obama teaches japanese

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Reply #1 - 2009 January 21, 7:48 pm
nest0r Member
Registered: 2007-10-19 Posts: 5236 Website

Thought this might be interesting to some: http://www.mutantfrog.com/2009/01/21/in … ikenesses/

"Listening to one of the great speechifiers of our time can be inspiring. Obama’s message can call you to serve your country, resolve to be a better person, or sacrifice for the greater good (but tragically apparently not to prosecute those responsible for the Bush regime’s crimes). Some aspiring English speakers in Japan have taken this opportunity to brush up on their own speaking skills. Prominent among the “Obama books” that are currently flooding Japanese bookstore displays is CNN’s Obama Speech Collection for students of English as a second language. The book, so far having sold over 400,000 copies, features excerpts from famous Obama speeches with a Japanese translation on the opposite page, which students can use to follow along as they listen to an attached CD. I picked it up the other day and it has proven useful both as a translation reference for US politics and as a handy record of his landmark addresses. I’m not sure how effective it is as a teaching tool, but for a Japanese learner of English inspired by Obama it will no doubt give them easy access to the tools they need (minus the inauguration address, of course)."

Reply #2 - 2009 January 21, 7:49 pm
Jarvik7 Member
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2007-03-05 Posts: 3946

I saw some Obama stuff on iknow just now too.

Reply #3 - 2009 January 21, 8:06 pm
nest0r Member
Registered: 2007-10-19 Posts: 5236 Website

Oh cool. Now they just need to hire Jun Fukuyama (Lelouch voice actor) to read it for us. ;p

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Reply #4 - 2009 January 21, 8:10 pm
Tobberoth Member
From: Sweden Registered: 2008-08-25 Posts: 3364

I don't understand it. Why would Japanese people want to learn about Obamas speeches?

Makes no sense.

Reply #5 - 2009 January 21, 8:18 pm
nest0r Member
Registered: 2007-10-19 Posts: 5236 Website

Tobberoth wrote:

I don't understand it. Why would Japanese people want to learn about Obamas speeches?

Makes no sense.

I don't know how to answer that, your comment needs a little more clarification to make sense to me. Actually, on a related note, something I know Dragg'll be interested in:

Japan’s Outcasts Still Wait for Acceptance

Reply #6 - 2009 January 21, 8:43 pm
bodhisamaya Guest

Here in Hawaii with its large Japanese population, Obama seems to have been given almost God status.  He comes across as intelligent and honest.  Something people desperately need after eight years of the dumbest and most secretive president in American history

Last edited by bodhisamaya (2009 January 21, 8:55 pm)

Reply #7 - 2009 January 21, 8:44 pm
kazelee Rater Mode
From: ohlrite Registered: 2008-06-18 Posts: 2132 Website

nest0r wrote:

Tobberoth wrote:

I don't understand it. Why would Japanese people want to learn about Obamas speeches?

Makes no sense.

I don't know how to answer that, your comment needs a little more clarification to make sense to me. Actually, on a related note, something I know Dragg'll be interested in:

Japan’s Outcasts Still Wait for Acceptance

Wow, this is almost as absurd as Gulliver's Travels.

Last edited by kazelee (2009 January 21, 8:45 pm)

Reply #8 - 2009 January 21, 9:46 pm
igordesu Member
From: Wisconsin USA Registered: 2008-09-22 Posts: 428

YES!  Now I can get my communist baby-killer propaganda in JAPANESE!  Holy crap!  I've been waiting for this!  You know, I've been depressed that there hasn't been much of that on the market around these past 8 years, ESPECIALLY in Japanese.  Whatev.  Now I'm happy...

Reply #9 - 2009 January 21, 10:00 pm
Nukemarine Member
From: 神奈川 Registered: 2007-07-15 Posts: 2347

Tobberoth wrote:

I don't understand it. Why would Japanese people want to learn about Obamas speeches?

Makes no sense.

1. It's in English.
2. It's articulate and well spoken.
3. It uses a level of vocabulary aimed at a broad range of US English speakers.
4. It's translated.
5. It's topical.
6. It likely has footnotes to explain details that may be lost with direct translations.
7. It covers political words that many does not get into the normal training rounds (usually it's school or business based vocabulary).

Anyone who watched the last episode of "Change" can appreciate a lengthy, articulate speech as a learning aide. The script to that speech (well, the entire Change series) is on the dramanote website.

Reply #10 - 2009 January 21, 10:08 pm
bodhisamaya Guest

igordesu wrote:

YES!  Now I can get my communist baby-killer propaganda in JAPANESE!  Holy crap!  I've been waiting for this!  You know, I've been depressed that there hasn't been much of that on the market around these past 8 years, ESPECIALLY in Japanese.  Whatev.  Now I'm happy...

lol Relax.  Evangelicals had their hand-picked guy in for 8 years.  You guys had a nice run.  Just give reason over faith a go for a while and see if it works out a little better.

Reply #11 - 2009 January 21, 10:24 pm
igordesu Member
From: Wisconsin USA Registered: 2008-09-22 Posts: 428

Lol.  Even if I wasn't basing what I believe on faith, I still wouldn't give the guy a chance.  BABY KILLER.  COMMUNIST.  I mean, even an atheist could be against those values?

Reply #12 - 2009 January 21, 10:26 pm
wrightak Member
From: Tokyo Registered: 2006-04-07 Posts: 873 Website

I just got in an elevator with one of my colleagues who showed me that he had just bought a book of Obama speeches. A CD was included on the back page. Then I see this thread.

Reply #13 - 2009 January 21, 10:34 pm
nest0r Member
Registered: 2007-10-19 Posts: 5236 Website

Nukemarine wrote:

Tobberoth wrote:

I don't understand it. Why would Japanese people want to learn about Obamas speeches?

Makes no sense.

1. It's in English.
2. It's articulate and well spoken.
3. It uses a level of vocabulary aimed at a broad range of US English speakers.
4. It's translated.
5. It's topical.
6. It likely has footnotes to explain details that may be lost with direct translations.
7. It covers political words that many does not get into the normal training rounds (usually it's school or business based vocabulary).

Anyone who watched the last episode of "Change" can appreciate a lengthy, articulate speech as a learning aide. The script to that speech (well, the entire Change series) is on the dramanote website.

Obama has a peculiar vocal style that I think lends itself well to Japanese learners, too.

Reply #14 - 2009 January 21, 10:37 pm
Jarvik7 Member
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2007-03-05 Posts: 3946

igordesu wrote:

Lol.  Even if I wasn't basing what I believe on faith, I still wouldn't give the guy a chance.  BABY KILLER.  COMMUNIST.  I mean, even an atheist could be against those values?

I'm pro-baby-killing.

Reply #15 - 2009 January 21, 10:37 pm
nest0r Member
Registered: 2007-10-19 Posts: 5236 Website

igordesu wrote:

Lol.  Even if I wasn't basing what I believe on faith, I still wouldn't give the guy a chance.  BABY KILLER.  COMMUNIST.  I mean, even an atheist could be against those values?

I'm not interested in your religious beliefs, your politics, or your name-calling. Please keep it out of this thread. Take it over to the other thread if you like, where the same handful of people can debate tired non-日本語 topics for a few weeks till you lose interest again.

Reply #16 - 2009 January 21, 10:43 pm
TGWeaver Member
From: 大阪 Registered: 2007-06-08 Posts: 99

igordesu wrote:

Lol.  Even if I wasn't basing what I believe on faith, I still wouldn't give the guy a chance.  BABY KILLER.  COMMUNIST.  I mean, even an atheist could be against those values?

when did he kill a baby?
since when is he communist?

Reply #17 - 2009 January 21, 10:47 pm
Jarvik7 Member
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2007-03-05 Posts: 3946

TGWeaver wrote:

igordesu wrote:

Lol.  Even if I wasn't basing what I believe on faith, I still wouldn't give the guy a chance.  BABY KILLER.  COMMUNIST.  I mean, even an atheist could be against those values?

when did he kill a baby?
since when is he communist?

I wonder if it would be alright to kill the babies if they were communists.

Reply #18 - 2009 January 21, 10:55 pm
nest0r Member
Registered: 2007-10-19 Posts: 5236 Website

wrightak wrote:

I just got in an elevator with one of my colleagues who showed me that he had just bought a book of Obama speeches. A CD was included on the back page. Then I see this thread.

Ha. So what do you think of the translations? (If you had a chance to check them out.) For the inauguration speech at iKnow, how would you have translated, say, 'My fellow citizens...'? 国民のみんなさん or something like that was how iKnow did it.

Last edited by nest0r (2009 January 21, 10:55 pm)

Reply #19 - 2009 January 22, 12:04 am
joxn_costello Member
From: Seattle, WA Registered: 2006-06-29 Posts: 59

Nukemarine wrote:

Tobberoth wrote:

I don't understand it. Why would Japanese people want to learn about Obamas speeches?

Makes no sense.

1. It's in English.
2. It's articulate and well spoken.
3. It uses a level of vocabulary aimed at a broad range of US English speakers.
4. It's translated.
5. It's topical.
6. It likely has footnotes to explain details that may be lost with direct translations.
7. It covers political words that many does not get into the normal training rounds (usually it's school or business based vocabulary).

Personally I'd love for a similar Japanese corpus to be made available with translations.

Point (2) also has going for it that Obama has clear, fluid delivery when speaking from a text, so it's easy to tell what he's saying, and he has a good sense of rhythm and emphasis.  For public speaking, not a bad model to emulate.

Reply #20 - 2009 January 22, 12:19 am
nest0r Member
Registered: 2007-10-19 Posts: 5236 Website

Would it be too terrible to use the English-->Japanese book (or iKnow lessons)? I recall Jarvik7 once saying that Japanese translations of English adhere to different standards?

Reply #21 - 2009 January 22, 12:26 am
Jarvik7 Member
From: 名古屋 Registered: 2007-03-05 Posts: 3946

nest0r wrote:

Would it be too terrible to use the English-->Japanese book (or iKnow lessons)? I recall Jarvik7 once saying that Japanese translations of English adhere to different standards?

Yeah, they try to stick closely to semantic structure and 1:1 word replacements, so it results in translationese. This is actually what my translation professor's phd is about. I would say you're better off studying from Japanese original speeches. Speech style likely differs in Japan too (essay & paper writing style certainly does), which would be a good thing to learn instead of a translation of an American speech.

You should only consider studying Japanese from translated Obama speeches if you're really in love with Obama - and of course only pull vocab and not expressions & style from the text.

Last edited by Jarvik7 (2009 January 22, 12:28 am)

Reply #22 - 2009 January 22, 12:29 am
igordesu Member
From: Wisconsin USA Registered: 2008-09-22 Posts: 428

TGWeaver wrote:

igordesu wrote:

Lol.  Even if I wasn't basing what I believe on faith, I still wouldn't give the guy a chance.  BABY KILLER.  COMMUNIST.  I mean, even an atheist could be against those values?

when did he kill a baby?
since when is he communist?

Well, I guess you're right.  I mean, making a law that says everybody else can kill their babies makes him so much better.  But that's okay.  He's a great speaker.  And that's what counts.

Reply #23 - 2009 January 22, 12:32 am
kazelee Rater Mode
From: ohlrite Registered: 2008-06-18 Posts: 2132 Website

igordesu wrote:

TGWeaver wrote:

igordesu wrote:

Lol.  Even if I wasn't basing what I believe on faith, I still wouldn't give the guy a chance.  BABY KILLER.  COMMUNIST.  I mean, even an atheist could be against those values?

when did he kill a baby?
since when is he communist?

Well, I guess you're right.  I mean, making a law that says everybody else can kill their babies makes him so much better.  But that's okay.  He's a great speaker.  And that's what counts.

Yeah... that was actually me. People get us confused a lot, you know, with the all looking the same and all.

Obama has a peculiar vocal style that I think lends itself well to Japanese learners, too.

It's been so long since I've seen this word I almost didn't recognize it.

Last edited by kazelee (2009 January 22, 12:40 am)

Reply #24 - 2009 January 22, 1:05 am
nest0r Member
Registered: 2007-10-19 Posts: 5236 Website

Jarvik7 wrote:

nest0r wrote:

Would it be too terrible to use the English-->Japanese book (or iKnow lessons)? I recall Jarvik7 once saying that Japanese translations of English adhere to different standards?

Yeah, they try to stick closely to semantic structure and 1:1 word replacements, so it results in translationese. This is actually what my translation professor's phd is about. I would say you're better off studying from Japanese original speeches. Speech style likely differs in Japan too (essay & paper writing style certainly does), which would be a good thing to learn instead of a translation of an American speech.

You should only consider studying Japanese from translated Obama speeches if you're really in love with Obama - and of course only pull vocab and not expressions & style from the text.

Ah I see, thanks.

Reply #25 - 2009 January 22, 5:08 am
TGWeaver Member
From: 大阪 Registered: 2007-06-08 Posts: 99

igordesu wrote:

TGWeaver wrote:

igordesu wrote:

Lol.  Even if I wasn't basing what I believe on faith, I still wouldn't give the guy a chance.  BABY KILLER.  COMMUNIST.  I mean, even an atheist could be against those values?

when did he kill a baby?
since when is he communist?

Well, I guess you're right.  I mean, making a law that says everybody else can kill their babies makes him so much better.  But that's okay.  He's a great speaker.  And that's what counts.

this is pointless. you already view the issue as a matter of black and white, so there's no reason to debate or argue with you.

Topic closed