrested were fully protected. Article 34 states that "No person shall be arrested or detained without being at once informed of the charges against him or without the immediate privilege of counsel". Many foreigners do not understand the Japanese language nor their legal rights. As a result, their constitutional rights have not always been observed. To remedy this situation, an organization has been founded to protect the rights of foreigners involved in criminal cases. Members of this Tokyo-based group, including 40 lawyers and 30 interpreters, will interview foreigners in custody and inform them of their legal rights. Basic human rights of all people must be respected without discrimination. --Clark Offner (4013)
Mobile Crematories (92/07/24)
Among numerous Japanese words pronounced 'kaso' is one that means "fire burial". In English, the place where corpses are incinerated is called a crematory. For various reasons, crematories are usually located outside of residential areas, but a recent news item reported on a unique Japanese innovation: mobile crematories. These convenient vehicles will come when requested to provide final rites for deceased pets. In Japan, many people feel a psychological need for such a service. No smoke or unpleasant smell escapes during the cremation in which the temperature is controlled to leave bones intact for preservation in a jar. A platform for the coffin, bordered by flowers, an altar in front of which incense may be burned and taped chanting of Buddhist sutras are also provided. The cost of this service is about ¥35,000 for a dog and ¥25,000 for smaller animals such as cats, rabbits and birds. It may be that many Japanese will agree with the opinion of an unorthodox philosopher in the final verses of the 3rd chapter of Ecclesiastes that there is no difference between the death of an animal and of a human being. -- Clark Offner (4014)
Kariya House (92/07/25)
One of the churchless communities we visited along the Tokaido Line as we considered where to begin our missionary work was the city of Kariya, east of Nagoya. We arrived there in the afternoon, just as factory workers were returning from their jobs. Their unsmiling stares made us uncomfortable and we felt the atmosphere there was the least friendly of all the areas we visited. The wife of our landlord in Tokyo, however, had an uncle living in nearby Okazaki who had acquaintances in Kariya. Since a major problem was finding an appropriate place to live, he was asked to make inquiries. He found a two-story house in which the family was living on the second floor. The first floor rooms had been used for sewing classes and had wooden floors instead of 'tatami' mats. Making a special trip to look at the house and meet the landlady and her daughter, I decided it would be a suitable place for us to live and for holding Bible Classes also. When I asked what the rent would be, I was surprised that they asked me what I wanted to pay. In a corner of the room, I quietly asked my guide for advice. He suggested ¥5000, which I relayed to them. They then huddled in another corner of the room and emerged with the surprising announcement that ¥5000 was too much. They would rent it to us for ¥3000 a month. So my initial impression of the unfriendliness of that community began to change. -- Clark Offner (4015)
Fruits and "Seeds" (92/07/26)
In warning against false prophets in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7 [verse 16], Jesus said, "You will recognize them by the fruits they bear. Can grapes be picked from briars, or figs from thistles?" In this saying, Jesus uses "fruits" to denote the daily deeds or behavior of a person. In his teaching about the need to control one's tongue, James asked, in the 3rd chapter [verse 12], of his New Testament letter, "Can a fig tree ... yield olives, or a [grape]vine figs?" In this case, the fruit denotes words, which, if one is honest, reflect the thoughts of one's mind. The answer to these rhetorical questions may be found in the 6th chapter [verse 7] of the Letter to the Galatians, where it is stated that "A person will reap exactly what he plants." This passage further implies that the kind of harvest we will ultimately reap depends on the kind of seed we have been sowing throughout our lives. We cannot expect to reap such fruit as grapes or figs or olives if we have been planting briars or thistles. Even as there is a natural "law" that the kind of fruit we gather depends on the kind of seed we plant, in the moral or spiritual realm, present and future consequences are determined by the "seeds" of words, deeds and faith we scatter daily. Remember these words: "A person will reap exactly what he plants." -- Clark Offner (4016)
Coals to Newcastle (92/07/27)
For over six-hundred years, coal mining has been a major industry in Northumberland County in northern England. The main city of this coal mining area is an ancient castle town on the banks of the Tyne called Newcastle-on-Tyne. From this port, coal is shipped to other places, far and near. Consequently, there is no need to supply coals to Newcastle, for coal is abundant there. This is the background of the well-known English saying, "carry coals to Newcastle", which means to do something superfluous. Do you know a Japanese saying with a similar meaning? How about the expression to construct a roof over a roof, 'okujo oku o kasu'? This also is a completely unnecessary activity. The Old Testament writer of Ecclesiastes carefully examined the activities of nature and of people and concluded: "It is all useless... like chasing the wind"[2:26]. --Clark Offner (4017)
Knots (92/07/28)
How many English words do you know that begin with a silent "k"? Whenever a "k" precedes an "n" at the beginning of a word, it is silent. "The knight was a knave who had a knack with a knife" includes four such words. A common word beginning with "kn" is the word "knot", spelled k-n-o-t. The primary meaning of "knot" is the fastening made by tying two pieces of string or rope together. A hard, circular spot on a tree or in a piece of wood is also called a "knot" and a hard problem that is difficult to solve may be called a "knotty problem". But knot is also used to denote a unit of speed of a ship, so we may say a ship sails at 10 knots. Many people mistakenly think of a knot as a measure of distance and speak of a ship travelling at so many knots "per hour", but this is an incorrect usage since "knot" does not signify distance but literally means the speed of "one nautical mile per hour". (In case you didn't know it, a nautical mile, which is the measure of distance on sea or in the air, is a little longer than a land mile.) As you already know, not only English pronunciation but English measurements are also quite confusing, but don't be discouraged, further knowledge will help unknot even knotty problems. -- Clark Offner (4018)
Nadeia Pā-ku (92/07/29)
The city of Nagoya is trying to develop its image as an international city. English-speaking foreign residents and visitors are grateful for the increasing number of signs in English and Romanized names of bus stops and train stations. It is doubtful, however, whether the increase of English words written in katakana script actually promotes communication on the part of the general public. At the mayor's recent news conference, this question was raised. City documents contain many Japanized English words written in katakana, the meanings of which are not always clear. Such words as no-kā-de- [no car day] and sukū-ru ranchi [school lunch] may make sense to most readers, but the newly-coined word Nadeia Pā-ku is confusing to all but those who know the background of the term. The name of this proposed park is an acronym which is supposed to express its character. (An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of a series of words. For example, "radar" is actually an acronym for "radio detecting and ranging".) The name Nadeia is said to be composed of the first syllables of Nagoya Design Youth Amusement. The name itself, which was designed in Nagoya, may provide some amusement to youth, but it seems to me to be a bit far-fetched. --Clark Offner (4019)
Opposite Meanings (92/07/02)
Georgia's Flag (92/07/03)
Adjust To Customs (92/07/04)
Yahweh (92/07/05)
Too Much of One Thing (92/07/06)
Ox-walk Tactics (92/07/07)
G-Men (92/07/08)
Elias Howe (92/07/09)
Diamond Phone (92/07/10)
Living In Tokyo (92/07/11)
Never Take Revenge (92/07/12)
Okame Hachi-moku (92/07/13)
Shizuko Natsuki (92/07/14)
"W" (92/07/15)
Washington, D.C. (92/07/16)
Braille Newspaper (92/07/17)
Where To Begin Work (92/07/18)
Living Hope (92/07/19)
Crocodile Tears (92/07/20)
Ernest Hemingway (92/07/21)
Spoonerism (92/07/22)
Rights of Foreigners (92/07/23)
Mobile Crematories (92/07/24)
Kariya House (92/07/25)
Fruits and "Seeds" (92/07/26)
Coals to Newcastle (92/07/27)
Knots (92/07/28)
Nadeia Pā-ku (92/07/29)
Off-Road Vehicles (92/07/30)
Pager for Cows (92/07/31)
Teenagers Studying Japanese (92/07/01)