Learn how to introduce what you could say if asked to give a message to your adoring fans in Japan
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| INTRODUCTION |
| Natsuko: こんにちは、ナツコです。 |
| Peter: Peter here. Celebrity survival phrases, lesson 2. Natsuko san, ようこそ celebrity survival phases へ。 |
| Natsuko: はじめまして。 |
| Peter: Nice to meet you よろしくお願いします。 Natsuko san, it is great to have you here. |
| Natsuko: I was looking forward to being here. |
| Peter: Yeah and we were looking forward to having you. |
| Natsuko: Thank you. |
| Peter: Now this is kind of an interesting concept, this series we are working on, celebrity survival phrases. |
| Natsuko: I heard that a lot of celebrities appear here. |
| Peter: Yeah. Well appear here and as long as there are no lawsuits, they will keep appearing here but once the lawsuits and cease and desist emails start arriving, we will probably scale back. |
| Natsuko: Really? |
| Peter: Yeah. But for now, we are just trying to provide some phrases for celebrities and not just for celebrities, also for people who come to Japan on business and they don’t speak the best Japanese but they are in the spotlight. So they have to speak very good Japanese. |
| Natsuko: You are right. |
| Peter: So kind of like a bit of an introduction but also at the same time, some really polite and really impressive Japanese to really wow some people. Hence, |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: This course was born. |
| Natsuko: He sounds useful. |
| Peter: Definitely. So umm yeah our goal is to one day flick on the TV and see a celebrity or somebody in the spotlight using one of these phrases. |
| Natsuko: Yeah, that will be great. |
| Peter: Yeah and not only great for them, great for us too because usually the Japanese that’s spoken by the celebrities on TV is so generic. Everybody says the same thing. |
| Natsuko: Right. |
| Peter: So we want a little bit of variety so when people hear, they are like, hey how did you do that, that’s not on the cue card. Where did you learn that? |
| Natsuko: You’re right. It would be quite impressive. |
| Peter: Yeah really impressive and I think it would definitely win you some more fans. So with that said, Natsuko san, are you ready? |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Who is back with us today? |
| Natsuko: I heard that Johnny Depp is here. |
| Peter: Yes. Our Japanese Johnny Depp is back. |
| Natsuko: Wow! Japanese Johnny Depp. That’s funny. |
| Peter: So and yes, we will be borrowing from the title of their new movie. It’s like a promotion. |
| Natsuko: Yeah. |
| Peter: Yeah. I guess we will send them an invoice. Okay so we got that out of our system. So we are back with the interviewer and Johnny Depp again, our Japanese Johnny Depp and the interviewer is going to ask a very common question. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Now again, as we said, celebrities are kind of the focus here but what’s good here is that this phrase can be used in a lot of situations. We will get into that a bit later but the interviewer and Japanese Johnny Depp respond. Natsuko san, you are ready? |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Peter: Here we go. |
| Female staff: 今回は、新しい映画のプロモーションのための来日ですね。 |
| Johnny: はい、そうです。 |
| Female staff: では、日本のファンの皆さんに、一言お願いします。 |
| Johnny: 日本の皆さん、こんにちは。皆さんにまたお会いできて、とてもうれしいです。ぜひ、新しい『パイレーツ・オブ・カリビアン』を見てください。 |
| Female: もう一度お願いします。ゆっくりお願いします。 |
| Female staff: こんかいは、あたらしいえいがの、プロモーションのための、らいにちですね。 |
| Johnny: はい、そうです。 |
| Female staff: では、にほんの、ファンのみなさんに、ひとこと、おねがいします。 |
| Johnny: にほんのみなさん、こんにちは。みなさんに、また、おあいできて、とても、うれしいです。ぜひ、あたらしい、『パイレーツ・オブ・カリビアン』を、みてください。 |
| Female: 今度は英語が入ります。 |
| Female staff: 今回は、新しい映画のプロモーションのための来日ですね。 |
| Male: So you came to Japan this time around to promote your new movie. |
| Johnny: はい、そうです。 |
| Male: Yes that’s right. |
| Female staff: では、日本のファンの皆さんに、一言お願いします。 |
| Male: Do you have a message for your fans in Japan? |
| Johnny: 日本の皆さん、こんにちは。皆さんにまたお会いできて、とてもうれしいです。ぜひ、新しい『パイレーツ・オブ・カリビアン』を見てください。 |
| Male: Hello everyone in Japan, I am very happy to be able to meet you again. Please go see the new “Pirates of the Caribbean“. |
| Peter: So Natsuko san, what did you think? |
| Natsuko: Hmm, he is quite good at speaking Japanese. |
| Peter: Really good. |
| Natsuko: I was really glad to hear that. |
| Peter: Quite impressive. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Our Japanese Johnny Depp. |
| Natsuko: Uhoo… |
| Peter: But not only what he said but not just the Japanese, not just the intonation, the pronunciation, not just that but actually the content of what he said was what we should really focus on here because some really impressive Japanese. |
| Natsuko: Okay. |
| Peter: So before we do that, why don’t we take a look at some vocab. |
| Natsuko: ファン |
| Peter: Fan, fans. |
| Natsuko: ファ・ン、ファン |
| Peter: And this is taken from the English word fan of course. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And in Japanese, there is no plural. So fans could be one or many, usually many. |
| Natsuko: Yeah right. |
| Peter: Now there is also a way to say I am a huge fan. |
| Natsuko: 大ファン |
| Peter: Huge fan and here we put 大 and this character is big. So literally it means big fan. So, big fan. |
| Natsuko: Yeah. |
| Peter: So if you are a huge fan of something, you say |
| Natsuko: 大ファンです。 |
| Peter: I am a huge fan, I am a big fan. |
| Natsuko: 私はイチローの大ファンです。 |
| Peter: I am a big fan of Ichiro. Yeah me too. Actually I prefer Matsui. |
| Natsuko: Okay. |
| Peter: And what’s the opposite of 大ファン. |
| Natsuko: Ah...嫌い？ アンチ？ |
| Peter: Because whatever that is, that’s how I feel towards Matsuzaka. |
| Natsuko: Why! |
| Peter: Because he is in Boston. |
| Natsuko: Oh yeah you are from New York. |
| Peter: Yes. So whatever – yeah 大ファンではないです。 All right, there goes our Boston Listening base but what can we do…Next we have |
| Natsuko: 皆さん |
| Peter: Everybody, everyone. |
| Natsuko: み・な・さ・ん、皆さん |
| Peter: The word for everyone is actually |
| Natsuko: みんな |
| Peter: But we attach the polite suffix |
| Natsuko: さん |
| Peter: To increase the politeness level and there is another level we will get into when we go through this conversation. |
| Natsuko: Okay. |
| Peter: Fun, fun, fun. Next we have. |
| Natsuko: 一言 |
| Peter: One word, single word. |
| Natsuko: ひ・と・こ・と、一言 |
| Peter: Literally this is one word. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: But it should be translated or interpreted as a few words, not just one word. |
| Natsuko: Yeah. |
| Peter: So in the conversation we have |
| Natsuko: 一言お願いします。 |
| Peter: It’s really a few words please. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And this is why this phrase is really important because this can be used in lots of situations. We will get into that in a minute. Then we have |
| Natsuko: ぜひ |
| Peter: Certainly. |
| Natsuko: ぜ・ひ、ぜひ。うれしい |
| Peter: Happy. |
| Natsuko: う・れ・し・い、うれしい |
| Peter: Now if you don’t understand what’s being said, you could probably just get away with うれしいです I am happy because chances are they are asking you something about Japan or how are things going and yeah, happy. Stock answer, what do you think Natsuko san? |
| Natsuko: Hmm but I think うれいしです can’t stand alone. You have to explain what you are happy about. So in this case, he says 皆さんにお会いできて、うれしいです。 |
| Peter: Finally we have |
| Natsuko: 新しい |
| Peter: New. |
| Natsuko: あ・た・ら・し・い、新しい |
| Peter: Okay. Now let’s take a look at this conversation. Natsuko san, are you ready? |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Here we go. Give us the first line. |
| Natsuko: では、日本のファンの皆さんに、一言お願いします。 |
| Peter: All right. Do you have a message for your fans in Japan and so on, but let’s get into this sentence and break it down. First we have |
| Natsuko: では |
| Peter: Okay, all right. So this is usually used to either change the topic or get to some kind of wrap things up or yeah, get to your point or get to the point kind of and here, I guess the interview is winding down. So lastly, do you have something for the Japanese fans? So then we have |
| Natsuko: 日本の、日本 |
| Peter: Japan. |
| Natsuko: の |
| Peter: Here is the possessive. So we have Japan’s |
| Natsuko: Humm. ファン |
| Peter: Japan’s fans and we can also see this as fans of Japan. |
| Natsuko: の |
| Peter: Again possessive, Japan’s fans. |
| Natsuko: 皆さん |
| Peter: Everyone. So all the fans in Japan, all fans of Japan is what we are saying here but the order actually goes, country, fan, and then everybody. All fans of Japan. Then here we have a particle marker. |
| Natsuko: に |
| Peter: to |
| Natsuko: 一言 |
| Peter: A few words. |
| Natsuko: お願いします。 |
| Peter: Please. So literally all right, Japan’s fans, everybody to one word please. Now what if we start from the back? Please, one word, two, we can also interpret it as four. Please a few words for all fans of Japan. Hence, do you have a few words, you have a message for your fans in Japan? |
| Natsuko: Yes, that's a good translation, isn’t it? |
| Peter: Yeah. Now what I liked about this phrase so much is, this isn’t limited to just someone in the spotlight. There are so many times when I am out with friends and someone has something good happen. I want them to give a speech or I want them to say something. And in that case, I can also say |
| Natsuko: 一言お願いします。 |
| Peter: Yeah. And in this context, it would be like speech please. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Or if someone is in shock, so this is a way for you to get them to say a few words. And because you have the お願いします they have to do it. Contracts by law, Japanese language law. And Natsuko san, have you ever used this phrase? |
| Natsuko: Yeah 一言お願いします I use a lot. |
| Peter: Yeah. What kind of situations? |
| Natsuko: For example, on a birthday party and you want some speech from the birthday boy or a girl and then you can ask 一言お願いします。 |
| Peter: I got it. |
| Natsuko: After blowing out the candles. |
| Peter: Yeah 一言お願いしまーす。 |
| Natsuko: わあああああ。 |
| Peter: Yeah and you got to clap at the same time. So again, in context, whenever you want someone to say a few words, speech, this is the phrase to get that done. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And you can even leave off the first part. Here, we are being very polite. All right, let’s move on to the next part. |
| Natsuko: 日本の皆さん、こんにちは。 |
| Peter: Hello to everyone in Japan. Let’s just take a look here. First we have |
| Natsuko: 日本 |
| Peter: Japan. |
| Natsuko: の |
| Peter: Possessive Japan’s. |
| Natsuko: 皆さん |
| Peter: Everyone, Japan’s everybody. So everyone in Japan. |
| Natsuko: Yes こんにちは |
| Peter: Hello and this is good afternoon but here it’s kind of a generic greeting. So it’s okay. I mean you are filming it in the studio. You are not sure what time it’s going to be released. So yeah this is a very nice generic greeting, hello. Now a couple of things here. First with こんにちは you really want to hit the end because lots of times, foreigners wind up saying こんにちは。 |
| Natsuko: Yeah it works. |
| Peter: But give us that – hit that end for us Natsuko san |
| Natsuko: こんにちは。 |
| Peter: Yeah. Try to [0:13:57.9] hit that and こんにちはand that way |
| Natsuko: That way you really sound like a native Japanese speaker. |
| Peter: Yeah. It’s こ・ん、こん、こんにちはand with that, I think even with that, you definitely turn some heads because people are used to many foreigners saying こんにちは |
| Natsuko: Yeah こんにちはlike that. |
| Peter: Yeah, yeah… So really hit that end. Also can we say here 日本の皆さま |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: What we did here is we substituted さまfor さん. Now Natsuko san, what is sama? |
| Natsuko: It’s the most polite suffix to refer to someone. |
| Peter: Yeah you are going to hear it with your name because the spotlight is on you. So everyone is giving you a lot of respect but if you insert this here, again you are taking your Japanese to the next level and people will be surprised. This is the most polite way to address someone that’s really showing and conveying you respect for people. So if you are at a business meeting or very formal situation, this is the way to address the crowd. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: 皆さま as opposed to san. さんis okay but… |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: さま is ah packs a bit of a punch, doesn’t it? |
| Natsuko: Uhoo… |
| Peter: All right, then we have |
| Natsuko: 皆さんにまたお会いできて、とてもうれしいです。 |
| Peter: I am very happy to be able to meet you again. Okay let’s take this apart. First we have |
| Natsuko: 皆さん |
| Peter: Everyone. |
| Natsuko: に |
| Peter: Here again is a particle に and it shows direction. So towards everyone you are meeting, to someone, you are meeting someone. |
| Natsuko: また |
| Peter: Again. Now for someone who hasn’t been to Japan before, you are not going to want to use this また |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: This will get omitted. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Then we have |
| Natsuko: お会いできて |
| Peter: Extremely polite Japanese. The grammar behind this is a big complex. You are going to have to remember this phrase as it is. Natsuko san, can you break it down? |
| Natsuko: あ・お・い・で・き・て |
| Peter: And one time fast |
| Natsuko: お会いできて |
| Peter: お会いできて And literally means, can meet. |
| Natsuko: Yes, a very polite way to say ‘can meet.’ |
| Peter: Extremely polite. So we have the first part, everyone again can meet literally and here we translate it as I can meet everyone again. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And because he can, we have the next part of the sentence. |
| Natsuko: とてもうれしいです。 |
| Peter: Very happy. Now in this sentence, there is no subject, there is no I but it’s inferred. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: So the very happy which is literally とても very うれしいhappy, very happy is – the I am is inferred. So I am very happy. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: So we translate this all, I am very happy to meet you again and again, this way, structured this way, it is an extremely polite way to address your fans. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: And address people. Now again, you know we are kind of like making the celebrity a spotlight here but Natsuko san, this is phenomenal Japanese for anybody. |
| Natsuko: Yes sure. You can just say お会いできて、とてもうれしいです。 |
| Peter: I am very happy that I could meet you. |
| Natsuko: Yes. |
| Peter: Just rise. When did you learn that? |
| Natsuko: Yeah. |
| Peter: So for all you celebrities, this is how you want to address your fans and interviewing people on the staff but for anybody out there, this is what you want to use. And then finally we have |
| Natsuko: ぜひ、新しい『パイレーツ・オブ・カリビアン』を見てください。 |
| Peter: Please be sure to see the new instalment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean”. Okay ah shameless plug there for the movie. Again, we will send the invoice over to the studio. Umm, let’s take this apart. What do we have first? |
| Natsuko: ぜひ |
| Peter: Certainly, definitely, for sure. |
| Natsuko: ぜ・ひ、ぜひ |
| Peter: Followed by |
| Natsuko: 新しい |
| Peter: New followed by |
| Natsuko: パイレーツ・オブ・カリビアン |
| Peter: Pirates of the Caribbean. So the name of the movie goes here and in this case, it happens to be the new Pirates of the Caribbean but whatever the movie title is would go here and it’s followed then by |
| Natsuko: を |
| Peter: Object marker and finally |
| Natsuko: 見てください。 |
| Peter: Please see. Again the grammar is beyond the scope of this lesson but in the end, certainly new Pirates of the Caribbean, please see. Now we have to start from the back. Please see the new Pirates of the Caribbean certainly and when we make it into proper English, please be sure to see and the name of the movie would be here huh! Natsuko san, what do you think? |
| Natsuko: Hmm if Johnny Deep really makes a speech this way, I will definitely go see the movie. |
| Peter: So until he does… |
| Natsuko: Yeah. |
| Peter: We are not going to go see the movie. |
| Natsuko: Well, well it depends. |
| Peter: I already bought tickets. |
| Natsuko: Oh really, that’s nice. |
| Peter: Oh do you want to go? |
| Natsuko: Hmm どうしようかな。 |
| Peter: ぜひ、来てください。Surely come. |
| Natsuko: 考えておきます。 |
Outro |
| Peter: Right. Okay, long lesson today but again yeah, there is some real, real valuable stuff in these lessons even though it’s kind of again focused around celebrities, there is stuff in here that is just extremely useful for you getting around and navigating in Japan. All right, Natsuko san, I think that’s going to do it for today. |
| Natsuko: じゃあ、また今度。 |
| Peter: See you next week. |
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