2023/9/23(土)SMC

President's remark: SM Kei Narisawa

He finally got a long-sought-after smart phone. As anyone who has a smart phone knows, he also have had a hard time using it. It is indeed as you get older, the harder it may get to learn new things. But it can pose a challenge, and he is gung-ho about it.

Word of the Day: SM Kei Narisawa

He took up the word 'dead'. He presented a variety of meaning of it and also gave idiomatic expressions. Among them, the expression 'wouldn't be caught dead +complement' is his all-time favorite idiom. Furthermore, he consulted with Chat GPT and gave an answer to the question, 'Can we turn the idiom into a question form?. The following is the answer given by Chat GPT.

Here's an idiomatic expression like 'I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that flashy dress.'. Can we turn it into a question form and say ' What would you not be caught dead in?' ?

ChatGPT

Yes, you can turn the idiomatic expression "I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that flashy dress." into a question by asking, "What would you not be caught dead in?" This question is a way of inquiring about someone's preferences or dislikes when it comes to clothing or other items, similar to asking, "What kinds of things would you absolutely not wear or use?"

Lecture: SM Takahata

Idiom quiz

(1) Generative artificial intelligence has become a*1 (buzzword) this year. You’re a *2 tech-(savvy) digital native, but things that you can*3 take for (granted) are difficult to follow for older folks like me.

*1: = a word or expression from a particular subject area that has become fashionable by being used a lot, especially on television and in the newspapers

*2: = knowing a lot about modern technology especially computers

*3: = to assume (something) as true, real, unquestionable, or to be expected

(2) I used to take no notice of baseball, but I’ve *1 gotten on the (bandwagon) and become a fan of Shohei Ohtani. I got up *2 at the (crack) of dawn this morning to watch his game on TV.

*1: = to join an activity that has become very popular or to change your opinion to one that has become very popular so that you can share in its success

*2: = at the early part of the morning that the sun first appears

(3)It’s sad to see many of the *1 bricks-and-(motar) retailers *2 going the way of (dinosaur). I love to drop by my favorite local bookstore to pass the time.

*1: = organizations that exist in physical buildings, for example as shops you can go into, rather than on the internet

*2: = to become extinct, obsolete, old-fashioned, or no longer in common use

(4) A: I admire you always dressing in an individual style.

B: I place importance just on what I like rather than *1 being a (slave) to fashion.

*2 It’s nothing to (crow) about.

*1:= to be influenced too much by something

*2: = It’s not worth talking about.

(5) Flying cars have gradually become a reality. I hope the day will not be far off when they *1 come into (vogue). Traffic congestion on the streets should be relieved once they *2 (hit) the market.

*1: = to become trendy

*2:= to go on the market

(6) A: An hourly wage of 3,000 is a good deal for a part-time job.

B: Yeah. I don’t know if I can keep this for many months to come.

I’ll *1 make (hay) while the sun shines and save for an overseas trip.

*1: = to take full advantage of an opportunity

(7) The boss is the impatient type and he always *1 speaks off the top of his (head). When he makes the decisions, all we have to do is just *2 (rubber)-stamp them.

*1: = to say it without thinking about it much before you speak

*2: = to agree to it without thinking about it much

(8) What are you *1 (dawdling) for? *2 Get the (lead) out of your (pants), kids, or we’ll be late for gramma’s birthday party. She must be looking forward to seeing you all.

*1: = to be slow or lag behind

*2:= hurry up

(9) While I was out, my colleague took the phone and *1 (dashed) off a note to me. His handwriting was so bad that I *2couldn’t make (heads) or (tails) of what it said.

*1: = to write or compose it very quickly, without thinking about it very much

*2: = couldn’t understand at all

Table Topic Speech

(1) It is impossible to lie without saying a word?

(2) Which is worse, failing or never trying?

(3) Which activities make you lose track of time?

(4) Are you holding onto something that you need to let go of?

(5) My favorite day of the year

Prepared Speech

(1) Sharing food: SM Noro

Japanese people share food. When three or four friends go to an izakaya or restaurant, they often discuss and decide what they want to eat, and everyone takes a little bit of each dish. This is not unusual for Japanese people.

However, this is not the norm in Western countries. Each person orders what he or she wants, and each person ends up eating only what he or she wants. Why don't Westerners share food even though they often kiss each other? It seems that the practice of not sharing food is rooted primarily in considerations of hygiene. While a kiss on the cheek is a common greeting in some Western countries, sharing food involves a level of intimacy and potential for bacterial infection that may not be comfortable for everyone.

In contrast to Westerners, it is the Japanese who are most conscious of cleanliness, but why do the Japanese share their food? In Japan, the practice of sharing food is deeply rooted in cultural norms and traditions, despite the strong emphasis on cleanliness and hygiene. There are several reasons why the Japanese often share food: Many traditional Japanese meals, such as sukiyaki and nabe dishes are designed to be shared. It is considered normal to gather around the pot to cook and eat together. Also, Japanese culture places a strong emphasis on community and family values. Sharing food is a way to reinforce these values and create a sense of belonging.

(2) To monitor the changes: SM Yu. Narisawa

I remember being very excited when I first went to Europe, imagining countries with rich traditions and formalities. At that time I was 23, unbelievably young when I look back.

Two weeks ago Newsweek reported, in Italy around 7,000 refugees surged from Africa. Five days ago, NHK news also said another 7,000 refugees set foot on an island to the south of Italian Peninsula. In Italy the number has surpassed 120,000 so far. So in Milan and Florence, in the daytime you can see refugees lying on the streets, or in the park. In case refugees don’t have a place to go, they spend most of the day sitting on the wide staircase in front of the station entrance. The scene looks like that of the Ueno Station just after the World War II. The deteriorating security situation is causing concern among Italians, and they worry it might eventually impact Italian traditional culture. Now young Italians are said to listen mainly to Trap Beats, a genre born from hip-hop refugees have brought in, and not to "canzone."

　　The present situation of Japan is almost the case. Now Japan is not economically prosperous but tentatively peaceful. In that sense refugees generally like Japan though it is lagging in refugee acceptance. Japan is, as you see, accepting labor force to compensate for its declining population. So more and more people from abroad are coming to Japan to work. So in Japan too Trap Beat is beginning to be popular especially among young people. Thus, the societal changes occurring in Italy are Japan’s. Those changes are undeniably making progress even if at a slower pace. So I think it would be crucial to closely monitor the coming societal changes Italy will see.

(3) My father in law's 88th birthday: SM Eda

My father in law will be 88 soon. He is positive and kind. My wife, mother and brother in law and I will celebrate his birthday in Niigata.

I think his character was formed when he was in grade school. He was born and raised in Niigata and was adopted to his uncle's family in Tokyo. He must have had to overcome lots of things.

He attended his granddaughter's wedding ceremony on Guam with us. He emjoyed every bit of Guam even though he didn't speak English.

My wife and I are looking forward to the trip next week to Nihgata. We'd like to honor him using this ocasion.

Meeting Schedule

In-person: 9:30 AM on Oct. 28 at Oyama Community Center

(Coordinator: SM Yu. Narisawa, Word of the Day: SM Takahata, Lecturer: SM Yoko Narisawa)

Zoom: 7:30 PM on Sep. 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30