I'm learning German now. Honestly I'd learned it during my college days. It was just for graduation. German and English were essential subjects for the medical course. In other words, learning those languages was not from my desire but just obligation. However, the present condition isn't like that. I really want to acquire German skills for fun. I will be putting my stuff into a suitcase in the next month. I'll leave for Kansai International Airport by ferryboat on Sep. 25th. What is Germany like? I chose Lufthansa Airlines, so at the instant I get into the plane it will be in German.
Today I found an interesting expression. "Ich bin hundemüde." "Hund" is "dog" in English and "müde" means "tired" in English. This short sentence says, "I'm dog tired." I was interested in the fact that "dog" is used as an emphasis of fatigue in both nations. Such an expression doesn't exist in Japanese.
After starting writing this blog four years ago, I have often felt how hard it is to express the cultural aspect of Japan. Mutual comprehension is essential for peace, though. I think you know of the Japanese Emperor, but I don't believe this expression is suitable. "Emperor" implies "King" or "Czar" along with an autocracy. Japanese Emperor or "Ten-noh" is completely opposite from those. I'd like to compare the "Japanese Emperor" to a "Priest King."
(Vocabulary)
czar, tsar (革命前の) ロシア皇帝, ツァーリ
autocracy 独裁［専制］政治 独裁［専制］主義国家
compare …をなぞらえる, 例える
compare sth/sb to/with sth/sb ＜…＞を＜…＞になぞらえる［例える］
Priest King 祭祀王
A great deal of the English language is derived from German or Anglo Saxon. COMPARE the "Japanese Emperor" to a...
Kumo, I think you have done an admirable job of pointing out different aspects of the Japanese culture and hope you will continue to do so. Peter. (peter)
Posted by: Peter | Aug 23, 2009 at 05:13 PM