Tabemono no Kodomo podcast

About Communication

I hope this podcast project will help me to learn and appreciate the different, unique talents of each member in the group. I expect it will also teach me about different aspects of Japanese culture that we usually would not learn about in the classroom. It will probably also act as a platform to practice and improve upon colloquial Japanese as opposed to the formal Japanese we have focused on so far. Finally, I'm sure it will help me practice my camera and editing skills.

To me, communication means increasing our understanding of those around us. It is especially important when people with very different backgrounds and skill sets must work together toward a common goal. On a different level, it brings people who might not otherwise have a chance to interact, such as people living in America and people living in Japan, together.

好きです

本とえいがは大好きです。大学でえいごのぶんがくとえいがをべんきょうしています。ようねんじだい(childhood)に父はわたしと本をよみましたから、ぶんがくを好きです。かぞくはえいがかんへたくさんえいがをみに行きますからえいがをだいすきです。そしてうちにたくさんえいががありあす。

ふゆ休み

ふゆ休みに何も　しませんでした。 ひまでした。とてもたのしかったです。ハワイにいましたから、あたたかかったです。ときどきあめがふりましたが、きれいでした。かぞくとよくいました。レストランへともだちとおいしいたべものをたべにいきました。いもうととえいごをたくさんみました。ばんともだちとうみへときどきいきました。いつもねました。

さくぶん ３

二十ねんごに　かぞくの　ちかくに　いたい　ですから、ハワイに　います。りょうしんと　いもうとの　かぞくの　ちかくに　います。わたしの　かぞくは　五人　です。おっとと　おんなのこと　おとこのこが　二人　います。わたしの　こどもと　いもうとの　こどもは　あそびます。

本お　かけます。毎朝　こどもは　学校へ　行きます。そして　おっとは　しごとへ　行きます。それから　かきます。昼ごはんを　たべます。それから　いぬと　こうえんへ　さんぽに　行きます。びじゅつかんへ　えを　みに　行きます。えいがかんへ　えいがを　みに　行きます。いろいろなところへ　行きます。おっとと　こどもは　うちへ　かえります。わたしは　りょうりを　します。みんあ　いっしょうに　晩ごはんを　たべます。それから　こどもは　ねます。わたしは　かけます。

ニューヨークの あき

あき休みに　３かい　セントラル　パーコ(Central Park)へ　いきました。きれいな　きの葉が　たくさん　ありましたから。あかいきの葉と　オレンジきの葉と　きいろいきの葉が　ありました。

ハワイは　きせつが　四つ　じゃありません。二つだけ　あります：　あめと　あめじゃありません。ぜんぜん　ゆきが　ふりこめません。いつも　いいてんき　ですよ。おもしろくない　です。

ニューヨークの　あきが　だいすきです。 

Katakana Analysis (final)

One interesting usage of カタカナ can be found in the branding of the Japanese clothing store chain Uniqlo. At first read, the reason for the use of カタカナ in Uniqlo's logo and name, ユニクロ, may appear to simply be the use of a loanword. ユニクロ seems to be a kind of combination of "unique" and "clothes". However, this reading does not adequately explain the entire depth of meaning behind the brand's choice to write in カタカナ. Uniqlo is a Japan- based, Western-style clothing store with a selection of mainly basic graphic tees and jeans. Thus, the use of カタカナ may be a reflection of the brand's desire to associate itself with more of a Western appeal. The trend in Japan toward the Western as the cool also cannot be overlooked. The use of カタカナ in the branding undoubtedly ups Uniqlo's cool factor, and thus its desirability and sales.

Another interesting use of カタカナ with complicated reasoning behind it is the title of one of サカナクション's songs. サカナクション is a band from Sapporo, Hokkaido whose music ranges from alternative rock to electronic to dance pop. Of course, the very title of the band is an interesting case of カタカナ usage. The band name is a combination of a Japanese word and an English word, sakana (fish) and action, and could have been written as a combination of kanji and romaji. However, the combination seems to merit the use of カタカナ. First, I have been told that people tend to use カタカナwhen coining new terms. Also, as the band name is neither wholly Japanese nor wholly English, but rather something in between, カタカナ is a perfect fit as a kind of in between cultures writing system.

But this is a digression. My main interest is in a song title off their most recent album: "モノクロトウキョー". Translated into English, this song is "Monochrome Tokyo". Here again, as seen in the very name of the band, is a combination of an English word and a Japanese word. However, whereas the Japanese word in the name of the band was　さかな written in カタカナ, the Japanese word in the title of this song is とうきょう. The writing of the name of the nation's capital in カタカナ can be read in many different ways. One of the more negative readings could be a kind of corruption of the symbol of Japan, taking it and making it foreign. However, I see this not as an insult to Japan, but rather as a reflection of the singer's personal state. The song is about wandering the streets of Tokyo and feeling as though walking in a strange land. The lyrics are laden with a sense of isolation and loneliness, as though the singer is disconnected from Tokyo. With this reading in mind, the writing of the Japanese capital in カタカナ effectively conveys the feeling that this city, so familiar and central to the nation, is somehow a foreign land to the singer.

Textbook Analysis: All four textbooks give the basic definition of katakana as a purely phonetic representation system used for loan words and onomatopoeia. Three out of the four textbooks devote about one line to the explanation of katakana, and this is probably because those three textbook excerpts are focused on not katakana alone, but all three writing systems. It makes sense that katakana is defined that way because those two usages, loan words and onomatopoeia, are the most common, and in an introduction to all three writing systems the textbooks want the most basic definition. The last excerpt goes into more detail about katakana, such as its history and other, less common usages, because it is devoted solely to explaining katakana. It is important to note that all four excerpts compare katakana to hiragana. This is probably so that the student has a better idea of how katakana is a unique writing system.