2008.08.15 第11号
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Hello, Dear Readers!
皆さん、どのようなお盆を過ごされていますか?家族とのんびり?友だちと旅行?花火大会に盆踊り?お仕事の方もいらっしゃいますね。短いけれどギュッと詰まった秋田の夏、まだもう少しあります。ステキな思い出が増えるといいですね。
今日は、無料で利用することができる雑誌『GLOBAL MANAGER』についてご紹介します。
TOEICを運営している「国際ビジネスコミュニケーション協会」が発行、日本国内外で活躍するグローバルな人材を紹介する情報誌です。前号までは無料で提供される「紙」の雑誌でしたが、今号から完全オンラインで、メンバーはPDFを無料でダウンロードできるという仕組みに変りました。
海外や国内で英語を使って活躍している日本人や、日本をはじめ世界を舞台に活動されている外国の方など、いろんなGLOBAL MANAGERの特集があり、読んでいるだけでわくわくしてきます。コミュニケーションツールとしての英語がいかに大事かを教えてくれると同時に、それよりもまず「相手を理解したい」「自分の意見を伝えたい」という気持ちが最初にくるのだということも、GLOBAL MANAGERたちの経験から知ることができます。
英語を学習している私たちにとって、英語を実際にビジネスで使っている方を見ると華々しいイメージがありますが、最初はみんな同じ。彼らも苦労しながら必死で英語を勉強していた時期があったのですね。そう思うと勇気がでてきます。
他にも、ビジネスで使えるEメールの書き方や、英語の勉強方法など、英語の記事もあり読み応え十分です。是非登録して(無料)目標達成の励みにしていただければと思います。
▼グローバルな視野を育むWeb情報誌 グローバルマネジャー
http://webmagazine-globalmanager.com/index.html
▼以前当方ブログでも紹介しました。そのときの記事
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/eicolm/e/41bae7a8d2c9aacc1e0243b5e42453c1
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"Wayne-sensei's English Corner"
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Volume 1 Issue 9
"Fabulous Festival Conversation - The Easy Version"
Hello loyal readers. I hope all of you are having a wonderful summer! Enjoy all the festivals and soak up all the great weather!! So, last week I promised I would "show you a much more simple way to have the same conversation," and "talk about a different festival." Everyone loves fireworks (or at least everyone that I know). This week we are going to read a conversation about the Omagari Fireworks Festival (Saturday, August 23rd, 2008). Just like last week there will be a "Japanese Person" (JP) and a "Foreigner" (F). And for this situation let's imagine a local train going to Omagari from Akita. There are many many many people on the train - it's really packed.
Here we go:
F: Excuse me.
JP: Yes.
F: Do you speak English?
JP: Yes, a little. How may I help you?
F: Where is everyone going?
JP: To the Omagari Fireworks Festival.
F: Is it a big festival?
JP: Yes.
F: How many people usually go?
JP: I think six hundred thousand (600,000).
F: WOW! Is Omagari a big place?
JP: No, not really.
F: How many people live in Omagari?
JP: Maybe sixty thousand (60,000).
F: How many times have you been to this festival?
JP: Many many times since I was a child.
F: Oh, really. Where are you from?
JP: I'm from Akita City. How about you, where are you from?
F: I'm from the United States of America. Oh, by the way, my name is Wayne. What is your name?
JP: My name is Eiko. Nice to meet you.
F: Nice to meet you too.
JP: Are you going to the fireworks?
F: I don't think so.
JP: You should go.
F: Are the fireworks good?
JP: Yes, highly recommend you go. You will not be disappointed - it's the national competition.
F: Okay, I will go.
JP: Oh, here is my stop.
F: Oh, are you going to the fireworks?
JP: Yes, but I have to meet some friends.
F: Where do I get off?
JP: At Omagari. Just follow the people.
F: Thank you very much.
JP: You're welcome. Have a good time. See you.
F: Bye.
Don't let the length of this conversation fool you. It can go by very quickly, and notice much of the language is language you might be studying if you are beginning your English language study. This is basically a question and answer conversation. Also, notice how the conversation is started…Wayne (the Foreigner) uses the crowded train to start the conversation with Eiko (the Japanese Person). This is a very common way to start a conversation with a stranger. They continue with basic introduction language, and that extends into talking specifically about something Eiko knows about, the Omagari Fireworks Festival. The conversation never goes into something she cannot comfortably talk about. If you know the conversation subject matter you will be more comfortable thus making the conversation easier to understand and participate in.
One thing I want to say, if at any time the Foreigner is speaking too quickly, or you cannot understand the person, ask them to repeat themselves. For example, say:
"I'm sorry, could you say that again."
OR
"I'm afraid I couldn't catch that last thing you said."
OR
"Could you say that again, a bit more slowly?"
These are just suggestions. If you have language you want to use please do so. The main goal is to stay calm and make sure the Foreigner repeats themselves in a way you can understand. Also, this conversation does not show you every situation. You might talk with a foreigner and find the conversation to be very different. The main thing to do in this situation is just stay calm, and believe-in-yourself - Remember - YOU CAN DO IT!!!
See you next issue - GAMBATTE!!
P.S. If you ever have any questions about English language study please feel free to contact me via email at
wam@backtotheschool.info.
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<編集後記>
ウェイン先生の「外国人と日本人の会話」、人ごとのように感じるかもしれませんが、秋田在住の外国人は数千人いらっしゃいます。また、秋田に観光に来る外国の方も年々増えています。中国や韓国からの観光客の方とも、英語で会話をすることがあるかもしれませんしね。何より、外国の方は「現地の人と話してみたい」と思っていることが本当に多いですから、是非勇気を持って話しかけてみて下さい。とても喜ばれるかもしれませんよ。
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