環境 (kankyō: environment, situation) to surround + situation
In English, “environment” can mean a range of things, but these days we associate the word primarily with our ailing planet. The word 環境 reflects this meaning, as well as several others:
環境を守るために私たちができることはいくつもある。
Kankyō o mamoru tame ni watashitachi ga dekiru koto wa ikutsumo aru.
There are a number of things we can do to protect our environment.守 (mamo(ru): to protect)
私たち (watashitachi: we)
いくつも (ikutsumo: many; a (great) number of)たいていの人の一生は環境で決まる。
Taitei no hito no isshō wa kankyō de kimaru.
The lives of most people are determined by their environment.たいてい (taitei: usually, mostly)
人 (hito: person)
一生 (isshō: lifetime) one + life
決 (ki(maru): to be decided)彼女はニューヨーク市の厳しい環境で育った。
Kanojo wa Nyū Yōku–shi no kibishii kankyō de sodatta.
She grew up in the harsh environment of New York City.彼女 (kanojo: she) he + woman
市 (shi: “city” suffix)
厳 (kibi(shii): strict)
育 (soda(tsu): to grow up)動物の子供はすぐに新しい環境に順応する。
Dōbutsu no kodomo wa suguni atarashii kankyō ni junnō suru.
Young animals adapt quickly to a new environment.This is similar to the context in which we first saw 環境.
動物 (dōbutsu: animal)
to move + living thing
子供 (kodomo: children) child + plural suffix
新 (atara(shii): new)
順応 (junnō: adaptation)
to submit to + to respond to (a situation)昨日アメリカから帰ってきたので、まだ頭の中が英語環境だ。
Kinō Amerika kara kaette kita node, mada atama no naka ga eigo kankyō da.
I just got back from the States yesterday, so I’m still thinking in English.昨日 (kinō: yesterday) yesterday + day
帰 (kae(ru): to return; to come home)
頭 (atama: head)
中 (naka: inside)
英語 (eigo: English (language)) English + language
In this last sentence, Breen’s translation includes neither “environment” nor “situation.” I’m guessing that 英語環境 here means “English-language environment.” A more literal translation of the last phrase would be, “There’s still an English-language environment in my head”!
I’m not surprised to see 環境 in a sentence about language immersion because when I asked my language partner how to say “language immersion” in Japanese, he produced a sentence that included 環境. More on this at the link….
