ENGLISH Version Below

今週のTweetからこのトピックをちゃんと説明します。

1.カタカナ

このポイントは分かりやすいと思います。理由はこちら:

*発音:たくさんの借りた単語の発音は完璧に違います。発音が近くても悪い発音を練習しています。

例:アレルギー(allergy), ドル(dollar)

 

*意味が違う:時々言葉の意味が違います。

例:ソフト(software— only for PCs, does not include video games or DVDs),ゴージャス(gorgeous—very beautiful, does not include price or money value)

 

*英語からじゃない:時々借りた言葉は英語からじゃありません。

例:アルバイト(German), ペンション(French)

 

*古すぎて今使わない言葉:英語から借りた単語なのにこの頃使っていません。

例:ホチキス(old stapler company—does not exist anymore and nobody uses that word anymore, マフラー(scarf—these days a “muffler” is found under your car)

 

*オリジナルの日本語の言葉:日本語にとってカタカナの単語が生まれた。

例:シャーペン(mechanical pencil), ポケベル(pager)

 

2.言葉から直接に通訳

言葉から直接に通訳したら(イメージや感覚やアイディアじゃなくて)英語はヘンになります。なぜかと言うと文化は通訳していません。アメリカと日本の文化が違うからアイディアを表し方も違います。

 

例:One time my student was late for class and he apologized by saying, “I’m sorry, I’m late because of a human accident.” (人身事故)

 

例:Students often say they like to “play” on the weekend. (遊ぶ) In English, “play” is usually used for children, not adults.

 

例:A common sentence I hear is: “I took a trip to Thailand only one.”(一人で) Of course they mean “by myself.”

 

3.高校のテキスト

別に高校のテキストは悪くないです!しかし、テキストの情報の使い方を間違っています。高校のテキストの本当の意味がはっきり分かったほうがいいと思います。

 

*高校生にとっては分かりやすい(Input)けど話すことはメーンじゃない(Output)。

 

例:単語と表現はかんたんで分かりやすい。

 

*高校生が大学入学試験を合格出来るために作ってあります。国際のコミュニケーションのためじゃありません。

 

例:テキストのコンテンツは試験のためだけど本当の毎日使っている言葉じゃありません。

 

*文法はもちろん正しいけど使い方がちょっと違います。

 

例:“You had better…” はアドバイスと書いてあります。だけど英語でちょっと強くて警告を言う時だけを使っています。

 

*コンテンツは古くて変わっていません。

 

例:まだ生徒が “It’s a fine day.”を言っているけど2011にネイティブスピーカーはあまり言っていません。

 

メーンポイントは:今の英語の勉強については高校のテキストがあまり関係ない!学び方や考え方をアップグレードしよう!高校で勉強した文法を忘れても今また学びましょう!2011のトヨタを運転出来るようになるために1978のトヨタの運転し方を勉強する必要ありません!今の英語を勉強するとナチュラルな英語をすぐ出来ます!頑張ってください!

これは英語の上達方法です。これはEnglish 2.0です。英語のOSをアップグレードしましょう!

読んでもらってありがとうございました。

さらに英語バージョンをチャレンジしてください!

以下のスペースにコメントを入力してください。日本語でもOKです!

よろしくお願いします。

 

 

From a Tweet I posted earlier this week, let me explain more clearly.

 

1. Katakana

I hope this one is easy to understand. Let me quickly list the reasons why katakana is making your English unnatural.

 

*Pronunciation: For many borrowed words, the pronunciation is changed completely. Even if the sound is close, it is still encouraging poor pronunciation.

Examples: アレルギー(allergy), ドル(dollar)

 

*Meaning Change: Sometimes the meaning of the word is a little different or completely different.

Examples: ソフト(software—only for PCs, does not include video games or DVDs),ゴージャス(gorgeous—very beautiful, does not include price or money value)

 

*Not From English: Sometimes he borrowed words are not originally from English.

Examples: アルバイト(German), ペンション(French)

 

*Outdated: Many katakana words are outdated, which means they are not used in the same way anymore in English.

Examples: ホチキス(old stapler company—does not exist anymore and nobody uses that word anymore, マフラー(scarf—these days a “muffler” is found under your car)

 

*Original Japanese Word: Some words are just invented for use in Japanese.

Examples: シャーペン(mechanical pencil), ポケベル(pager)

 

2. Direct Translation

When you translate words and not images and ideas, your English will sound unnatural. The main reason is that you are not translating culture. The ways that we express certain ideas is different because of our different cultures.

 

Example: One time my student was late for class and he apologized by saying, “I’m sorry, I’m late because of a human accident.” (人身事故)

 

Example: Students often say they like to “play” on the weekend. (遊ぶ) In English, “play” is usually used for children, not adults.

 

Example: A common sentence I hear is: “I took a trip to Thailand only one.”(一人で) Of course they mean “by myself.”

 

3. High School Textbook

There is nothing wrong with high school textbooks! However, there are many problems regarding how the knowledge is used. We must keep their purpose in true perspective.

 

*They are for high school students to understand English (INPUT); not necessarily to produce English (OUTPUT).

 

Example: The words and phrases are very basic and easy to understand.

 

*They are for high school students to pass the college entrance exam; not for the purpose of international communication.

 

Example: The material is based on exams that students will take and not real world language.

 

*Some of the grammar points and sentence patterns are correct but not correctly applied to real situations.

 

Example: “You had better…” is taught as giving advice. However, in English, it is only used for very strong advice and warnings.

 

*The material hasn’t been changed in 50 years.

 

Example: Students are still saying, “It’s a fine day.” It’s ok, but very old-fashioned.

 

My main point about textbooks is: Don’t let them rule your English life! Upgrade your learning and thinking! Don’t worry if you forgot something from high school! Re-learn it now! You don’t have to learn how to drive a 1978 Toyota before you can learn how to drive a 2011 Toyota. Learn the current language and your English will be Natural!

 


    2 replies to "3 Things that are Making Your English UNNATURAL"

    • misa

      Hello
      I think I could understand what you wanted to say in twitter.
      I have a lot of weak points about English.One of them is the pronunciation and I wrote it the other day.Other weak points are “direct tranlation” and “high school textbook”.
      I haven’t noticed my English is direct tranlation and it’s caused by high school textbook,
      I’m often supreised I need to find other Japanese expressions before I translate them.I need to find easier Japanese to translate it. My English is direct tranlation,so I can’t find any words and I misunderstand it as my shortage of vocabulary.Of course,it’s ture my vocabulary is insufficient.There is another way to speak in using other(I may say “easy”‘) words.
      Your opinion about high school textbooku is interesting.I’m often confused the different nuance between native speakers and mine. I learned “you had better~” is giving advice,so I understand I can say it whenever I want to help others.But,it has strong nuacne and show warnings.I think there are many examples like this.
      I want to study and improve my English with your Blog.I’m lokking forward to reading your Blog and advice.
      Thank you.

      • alsensei

        I always appreciate your comments Misa!

        Yes, there are some examples like that from high school textbooks.
        But more importantly, my goal is to show people that learning exists beyond high school!
        Always keep challenging what you’ve learned with new information.
        Our times are changing quickly and everything we learn now can change very soon.

        Thank you always for reading the blog and commenting!
        I think you are awesome!

        Cheers!

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