類似語を使いこなす

This week’s question focuses on using words with similar meanings. Hiroe and I were doing some work last week when we came across the word, “revere.” There are many words that are similar, but of course, each has a different nuance and are therefore, NOT THE SAME! Here are some of the words that are similar to “revere”:

admire someone (or something)
adore someone (or something)
idolize someone
respect someone (or something)
look up to someone (or something)

So that made me think. Who do I revere? Who do I admire, Who do I adore? Who do I idolize? Who do I respect and who do I look up to?

So in order to practice some similar English vocabulary, this week’s question is WHO or WHAT do you:

revere
admire
adore
idolize
respect
look up to

Let me see if I can explain more by giving you my answers.

I revere Martin Luther King, Jr. because of his courage and his commitment to nonviolent resistance even when he was faced with incredible hatred and violence.

I admire humility and selflessness. Only some people can have a world impact. However, I think that everyone can impact their part of the world by respecting others and helping people whenever we can.

I adore my wife Hiroe because of her inner and outer beauty, her sense of humor and her perpetual energy.

I idolize Elvis Presley because he was a one of a kind. And the greatest performer ever!

I respect Hiroe’s family’s work ethic. They are principled and always have their priorities in order.

I look up to my older brother Patrick because of his sense of honor and duty and his attitude about life. He never backs down from a challenge or hurdle in life.

So, how about you. Who or what are some things you revere, admire, adore, idolize, respect or look up to? I will look forward to hearing your thoughts when we speak this week.

Be well,

Keith//

This week’s vocabularies:

similar
類似した
came across
（偶然に）目にする、見つける
revere
崇敬する（崇めるという意味で、尊敬の最上位）
nuance
ニュアンス、微妙な意味合い
admire
立派であり、すばらしいと思う／感心するという意味の尊敬
adore
敬愛する／大好きである
idolize
熱中/心酔する
respect
敬意を払う（一般的に使われることが一番多い）
look up to
尊敬する（「見上げる」という意味から、年齢や立場が明らかに目上の人に対して使われることが多い）
nonviolent resistance
非暴力抵抗運動
faced with
面と向き合う
humility
謙虚さ
selflessness
無我の心
perpetual energy
絶えることのないエネルギー
one of a kind
この世に１つしかない
work ethic
仕事に対する倫理観
principled
主義に基づいた生き方
priorities in order.
優先順位にかなってやっている
duty
義務/責任
backs down
折れる/降参する
hurdle
ハードル/障害

英語で「手順」を説明する。

*太字の単語やフレーズは、今週のボキャブラリーです。この記事の最後に詳しい説明を載せています。

I hope everyone had a safe and relaxing golden week. I will look forward to hearing about what you did when we speak this week.

And in addition to that, this week, let’s focus on giving directions.

Directions are VERY useful. We must use directions when someone asks for advice or when you are teaching someone how to do something. These could be directions on how to buy a train ticket, directions on how to grow a tomato plant, directions on how to drive to your house, or directions on explaining how to cook something. Directions are sometimes simple and sometimes difficult but they are ALWAYS good to know.

Some examples we can practice this week are:

How do I buy a house in Japan?
How do I get a driver’s license in Japan?
How can I become a personal coach?
How do I make curry rice?
How do I buy a bullet train ticket?
How do I get into Tokyo University?
How do I get to your house from the nearest station?
How do I grow a garden?

We can practice directions more when we speak this week and as an example, I will give directions on how to make a pot of brown tea.

First, you need the following ingredients before you begin.

water
milk
honey
loose brown tea

Directions

First, fill your tea kettle with water. Then, put the kettle on the stove and heat until the water boils.

Next, put about 1 tablespoon of loose brown tea leaves into your teapot.

After that, fill your teapot with hot water.

Then, wait between 3 and 4 minutes while the tea steeps.

Next, pour the tea into a cup while filtering out the loose tea.

After that, add about 1 teaspoon of honey and stir well.

Then, add about 20cc of milk and stir once more.

And finally, enjoy your tea.

Now how about you? What kind of directions can you give me?

I look forward to hearing your directions when we speak this week.

Be well,

Keith//

*This week’s vocabularies:

directions
手順、方法

useful
役に立つ

advice
アドバイス

explain
説明する

good to know
知っておくと良いこと

driver’s license
自動車運転免許

bullet train
新幹線

grow a garden
野菜（花）を育てる

ingredients
材料

loose brown tea
（ティーバックに入っていない）バラの紅茶の葉

fill
〜でいっぱいにする

heat
温める

boil
沸かす

steep
ふやける

filter
こす（濾過する）

stir
かき回す

once more
もう一度

あなたの大切な人との関係について

*太字の単語やフレーズは、今週のボキャブラリーです。この記事の最後に詳しい説明を載せています。

My wife and I had a good row last week (as we sometimes do) and that got me thinking about this week’s question! I love my wife with all my heart but even though that is true, she and I sometimes drive each other crazy! I think that having an honest discussion is always helpful but sometimes, we let our anger take over and that is never a good idea. The American humorist, Robert Quillen famously once said that “discussion is an exchange of knowledge; argument is an exchange of ignorance” and as much as I agree with that idea, I do occasionally act ignorantly...

So, this week’s question focuses on your closest relationship in your life, whether that is a spouse, significant other, a best friend, a brother or sister or a parent. What are some positive and negatives within the relationship. For example, what do they do that makes you happy and what, if anything, do they do that drives you crazy?

I look forward to speaking to you this week and hearing what drives you crazy.

Be well,

Keith//

row
けんか

that got me thinking
そのことで考えさせられた

with all my heart
心の底から

drive someone crazy
誰かをいらいらさせる

honest discussion
本音の話し合い

we let our anger take over
怒りの感情を優先させる

humorist
ユーモア作家

exchange of knowledge
互いの知識をやりとりする

argument
そうぞうしい口論

exchange of ignorance
互いの無知さをやりとりする

act ignorantly
無知な態度を取る

significant other
大切な相手（恋人など）

今現在の住まいの近隣について、何が好き、嫌い？

Hello everyone—sorry for the delay!

This week’s question focuses on what you like and dislike about your neighborhood.

I have a friend who is unhappy that her company recently decided to relocate her. She said she likes her apartment and her neighborhood and she is really happy where she currently lives and she would rather not start over again in a new city. She said she likes the people, the parks, the restaurants, the stores, the nightlife, and the safety of her current neighborhood but she will try to get used to her new neighborhood as soon as she can. She said she is looking forward to the challenge but she will be sad to leave.

So, that brings us to this week’s questions:
What are some favorable or some unfavorable things about your neighborhood? And, is there anyplace else you would like to live?

I will look forward to hearing your thoughts when we speak this week.

Be well,

Keith//

This week’s vocabularies:

focus(es)
焦点をあてる

recently
最近

relocate
転勤

rather not
むしろ〜でない

start over again
最初からやり直し

nightlife
夜に楽しむこと

safety
安全

current
現在の

get used to
慣れる

favorable
好ましい

unfavorable
好ましくない

anyplace else
他のどこか

「描写する」ことをもっと練習してみましょう。

*太字の単語やフレーズは、今週のボキャブラリーです。この記事の最後に詳しい説明を載せています。

For this week’s question, I want to focus on describing something familiar to you. In English, Japanese or any language, the ability to describe something is very important. Last week, I asked students to recommend a good place in Japan to visit and I got a lot of wonderful answers, for example, Sapporo snow festival, Tokyo Tower, Himeji Castle, Kyoto, Yakushima, etc., but when I asked the questions, “why should I go there?” or “what can I see there?”, it was very difficult for students to explain why I should go or to describe where it is, why it is famous, what I could do there, etc.

So this week, let’s try talking about something familiar to you and see how much you can describe it. Most people have a favorite place they like to eat or get a cup of coffee or piece of cake so this week, let’s describe your favorite restaurant, cafe, pub, etc. And when you describe that place, remember to include things like:

Where is it?
Why do you like it?
What does it look like?
What is the capacity?
How expensive is it?
What kind of food does it serve?
What is your favorite dish or what are your favorite dishes?
What are the ingredients?
Is it popular?
Is it famous?
Is it new?
What is their specialty?
What is the staff like?

My answer:
My favorite restaurant is a small authentic mexican restaurant in my hometown called, La Cucaracha. It is kind of small and the staff isn’t ALWAYS friendly, but that doesn’t matter because their food is REALLY good. I love Mexican food and I like simple meals and that is one of the reasons I like La Cucaracha. They have great home-made tortilla chips and salsas, margaritas, a large variety of beer and tequila and their main dishes are full of flavor and usually too big to finish. I think their prices are cheap, in fact, when Hiroe and I visit, we usually have an appetizer, a few beers or margaritas and dinner for about $50 (¥4,500).

My favorite meal at La Cucaracha is called, “Los Cabos Tacos” which are fish tacos served with black beans, rice, red cabbage and a chile yogurt sauce. Wow, I am hungry!

I will look forward to hearing about your favorite restaurant, cafe, pub, etc., when we speak this week.

Be well,

Keith//

This week's vocabularies:

describe
詳しく説明する／描写する

familiar
親しみのある

recommend
推薦する

pub
パブ

capacity
容量／大きさ

serve
提供する

ingredients
材料

popular
人気がある

famous
有名な

specialty
そこでしか提供されない特別なもの

authentic
本物／本場の

hometown
故郷

simple meals
飾り気のないシンプルな食事

home-made
手作り

tortilla
トルティーヤ

margarita
マルガリータ

tequila
テキーラ

full of flavor
豊富な風味

appetizer
前菜

cheap
安い