Autumn/Fall is the season for studying English!

Hi students,

There are several expressions (表現) used to describe autumn/fall (秋) here in Japan. For example, we say 食欲の秋, 収穫の秋, 芸術の秋, スポーツの秋, and, of course, 読書の秋. But because of cultural differences, these expressions can be a little difficult to translate/interpret (少し翻訳・通訳し難い) into English. Perhaps the easiest way is to use the sentence pattern "Autumn/Fall is the season for 〜." Here are some examples:

• Autumn/Fall is the season for eating.
• Autumn/Fall is the season for the harvest.
• Autumn/Fall is the season for art.
• Autumn/Fall is the season for (playing) sports.
• Autumn/Fall is the season for reading.

By the way (ところで), a new term at E-Style will start this coming Monday, September 9th. So, perhaps another useful expression using the above pattern might be the following:

Autumn/Fall is the season for studying English!

Jack and I hope to teach you English conversation this autumn/fall.

See you at E-Style,

Alan

Where 十五？

 Hi fellow linguists,

The other day (この間) in one of my beginner classes, I wrote the following on the whiteboard: "Where 十五？" At first, the students looked at my mixture of English and Japanese and didn't know what to make of it (それをどう考えたら良いか分からなかった). However, after reading it aloud (それを音読したら) at native speed and then very slowly, everyone could understand that "Where 十五？" was actually "Where did you go?" 

Native speakers often use contractions (短縮形) in their conversations. An example in Japanese is「そりゃ」for「それは」. Some common English examples are "gonna" (going to) and "wanna" (want a / want to). "Where 十五？" is a little different because there is no way to write it out exactly (正確に) as it sounds. "Where'd you go?" (contracting "where" and "did") is probably the closest, but it is still not perfect.

This is a rare case in which Japanese fluency can help one's English. Because by reading the kanji for "fifteen" after the English word "Where," my students were able to sound just like native speakers from the U.S.A. And by practicing it over and over, they were also able to understand the question even when I asked it at "native speed." In no time (すぐに), not only had my students improved their communication skills, but they had also had a little fun in class while doing it.

Time to 五,

Alan

Ready to Leap!

Hi leap-year lovers,

2024 is a leap year (閏年), a.k.a. (～としても知られている) an intercalary year or a bissextile year. Today, February 29th, is known as "leap day" in English, or 閏日 (うるうび又はじゅんじつ) in Japanese. Since the earth's orbit around the sun is not exactly 365 days, we have this extra day once every four years (4年度に) to synchronize the calendar with the astronomical year, a.k.a. the solar year (太陽年). 

Ready to leap into March,

Alan

P.S. The term "a.k.a." is an abbreviation (省略、短縮) for "also known as."

You Say You Want a Resolution!

Happy New Year!

Hello students of English,

I hope that you have been enjoying 2024 so far (今までのところ). 

Classes at E-Style resumed this past Monday, January 8th. All this week, I have been asking my students what their New Year's resolutions (新年の抱負[誓い・決意]) are for this year. I am happy to report that several people answered "I resolve to improve my English." In this sentence, the word "resolve" is the verb form (動詞の形態) of "resolution." In Japanese, "resolve to 〜" is 「〜を決心する」while "improve〜" means 「〜を上達する」. 

As I have resolved to continue to help you improve your English, here is a list of some of the most popular resolutions in the United States:

• I resolve to lose weight (痩せる).
• I resolve to exercise more (もっと運動する). / I resolve to get in shape (体を鍛える).
• I resolve to quit smoking (たばこをやめる).
• I resolve to quit drinking (酒をやめる). / I resolve to drink less (酒を控えめにする).
• I resolve to make money (お金を稼ぐ). / I resolve to save money (お金を貯める).

Good luck in achieving (達成すること) all of your goals in 2024!

Resolutely yours,

Alan

As this year fades out . . .

Dear students,

Just a quick blog entry to remind you (思い出させるため) that E-Style will be closed for two weeks from tomorrow. Our English conversation classes will start up again (再び始まる) on Monday, January 8, 2024.

As this year fades out, Jack and I would like to thank you for attending classes at E-Style and/or for reading this blog in 2023. We wish all of you a happy and healthy New Year and look forward to continuing to help you achieve (達成する) your English-speaking goals in Reiwa 6.

See you in the Year of the Dragon 🐉,

Alan

Happy All Hallows' Eve!

Greetings ghouls (食屍鬼達)  and goblins (小鬼達),

I hope that your treats outweigh your tricks (あなたのもらうお菓子の量があなたがするいたずらの数を上回る) this All Hallows' Eve (万聖節 [諸聖人の日] の前夜 = ハロウィーン). In western countries, children are usually told "Don't take candy from strangers" (「知らない人からお菓子をもらうな」). Halloween, however, seems to be the exception to the rule (規則に対する例外), for kids are allowed to go trick-or-treating with the specific goal (具体的な目的) of getting as many goodies (美味いもの) as possible from neighbors that they don't even know. One year, I went trick-or-treating for nearly four hours, venturing into other neighborhoods (思い切って他の近所に入った). I got so much candy (which in the States includes chocolate bars, caramel, and nearly anything sweet) that I was enjoying treats until the end of December! 

So, have fun, stay safe, and be sure to get as much candy as you can! Happy Halloween!

Ghoulishly yours,

The Woolfeman

The Month of Leaves

Hi Leafers,

Here we are in August, which I already knew (既に知っていた) was the hottest month of the year in Japan. What I didn't know (or had forgotten) was that its old name was Hazuki, written in kanji as 葉月. Comprising the characters for both leaves (葉) and month (月), the literal meaning of Hazuki (葉月の文字どおりの意味) is "the month of leaves." 

Although it doesn't feel like fall now, in the old Japanese lunisolar calendar (太陰太陽暦), the beginning of autumn (立秋) was on or around August eighth. As autumn brings the changing and falling of the leaves, the eighth month of the year is traditionally (伝統的に) known as Hazuki.

Falling for autumn,

Alan

P.S. Hazuki is also used (sometimes with different kanji) as either a family name (名字) or a given name (下の名前) here in Japan.