2024/10/12(土)SMC
Word of the Day: SM Eda
Euphemism or nicer ways of saying things
We’ｄ like to learn some euphemistic expressions or nicer ways of saying things in English.
1 Some say, "Shit!" Nicer word: "Shoot!" (チェ！）
2 Some say, "Don't f**k up." Nicer words: "Don't muck up."(ヘマするな)
3 Some say, "Oh, my God." Nicer words: "Oh, my goodness."
4 Some say, "Ted is fat." Nicer words: "Ted is big."
5 Some say, "Ann is ugly." Nicer words: "Ann is homely."
6 Some say, "You're fired!" Nicer words: "You're let go." .....I hope Harris says, "You're let go."
7 Some say, "Our teacher died." Nicer words: "Our teacher passed (away)."
8 Some say to kids, "Wanna pee?" Nicer words: "Wanna go No. one?" .....No.2 は?
9 Some say, "I threw up." Nicer words: "I prayed to the porcelain god."
10 Some say, "Our teacher farted!" Nicer words: "Our teacher broke wind."
11 Some say, "Today is a very bad day." Nicer words: "Today is one of those days."
12 Some say, "Tom is unemployed." Nicer words: Tom is between jobs."
Please use at least one of these, but not the ones listed on the left-hand side, especially the first two!
Lecture: SM M.G
smile：微笑む
「smile」は「微笑む」という意味ですが、日本語の「微笑む」のイメージよりも、もう少し口を開いてニコッと笑っている感じです。
声を出す笑い方ではなく、口角を上げて前歯を出す表情のことをいいます。
例えば、写真を撮るときに「ハイチーズ」で作る顔が「smile」です。
嬉しい楽しいなどのポジティブな笑顔に使うことが多いですが、馬鹿にした笑い顔や弱々しい笑顔などにも使うことができます。
My father had a broad smile on his face.
You make me smile.
She looked at me and smiled weakly.
laugh：笑う
「laugh」は「声に出して笑う」という意味です。
面白いことや楽しいことに対して、声やボディーランゲージを用いて感情を外に表すことを言います。
馬鹿にした笑いなどのネガティブな笑いにも使うことができます。
They laughed at his jokes.
The audience was laughing hysterically.
He laughed scornfully.
grin：ニコーッと笑う
「grin」は歯を見せてニコーッと「満面の笑みを浮かべる」という意味です。
「不思議の国のアリス」のチェシャ猫の笑顔はよく「grin」と表現されます。
He continued to tease his brother, grinning wickedly.
My sister was grinning from ear to ear so we knew she had good news.
chuckle：クスッと笑う
「chuckle 」は「クスッと笑う」という意味です。
口を閉じたまま笑いを堪えたときに出てしまう音で、独りで静かに笑う笑い方です。
漫画を読んでいるときに「クスクス」っとウケるときの笑いというとわかりやすいかもしれません。
He chuckled while reading the comic strip.
He chuckled at Michael’s joke.
giggle：ふふふっと笑う
「giggle」は高い声で「ふふふっと笑う」という意味です。
軽くてバカっぽい笑いで、イタズラを隠しているときなど、何か馬鹿げたものや失礼なものに対して堪えきれず笑うようなニュアンスがあります。
小さい子供や女の子達が「うふふっ」「キャッキャ」と高い声で笑う様子にも使います。
Stop that giggling in the back row!
I was able to find the kids because I could hear them giggling.
guffaw：ゲラゲラ笑う
「guffaw」は「ゲラゲラ笑う」ことを意味します。
大きな声で心から笑う様子を表します。
Everyone in the room was guffawing at his jokes.
She bursts into a loud guffaw.
sneer：冷笑する
「sneer」は「冷笑する」という意味です。
バカにしたり、嘲笑うときの無礼で人を見下した「ふっ」というような笑い方に使います。
She’ll sneer at my new shoes because they’re not stylish.
Critics sneered at her first novel.
beam：顔を輝かせる笑顔
「beam」は「顔を輝かせる笑顔」という意味です。
喜びをいっぱいに表してパッと輝く笑顔のことをいいます。
He beamed with delight at her remarks.
Her face beamed with joy.
smirk：ニヤニヤ笑う
「smirk」は、自分が何かをして満足したり、他人の不幸に対し愉快に思ったりして笑う様子を表します。
見る人を苛立たせるような、皮肉っぽく、横柄な笑い方です。
He smirked when he knew everything was going according to his plan.
She smirked when her little brother got in trouble for causing the mess he made.
simper：作り笑いをする
「simper」は店員さんが気取って機嫌をとろうとするような「不自然な作り笑い」を表します。
また、照れて控えめに笑うときにも使います。
He is very shy and always has a simper on his face when he talks to girls.
He simpered while he talked to the boss.
cackle：キャッキャと笑う
「cackle」は「甲高い大きな声で笑う」ことを表します。
雌鶏が産後に泣く泣き声にも使われ、あまり心地良い音の笑い声ではありません。
A group of women were cackling in a corner.
His joke makes me laugh so hard I cackle like a witch.
snigger：クスクス笑う
「snigger」は、「くすくす笑う」という意味で、本来笑ってはいけないものに対し、馬鹿にしたように静かに笑うことを表します。
The girls sniggered at the boy’s mistake.
What are you sniggering at? This is a serious problem.
fleer：嘲笑う
「fleer」は「嘲笑う」という意味で、生意気にわざとらしく冷やかすように笑うことを表します。
He fleered at us!
Everybody fleers at it.
Table Topic Speech
(1) Why elder women don't want to admit their age?
(2) Which is worse, failing or never trying?
(3) What is the most enjoyable thing your family has done together in the last three years?
(4) What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?
(5) What recent memory makes you smile the most?
(6) What is the most spontaneous thing you've ever done?
(7) How do you spend the majority of your free time?
Prepared Speech
(1) Trivia: SM Noro
Hallowe'en, celebrated on October 31st, has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that on this night the line between the living and the dead became blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth.
By the way, sometimes you'll see Hallowe'en.
What is an apostrophe doing there?
The "e'en" in Hallowe'en is a contraction of the word even, which is an archaic alternative to the words evening or eve. The "Hallow" part of Hallowe'en is a contraction of Allhallows, another name for the Christian holiday of All Saints' Day. The word "hallow" was once used as a noun to mean "holy person" or "saint," but that meaning is now obsolete.
In summary, Hallowe'en is a shortened form of All hallows Eve: Hallowe'en is celebrated every year on October 31, the eve of Allhallows, which is November 1.
(2) Dancing with the Goddess: SM Koizumi
I often find myself lost in thought, searching for the perfect story to tell in my speech at SMC. This time, I decided to step into the world of fantasy, inspired by one of my favorite songs, "SHE," beautifully sung by Elvis Costello in the film “Notting Hill”, and another point of my passion for ballroom dance. I made original story and asked ChatGPT to refine it. Here we go.
Dancing with the Goddess
She is not just any dancer—she is a radiant figure in the ballroom world, known across Japan for her grace and brilliance. She mesmerizes every audience. She is a queen of dance.
When a grand affair held at the enchanted Shinyurigaoka Hall, I could hardly believe my eyes when I learned that she would attend this celebration. I eagerly purchased my ticket.
The night arrived, and as I stepped into the hall, the atmosphere was magical. A special drawing was held, and eight fortunate souls would have the chance to dance with her. To my astonishment, I was chosen!
And then, it happened. The spotlight bathed us in a golden glow as we swayed together to the slow, graceful rhythm of the foxtrot. It felt as though we were floating on a bed of clouds. In that moment, the world faded away, and there was only her and the music. I dared not believe it, but as we finished our dance, she whispered something unforgettable. “We’ll dance again, somewhere, sometime,” she promised, her voice like a melody.
A few weeks later, in late November, there was another grand party at Shinyurigaoka Twenty One. I was there, not as a guest but as a ribbon-bearer, one of the dancers tasked with guiding the attendees through their steps. As I moved through the crowd, I felt a familiar presence. Though she was disguised, with a wig and heavy makeup, there was no mistaking it—she was there again. As soon as we started dancing, I knew it was her. Her flawless movements and the way she carried herself—it could only be her. To dance with her again was like touching the divine. She was a goddess among mortals, yet so grounded, so real.
I dream of the day when we will dance again, perhaps for eternity. Until then, I hold onto this dream, this fantasy, where she—the goddess of the dance floor—will always be a part of my heart.
Revised Song
She May be the dancer I can't forget The trace of pleasure or regret
May be my treasure or the price I have to pay
She May be the song that summer sings May be the chill that autumn brings
May be a hundred different things Within the party in the hall
She May be the beauty or the beast May be the phantom or the feast
May turn each party into a heaven or a hell
She may be the mirror of my dreams The smile reflected in a stream
She may not be what she may seem Inside her shell
(3) Reducing food waste: SM Yoko Narisawa
I don’t like to waste anything, especially food. Food waste is a significant issue worldwide. The fact is a lot of food is thrown away even though it could still be eaten. Meanwhile, many people are facing severe food shortages. We must resolve this contradiction. What can we do to reduce food waste? What do you do with food waste at home?
October is known as Food Loss Reduction Month. In Aikawa Machi,a food drive is currently being held at the Town Hall. Aikawa Machi encourages residents to contribute extra food from their homes. Another approach is practiced at the supermarket near my house. There is always a section for food that is near its best-before date. We can buy them at reduced prices. I sometimes buy them.
On the other hand, I have witnessed a lot of oranges being thrown away. There is one orange juice vending machine which serves 100% orange juice made from fresh oranges and has become quite popular. But I have never seen anyone use it. Eventually I saw a big bag of oranges being taken away, because their freshness was limitted. What a waste!
Personally, I make a conscious effort not to waste food. A lot of energy goes into producing food, and just as much energy is wasted when we throw it away. It’s a huge loss.
It’s crucial for all of us to make an effort to reduce food waste. Let’s start by doing what we can, where we can.
(4) The problem is the bay windows: SM Takahata
She talked about the problem in her house during summer, heat in her living room on the second floor. Her living room has big bay windows with less insulation, so the temperatures there are extremely high
In the recent extremely hot summer. She said she's tried several things, like installing vents in the attic, using heat-resistant paint when we repainted the roof, and applying heat-insulating sheets to the windows, but none of them seemed to make much of a difference. The last and only option is to renovate the windows by installing inner windows, but it's very expensive, and sh's not sure how effective it would be, so she hasn't made the decision yet.
Meeting Schedule
In-person: 9:30 AM on Oct. 26 at Oyama Community Center (tea room)
(Coordinator: SM Noro, Word of the Day: SM Takahata, Lecturer: SM Yoko Narisawa)
Zoom: 7:30 PM on Oct. 14 and 21