Apr.24th English Seminar
On April 24th, I held a seminar for free atSOHO Support Center in Fukuoka.This seminar is for improving English translation skills.Let me talk about what we did in this seminarsometimes in Japanese and sometimes in English.-------------------------------------------------------A total of 7 people joined the seminar.Some of them were very earnest and wonderful English speakers.参加者のうち、数名は英語の上級者でしたね。One of them are originally from Tagawa.She's an excellent English speaker.Another one of them showed me a very aggressive attitudetoward using English. Good thing!!--------------------------------------------------------At 2:00 p.m. I started this seminar.Originally I wanted to divide this seminar into three:1) English pronunciation drill using jazz vocals.2) Translation drill from English to Japanese3) Oral Translation drill from Japanese to English.But I changed my idea and decided to train themin oral English communication, using several 通訳技能開発練習.ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー1) I started this training with warm-up.We practiced saying this expression:【Heaven helps those who help themselves.】After saying this sentence, we tried to say this informationwith double negation.Heaven doesn't help those who don't help themselves.↓ ↓ ↓(then, changed some words)The father doesn't help his children who don't help themselves.2) Next, we tried to say 九九 in English, using positive numbersand decimal numbers.(正数と小数)This training is easy to do at home any time.I recommended all the participants to do this at homeor anywhere, anytime.--------------------------------------------3) Practice of RetentionAs part of retention training, I showed them the followingpassage:Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers is a national project,launched in 1965 to help nation-building in developing countriesby personal contacts.Young volunteers are selected from amongthose who have knowledge and skills in particular vocational fields.-----------------------------------Then, I explained that this passage is a typicalEnglish information as the introduction of something.It consists of 1) definition (定義) 2) 歴史、 3) 目的 4) 手段・方法In case of Japanese logic,Subject is followed by the sub-informationin the order of 4)⇒3)⇒2)⇒ 1)But in English, conclusion comes first.So definition comes first.I told the participants to try to memories this passageas a typical English sentence.Once we memories this,we can apply this expression pattern when we interpretor explain about an organization, a company or something like that.-----------------------------------4) After the above training, we tried to memoriesanother, but much easier one which goes;I have a lot of Japanese friends.China and Japan have many things in common.For example, we both use kanji.-----------------------------------Then, we repeated these sentences several timesuntil they were able to memories them.a) Then, I tried to apply one of the expression patterns of the above passages into different English expressions:太郎と花子は相思相愛Taro and Hanako both love each other.太郎と花子は犬猿の仲Taro and Hanako both hate each other.The pattern of (both-- each other) is used toexpress the above two sentences.トヨタと日産は共通仕様の部品を使っているToyota and Nissan use parts in common.------------------------------------After this, I also applied another expression patterninto different information.米国と日本は共通点がない(/5つある)Japan and USA has nothing in common. (five things in common) ----------------------------------------Here, I wanted to stress that we are able to expressourselves or any other things by using plain words.That's the way we are able to be a good English speaker.I gave them another example:田中さんは出し惜しみをしないTanaka san gives what he gets. Like this sentence, we just use plain verbs.This is the communicable English.--------------------------------------After this training,I told the participants to make pairs.Then, people in each pair had to interview with each other.After 10 minutes(two 5min interview each), they were supposedto introduce their own partner in English.This is what we call 他者紹介。Due to the time limitation, I wasn't able to give themdeep skills about interview. Maybe next time.In interview, we have to have a clear strategy to directthe conversation and control the person we talk to.--------------------------------------------As for the next seminar in Fukuoka,1) English seminar: Wed, May 24th 13:00~15:00If you are interested in this, please join us.Free of charge.2) Shogi seminar: Fri. May 26th 13:00~15:00Ken