Japanese L8: Example 2
Example 2: Blog entry re school holiday dates
今年の三がっきの休みに、かぞくとクィーンズタウンに行った。NCEAの試験(しけん)の前だから、 ストレスかいしょうのために旅行(りょこう)したりするのは、たいせつだと思う。でも、来年の休みについてしんぱいしている。なぜなら、ニュージーランド で、ラグビーワールドカップをすることになっているからだ。
ニュージーランドは 外国とちがって、バスや電車の交通(こうつう)が ふべんなので、車を つかう人が多い。で も学校の休みの間は、車をつかう人が少なくなるから、道があまりこまない。だから、来年 ワールドカップの間に学校を休みにするけいかくがある。ぼくはラ グビーをしていても、がっきをかえることにはさんせいできない。もしかえると、三がっきの休みのすぐ後でNCEAのしけんをすることになる。そうなると生徒(せいと)は三がっきの休みの間も勉強しなければならないので たいへんだし、けんこうによくないと思う。
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Context and text type
Ben is writing a blog entry about school holiday dates for 2011.
Text type
Written communication, informal. Productive.
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Examples showing how the student is:
Communicating information, ideas, and opinions through increasingly extended and varied texts
Ben uses the plain form for writing his blog. While it is in the public domain, the language is informal.
Ben’s use of さんせいできない makes his viewpoint clear. He is not against rugby (which he plays), but the change in term times. He clearly articulates this distinction:
- ぼくはラグビーをしているが、がっきをかえることにはさんせいできない.
Ben uses もし and そうなると to indicate that he is hypothesising.
Note the sentence ぼくはラグビーをしていても. To be more accurate, Ben should have completed it with いるが.
Ben writes たいへんだし、けんこうによくないと思う, saying that such busyness is not easy on families. While it would have been more correct to say 生徒もいそがしいし、かぞくもたいへんだと思う, Ben still manages to communicate his ideas.
Exploring the views of others
Ben explains why the term dates have been changed to accommodate the World Cup and concludes:
- だから、来年ワールドカップの間に学校を休みにするけいかくがある。
While he does not directly explore the views of others in this text, these views can be taken as implicit, given the considerable public discussion on the subject. Ben’s text prompts readers to consider what their own views might be.
Developing and sharing personal perspectives
Ben makes comparisons with other countries, implying that Auckland’s public transport system is not as efficient as the systems in some other countries:
- ニュージーランドは 外国とちがって、バスや電車の交通(こうつう)が ふべんなので、車を つかう人が 多い。
Justifying own ideas and opinions
Ben says what is creating an issue for him and then goes on to give a detailed explanation as to why:
- そうなると生徒(せいと)は三がっきの休みの間も勉強しなければならないので 生徒もいそがしいし、かぞくもたいへんだと思う。
He uses そうなると、ので、と思う and emotive language such as さんせいできない to express his views.
Supporting or challenging the ideas and opinions of others
Ben argues that the term dates should not change. He makes it clear that his issue is not the sport (which he plays) but the impact the change may have on his life:
- ぼくはラグビーをしているが、 がっきをかえることにはさんせいできない。
Engaging in sustained interactions and producing extended texts
The text uses words that function as conjunctions:
- なぜなら, もし, そうなると to explain and extend ideas and to sustain the text.
Relative clauses and joining verbs are also used to extend the text, for example, through the use of し.
Exploring how linguistic meaning is conveyed across languages
Ben uses the acronym NCEA assuming that his readers will understand its meaning.
He also uses the expression 'Rugby World Cup' in his text, writing it in katakana (ラグビーワールドカップ) to indicate that it is foreign. The expression is translated into different languages in different ways; here it is a direct borrowing.
Analysing how the language expresses cultural meanings
Look at the use of the kanji 外 (literally 'outside') in other terms, including 外人 (foreigner – can also be translated as 'alien', as in alien registration card. Did this translation come from America? 外国人 is now the more politically correct term.)
Consider also:
- 外来語 (a loan word), 外食 (to eat out), and 外出 (to go out).
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Opportunities for developing intercultural communicative competence
Compare attitudes towards school holidays in Japan and New Zealand. What are parent and student expectations? How could students find out? How can they take into account the diversity of cultures and practices within New Zealand?
Investigate specific aspects of the Japanese education system and its underlying values. Make comparisons with the New Zealand education system. What are some key differences?
How could students use the knowledge gained from this research when contributing to Japanese blogs on school-related matters?
Last updated March 27, 2013
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