日米社会言語学

Observations on Japanese and American languages and societies from a Japanese language learner. In English and Japanese.

Monday, March 28, 2005

詫び寂び

I was please to attend a performance by Hanayagi Mitsugi Kai at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music spring convocation on March 25, 2005. Since it is a music school (and the event was mandatory for students), some of the presentations were a bit pedantic. However, the dances, accompanied by shamisen, taiko and fue, were beyond reproach. Sagimusume 鷺娘, the Heron Maiden, was particularly affecting.


Sagimusume is the story of a heron that falls in love with a human, and so transforms herself into a girl. This transgression must eventually be punished, and the heron descends into hell. Wada-san, the troupe’s interpreter, described the dance’s theme as "ignorance at the base of suffering." However, I was reminded of another theme: the Buddhist belief that desire is the cause of suffering. The heron’s desire is fulfilled, but leads to her downfall. For most humans, though, it is unfulfilled desire that leads to misery.


Dressed simply in white kimono with a black obi featuring an embroidered feather motif, the dancer conveyed the heron’s image through simple movement and posture. At the dance’s outset, the dancer wears a white hood, somewhat reminiscent of the 角隠しtsunokakushi a Japanese bride wears. By simply removing the hood, the heron is transformed into a girl.


Throughout the dance, just as important as movement is the dancer’s stillness. Similarly, not only playing, but also silence are important elements of the accompanying music. That is not to say that all is stillness – when heron, transformed into a girl, descends into hell, the twirling movement sends obi and sleeves whirling in a manner that is quite fantastic.


Other elements of the Hanayagi Mitsugi Kai presentation included a virtuoso performance on shamisen, and a contemporary piece for shamisen and taiko titled Shamisen Concerto. Despite the player’s great skill, and the excitement created by their vigorous playing, these pieces did not affect me nearly as much as the dances or the music that accompanied them. Just as a candle appears all the brighter in a dark room, the virtuoso playing was enhanced in a simple, serene setting.

Thursday, March 24, 2005

英訳

「日本一短い母への手紙」という本を読んでいる。その本は、和英対訳がある。

訳すのは難しいだろう。僕の日本語の授業では、ほとんどの学生は直訳 (literal translation) が好きである。僕は意訳 (free translation) を好む。

「日本一短い母への手紙」にこんなのがある。

    宅急便につめていた新聞は、
    母ちゃんが読んだものだね。
    秋田のにおいがしたよ。
                  林孝

本の英訳。

    Mom, thanks for the parcel.
    The newspapers you used for
      packing are ones you read
    And brought the smell of Akita.

でも、僕は、この英訳の方が好きである。

    The package was wrapped in newspapers
    You, mama, had read.
    I smelled my home in Akita.

どう思う。

    日本一短い「母」への手紙 福井県丸岡町 角川書店
    (C) Maruoka-cho Cultural Foundation 1995

Monday, March 14, 2005

「浮草」

小津安二郎の1959年の「浮草」という映画はとてもおもしろい。1934年の「浮草物語」のリメークである。

出演者は中村雁治郎と京マチ子と若尾文子と川口ひろしである。

旅役者は港町にやってきた。その町で、何年か前、日陰の息子が生まれた。俳優は下等な仕事だたら、女優と息子が愛し合うと、大変。

大映は「日本人しか分からない」と思って、英訳を使わなかったそうである。けれども、小津の映画は親子関係や私人間のテーマがあるので、世界に分かるだろう。

Thursday, March 10, 2005

自己紹介

みな様、今日は。

このブログはコロラド大学日本語クラスのサークルにあります。

僕はナイレップ・チャドと申します。社会言語学や文化人類学の大学院生です。

日本語は下手ですが、今勉強しています。このブログは僕の練習です。

少し日本語の社会言語学の一説を書くつもりですが、面白かどうか分からないんです。

どうぞよろしくお願いします。