"Church"
Top Second Language
Dialogue
Apology
Recess
Abacus/Soroban
Right/Left, Even/Odd
Suspenders/Suspend/Suspense
Berets
Dyslexia
Litter
Literary Words
Sharks
"Church"
01/03/02
In a recent message, I noted "the unfortunate translation of the word 'church' into Japanese, using two Chinese characters which literally mean 'teaching meeting'". After reading that message, a man in Japan requested elaboration on the meaning of "church". This message is my response. In the New Testament, the Greek word translated "church" literally means "called out" and had been used for those "called out" to serve in a political assembly of citizens. Those who have chosen to be disciples of Christ, are "called out" by God to be his representatives in the world. The English word "church" is derived from a Greek word meaning "belonging to the Lord". Unfortunately, in the minds of many, "church" simply denotes a certain building or an organization, but originally the "church" was a fellowship of believers who had been "called out" of the secular world and boldly confessed that they "belonged to Christ, their Lord". Now, the church is composed of those who have made a certain profession of faith, which has been solemnized by the rite of baptism--whether prior to or following that profession. Nevertheless, in a deeper, spiritual sense, it is not simply an outward profession or a ritual that determines who are included in that spiritual fellowship but an inner commitment to follow Christ that is evident in one's daily life. Only God can see the heart and determine who has truly responded to the call to enter the family of those who belong to the Lord. Finally, the purpose of the church is not to judge others but to faithfully proclaim the Gospel and to minister to those in need. (246)
Top Second Language
01/03/04
The European Union is composed of fifteen different countries located in Europe. Most of those countries have a national language of their own, but since many of them are comparatively small and adjacent to one another, over half of their citizens speak more than one language. And what language do you think is the most popular second language? According to the results of a survey conducted last December of 16,000 people in the European Union, English is the top second language of choice, followed by French, German and Spanish. Forty-one percent of Europeans can speak English but in Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, almost 78 percent of the population speak English as a second language. In the smallest country of Luxembourg, which is surrounded by France, Germany and Belgium, 78 percent of the people speak languages other than their own, while 66 percent of the insular British people can speak only English. In Asia, Africa and South America also, English is a popular second language. Recently our son, who teaches English at three different universities in Japan, visited us on his way to a TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) Conference in St. Louis, where he was to make a presentation. He was accompanied by his Japanese wife and their youngest, 3-year-old, child, who remained with us for a couple of days after he left. Our grandson speaks in English to us but in Japanese to his parents. The best time to learn a foreign language is in early childhood as implied in the Japanese proverb: "The soul of a three-year-old (stays) until a hundred". (247)
Dialogue
01/03/07
In the Christian retirement community where my wife and I live, there are many former pastors and missionaries. On Sunday mornings, three different kinds of classes meet before the worship service. Two of them, the Men's Class and the Women's Class, are taught by one of the members and follow the traditional Sunday School pattern, which is similar to a Japanese classroom with a teacher standing (or sitting) before pupils and giving instruction from the Bible. The third class, which my wife and I attend, has a different character. Called the Dialogue Class, it does not have a regular teacher. Although repeated reference is made to the Bible, its textbooks are related to a variety of subjects. Each week a different member leads the discussion on a stated topic on which those present are encouraged to offer their comments and engage in "dialogue". In that class, there are members who have served in India, China, Japan, Burma, the Philippines, Mexico, Haiti, the Congo, Kenya, Zambia, Iran, Oman, Bahrein, Kuwait, Norway and Sweden, so there are a great variety of perspectives. The word "dialogue" is derived from the Greek noun, logos, meaning "word" or "reason", preceded by the preposition dia, meaning "between". "Dialogue" signifies talking or reasoning between people, discussing, sharing, exchanging ideas or opinions. In Japan, I learned much from an inter-religious dialogue group at which clergy and laity of various religions, or of no religion, met and discussed matters from their particular viewpoints. I began that group 21 years ago and it continues to meet once a month even now. (248)
Apology
01/03/08
Continuing the trend of the previous message, the opposite of "dialogue", which denotes people talking to one another, is "monologue", which signifies one person talking by himself. In traditional Japanese comedy, there is a difference between a comedian who makes a speech by himself in a monologue and a dialogue between two comedians, the difference between "rakugo" and " manzai". "Monologue" and "dialogue" are just two of many English words derived from the Greek word "logos", meaning "word". Other examples include various fields of study such as "biology", "zoology", "anthropology", " theology", "psychology", genealogy", "geology", "ecology", "ideology" and " mythology". In a recent meeting of the Dialogue Class, I noted that Japanese families of victims whose lives were lost when their ship was accidentally sunk by an American submarine were unhappy because the submarine commander had not offered an appropriate "apology", which is a statement expressing regret for a fault. Then, I was asked what kind of "apology" Japanese consider appropriate. As part of my answer, I noted that form is very important in Japanese thinking and, in this case, the form may include, along with a very deep bow which may bring the man's forehead in contact with the floor, his resignation. But, in any case, a sincere expression of contrition by the man himself, not simply through a representative, should have been made more quickly along with an effort to save or retrieve crew members and passengers of the damaged ship. Genuine regret, like genuine faith, will be seen in deeds, not simply in formality. (249)
Recess
01/03/11
A number of English words begin with "re" from a Latin prefix meaning " back". One example is "recede", which means to move back or away from some place. Related words are "recess", "recession" and "recessional". One kind of "recession" is the "procession" of the minister and choir from the front of the church to the back following a church service and one kind of "recessional" is the hymn that is sung at that time. A "recess", however, is a temporary cessation of customary activities. When I was in elementary school, it was customary to have a short recess in both morning and afternoon. At that time, we left the schoolroom and went outdoors or into the gymnasium to play or to enjoy ourselves doing whatever we wanted to do. According to a newspaper article, during the last quarter century recess has slowly disappeared from the schedules of many elementary schools as administrators struggle to find time for additional academic programs and consider the legal liability issues when children hurt themselves during free time. In fact, some administrators describe recess as "a waste of time." Other research, however, makes clear that, during recesses, children are able to develop socially and physically in ways they are unable to match in the classroom. Not only children, but adults also need a time of recess or relaxation when they are able to withdraw from the busyness of daily life. It was for that reason that a "Sabbath" day for rest and worship was included in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11) and is observed by Jews, Christians and other intelligent people even today. (199)
Abacus/Soroban
01/03/13
An "abacus" is a calculating device made up of wooden beads attached to short rods set in a frame. The word is derived from a Greek word meaning "slab", but the device probably originated in Babylonia before being introduced into China from which it entered Japan, where it became very popular. Called a "soroban", the word is often written in Japanese script, but the Chinese characters used for it literally mean " calculating board". Yokota, a town in Shimane Prefecture, with a population of about 8000, is considered the "soroban capital" of Japan. It produces around 70 percent of the sorobans made in Japan each year. Since electronic calculators have become very popular, however, the number of sorobans being produced has fallen. In 1978, twenty soroban factories in Yokota made about 1.2 million abacuses, but in 1999, only about 250,000 boards were produced by the remaining four factories. An Abacus Museum has been built to attract visitors and to combat the decline in abacus-related income. Abacuses from China, Korea and Russia are displayed there along with one of the first Sharp calculators. Abacus instructors have been sent to an underdeveloped province in Thailand to train teachers in the use of this manual calculator. Some 18,000 used and repaired abacuses have been sent to Thailand and the Thai Education Ministry is considering introducing the abacus into the nationwide elementary school curriculum. It is said that learning how to use the abacus develops one's ability to handle figures and improves logical thinking. So it is that some old-fashioned, outmoded customs may have lasting value. (209)
Right/Left, Even/Odd
01/03/16
As noted in a previous message, when driving in Japan, the right side of the street is the wrong side and the left side is the right side. In that sentence, the word "right" has two quite different meanings. As the opposite of "left", it signifies the side of a body. As the opposite of "wrong" it means correct. In the British Parliament, representatives of conservative parties are seated on the right side of the House and those of liberal parties are seated on the left. Because of this custom, "right" became associated with conservatism (which, I presume, was considered "correct") and "left" was used for liberalism. We may find a similar distinction between what are called "even" numbers and "odd" numbers. One meaning of "even" is "level" or "smooth", and one meaning of "odd" is "strange" or "peculiar", but when used of numbers, "even" numbers can be divided by 2, but "odd" numbers cannot. In Oriental thought, odd numbers are considered lucky. In the traditional Japanese almanac, the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th days of the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th months respectively all have a special significance. Superstitious people may consider the alignment of odd digits in a date as especially propitious. The last date made up of odd digits (in the Gregorian calendar) was 11/19/1999 and the next one will be 1/1/3111. The last even-digit day was 8/28/2000 and the next one will be 2/2/2002. Rather than being concerned about numbers, however, it is better to repeat the words of Psalm 118:24 everyday: "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (226)
Suspenders/Suspend/Suspense
01/03/18
Some men wear "suspenders" to hold up their trousers. "Suspenders" are a pair of straps, often elastic, worn over the shoulders to support the trousers. In one sense, the trousers are "suspended" from the "suspenders", for one meaning of "suspend" is to hang down. In a corner of our living room and in a corner of our front porch, there are a couple of flower pots "suspended" from the ceiling which my wife keeps supplied with pretty flowers or graceful vines so I never feel any "suspense", or uncertainty, regarding them. Other meanings of "suspend" are to bar from an office or position for a certain period of time and to render ineffective. A newspaper article noted that a couple of doctors in a Brooklyn hospital were "suspended" recently for making a mistake in the surgery they had performed on a man with a life-threatening blood clot in his brain. They operated on the left side of the man's brain, which was the wrong side. The problem was that the x-ray they viewed before the surgery was placed on the screen backwards and they thought the left side was the right side on which to perform the surgery. After they realized their mistake, they performed a second surgery on the right side of the man's brain, which was the right side. It is odd that such a mistake was made by experienced doctors and assistants even in a hospital with modern equipment. Whether in a submarine or a hospital, those in responsible positions must be especially careful. They must not "suspend" any judgments or procedures which may cause injury or deaths to others. And they should not be in "suspense" themselves. (250)
There are various kinds of headgear for human beings. Whether or not anything is worn on one's head and the particular kind of headdress chosen is related to climatic conditions, ethnic and religious customs as well as personal preference. Most headgear may be called a "hat" or a "cap", but the following words indicate particular kinds of headgear. How many can you identify without using a dictionary? Derby, turban, bonnet, fedora, fez, sombrero, helmet, beanie, yarmulke, beret. A "beret" is a round, visorless cloth cap. Since this word comes from French, even though it ends in r-e-t, that syllable is pronounced the same as r-a-y. At present, in the United States Army, three units are permitted to wear berets and each of them have a distinctive color. Airborne units wear maroon berets. Special Forces wear green (and are well-known as the Green Berets). And the elite Rangers wear black berets. It has been decided, however, that beginning in June, black berets will become a standard part of the regular army uniform. In order for the Rangers "to maintain the distinctiveness of the unit and reflect the legacy of more than two centuries of Ranger history", special permission has been given for that unit to change the color of its beret from black to tan. These particular units may be identified by the color of their berets. Certain occupations, nationalities, religions or ethnic groups may also be recognized by their distinctive headgear. The kind of turban worn by the Jewish high priest, along with the rest of his priestly garments, is noted in the 28th chapter of the Old Testament book of Exodus. (251)
Dyslexia
01/03/23
My dictionary lists 22 English words that begin with the prefix "dys" (spelled d-y-s). "Dysentery", an infection of the lower intestinal tract producing pain, fever, and severe diarrhea is the best known, but all of them denote a condition that is abnormal, impaired, difficult or bad. "Dyslexia" denotes an impairment of the ability to read. It is a disorder that makes it difficult for a learning reader to connect verbal sounds with the letters or symbols that "spell" that sound. Such connections are essential to learn to read. Dyslexia is especially prominent in English-speaking countries. Recent studies have shown that the rate of identified dyslexics in Italy is about half that in England and one reason is that there are so many different ways to spell sounds in English. In Italian, there are 25 different sounds, all represented by just 33 letters or spellings. In English, in contrast, there are 40 sounds, but there are more than 1,100 different ways to spell those sounds. Any student of English is well aware of the amazing number of ways to spell the same sound and the number of different sounds the same letters may express. For example, there are three different words pronounced like the letter "i" (I, aye, eye), three different words pronounced "too" (to, two, too), two words pronounced the same as the letter "u" (you, ewe) and the pronunciation of the "i" in the simple words "mint" and "pint" is completely different. No wonder English is such a difficult language to learn. Students of English or any other subject must remember that effort and perseverance are required to reach any worthy goal. (252)
Litter
01/03/25
There are two words in Japanese pronounced "kago". The Chinese character used for the first one includes the character for "bamboo" for it denotes a basket or crate originally made of bamboo. This word is also used for a cage or coop in which a bird or some other animal is kept. When a second Chinese character, meaning "conveyance" is added to the first one, the pronunciation remains the same but the meaning is changed to a cage-like conveyance hanging from a pole which is carried on the shoulders of two men, one in front and the other behind. In old Japan, it was customary for feudal lords or others of high ranking status to be carried in such a conveyance, called a "palanquin" or a "litter". Nowadays, we do not see such conveyances, but a different kind of "litter", made up of a sheet stretched over a simple frame, may be used to carry sick or wounded persons to an ambulance. A story in the 2nd chapter of the New Testament Gospel of Mark tells of four men who carried a paralyzed man on a simple bed, or pallet, to Jesus, hoping that he would be healed. The house was so crowded that they could not enter, but they were so resolute in their aim that they made a hole in the roof above the place where Jesus was speaking and let down the paralyzed man in front of him. When Jesus saw the extraordinary faith of these men expressed in their actions, he responded graciously, forgave the sins of the paralytic and healed him. This story is related to both teach about genuine faith, which is seen in actions, and about the character of Jesus, who is able both to forgive sins and to restore us to good health. (237)
Literary Words
01/03/27
One of the many clubs that are active in this retirement community is the Literary Club. At its meetings, one of the members reports on an important book or author which is of interest, followed by questions and discussion by those who attend. Following one such meeting that I attended, I decided to write a message about the word "literary" and related words, all of which are derived from the Latin word "littera", meaning "letter". After I began my preparation, however, when I read that Latin word, my thoughts were nudged in a different direction and I ended up writing about "litter" instead. In that message, I did not mention that "litter" has another meaning: "carelessly discarded waste materials or scraps", so in public places, we may see signs urging people not to litter the ground. Furthermore, if one of the "t"s is discarded, the vowel in the new word, "liter", denoting a metric unit of volume, is elongated. Returning to words related to "letters", "literature" denotes a body of writings in prose or verse and "literati" signifies scholarly or learned people who are well acquainted with literature. "Literate" means to be able to read and write and those who are "illiterate" are unable to do so. The Bible is the most highly respected book in English literature and not only the literati, but all who desire to understand Western culture need to be acquainted with its teaching. How "literally" to interpret portions of it, however, depends upon the interpreter. "Literalists" insist that its words be accepted in a very "literal" sense while others are content to simply comprehend the underlying truth. (238)
Sharks
01/03/29
Although I made at least ten trips from Japan to the Philippines to visit the work of our churches there, on only one occasion did I take time off to go swimming. It was in a small bay along the southern coast of the southern island of Mindanao. A group of people gathered along the sloping coastline to observe what a so-called "white man" would do in the water. Before long, I realized they were calling and motioning for me to come out of the water. When I did so, I was informed that they had seen a shark swimming nearby and were afraid it would attack me. I jokingly told them that I did not think sharks liked "white meat" but I followed their advice and did not go back in the ocean. I was reminded of that experience recently when I read in a newspaper that 79 shark attacks were reported last year, the highest number in the four decades that records have been kept, and that ten of them were fatal. The area having the highest number of attacks was the U.S. state of Florida with its long coastline along tropical waters, many residents and a large influx of tourists. Sharks are large fish with pointed snouts and several rows of sharp, triangular teeth. But a ruthless, greedy, or dishonest person also may be called a "shark" as may a person who is unusually skilled in a particular activity such as a "card shark". Sa'di, a Persian poet in the 13th century wrote: "Were the diver to think on the jaws of a shark he would never lay hands on the precious pearl." When tempted to be fearful, let us remember the words of the Lord found in Isaiah 41:10: "do not fear, for I am with you." (240)