Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Gesture " " Double quotation

Do you know this gesture? Can you use this right way? This gesture is difficult for Japanese to use because we don't have such gesture. I don't know this has a name, but some people seem to call it "quote" because people use it when they want to quote from someones words or some books as literal. And when people use it, it often means like "I don't agree with this words!" or "I don't believe this words!" "but he or she said that." and it's often perceived as irony in conversation .

You can learn it in episode2 of season9!! I want to show that gesture like this " " , so if you see it, please imagine the speaker use quote!!

In this episode, Ross was angry with Joey because Joey proposed to Rachel just after Rachel had a baby with Ross, but actually Joey didn't propose to Rachel, Joey just picked up the ring that drooped down form Ross' jacket and Rachel thought Joey proposed to her, and said "Yes."

Joey:- Hey, Ross. I know you're pissed at me, but we have to talk about this.

Ross:- Actually, we don't.

Joey:- Fine, fine, okay. But I gotta say, technically, I didn't even do anything wrong.

Ross:- What? You...You didn't do anything wrong?

Joey:- I said I didn't technically.

Ross:- Okay. Let's put aside the fact that you "accidentally" picked up my grandmother's ring and you "accidentally" proposed to Rachel.
Joey:- Can I just stop you there for a second? When people do this "" I don't really know what that means ......... you were saying?

Ross:- And I could even understand that you couldn't tell Rachel. But why you couldn't tell me? huh? You had all day to, and you didn't.

Joey:- I know. I should've. "I'm sorry."

Ross:- Not using it right, Joe.

Joey:- "I'm sorry."

(after a while)

Joey:- You guys are more than that. You're gonna get together, right?

Ross:- I don't think that we are.

Joey:- But...but you two are supposed to be together.

Ross:- Well, I thought so too. But then she said she'd marry you.

Joey:- Come on, Ross, that didn't mean anything. She...she...she'd just had the baby. She was freaked out about doing it alone. She would have said yes to anybody.

Ross:- Yeah, that's what she said.

Joey:- So?

Ross:- So I don't wanna be just anybody.

Joey:- Wow.

Ross:- You know what. It's better this way anyway, I mean, I don't know what I was thinking going down that road again with us. It's just much easier if we're just friends who have a kid.

Joey:- Really?

Ross:- Yeah.

Joey:- And you're okay with that?

Ross:- Yes, that's what we always planned. And if you have a plan, you should stick to it. That's...that's why they call them plans. Hello?.........I'm fine.

Joey:- Hey, for what it's worth with Rachel, I don't think you'll ever be just "anybody."

Ross:- Hey, there you go.

Joey:- "Thanks."
Do you get it? Joey used quote right way when he said "anybody." at last. But the last "Thanks." is wrong.

I really want to use this perfectly because it's funny for me. Let's use this "" when you have a chance to use it, or look carefully when your friends use this gesture!!!!

Joey and Ross

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Thanksgiving Day

In Japan, we haven't Thanksgiving Day. So we don't know much about it. Thanksgiving Day is one of the most famous North American holiday!! Thanksgiving is celebrated on the forth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada.


It is the origin of Thanksgiving that Pilgrims held a celebrate festival in 1621 after their first harvest and they invited Native Americans who taught the Pilgrims how to catch eel or grow corn. They say that the true first Thanksgiving was 1623 and the day was a church observance, rather than a feast day.
But now, in my book, it is a public holiday in the North America when families have a large meal together to celebrate and be thankful for food, health families etc. So many Americans like to spend on Thanksgiving Day with their families and friends, and the religious meaning seems fading.

In FRIENDS, you can see the story of Thanksgiving in episode8 or 9 in almost each seasons.

They also think it's important to spend with their family on Thanksgiving Day.Rachel asked her job's boss to let her get her salary in advance so as to go to skiing and spend with her family on Thanksgiving.

Rachel:- Would you mind if I got $100 advance on my salary? It so that I can spend Thanksgiving with my family.

And Joey said to Monica like that

Joey:- Hey Monica, I got a question. I don't see any Tater Tots.
Monica:- That's not a question.
Joey:- But my mom always makes them. It's tradition. A piece of turkey on your fork, a little cranberry sauce and a Tot!! I mean it's bad enough I can't be with my family, because of my disease.
Monica:- All right. Finn. Tonight potatoes will be mashed with lumps.

According to Chandler, his Thanksgiving is really different meaning from the original one.


Chan:- Oh, come on Monica! Reliving pain and getting depressed is what Thanksgivings all about. You know, for me anyway, and, of course, the Indians.


He also said like that

Chan:- I am the king of bad Thanksgivings.

Joey:- I wanna hear it. It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Chandler bumming us out.


Chan:- See? It's a tradition, like the parade.




The traditional story is Chandler's parents' divorce announcement! In season1, Rachel was surprised at Chandler's Thanksgiving food because it was not traditional Thanksgiving food, but snacks!

Rachel:- Wait, wait Chandler. This is your Thanksgiving dinner? What is it with you and this holiday?

Chan:- All right. I'm 9 years old.
Ross:- Oh, I hate this story!
Chan:- We've just finished magnificent Thanksgiving dinner. I have- I remember this part vividly- a mouthful of pumpkin pie. And this is the moment my parents choose to tell me they're getting divorced.
Rach:- Oh, my God!
Chan:- Yes, yes, very difficult to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner once you've seen it in reverse.


Chandler and Monica
The most common and main Thanksgiving dinner is turkey. Because of it, Thanksgiving is sometimes called Turkey Day or poultry day! Joey said to Monica like that


Joey:- You gotta have turkey on Thanksgiving!! I mean Thanksgiving with no turkey is like Fourth of July with no apple pie, or Friday with no two pizzas!!

And there are other traditional Thanksgiving foods like cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, dumplings, corn on the cob or hominy, deviled eggs, green beans or green bean casserole, peas and carrots, carious, wheat flour bread rolls, cornbread, biscuits, rutabagas or turnips, and a Waldorf salad, etc.

Various pies are often served as dessert, like apple pie, mincemeat pie, sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie(Chandler ate when he was 9), chocolate meringue pie and pecan pie, etc.
A almost similar dinner seems to be served on Christmas and New Year's Day.

I wish Japan had Thanksgiving Day so that I could eat turkey and cranberry sauce and sweet potatoes and apple pie with my family or friends. Although we have Christmas, we don't have such gorgeous dinner on Christmas, but a cake.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

50 States and SAT


Do you know or say all states? Or if you are Japanese, can you say all prefectures?

In season7, on Thanksgiving Day they play a game that chandler learned on work. Here is the conversation. I know it's long , but I dare to write the whole conversation that is concerned with the 50states game. You'll know how difficult it is!!

Chan:-We're playing this game I learned on work. You have to name all the states in six minutes.

Ross:-What? That's like insanely easy.

Chan:-Oh, Okay, time's up.

Joey:-Say hello to the new champ of Chandler's dumb states game.

Ross:-Wow, how many you got?

Joey:-Fifty-six.(proudly)

(after a while)

Ross:-Done......with time to spare.

Chan:-Woo. This may be a new world's record.

Ross:-You know, I hate to lecture you guys...but it's kind of disgraceful that a group of well-educated adults and Joey can't name all the states. You ever see a map or one of those round colorful things called a globe?

Chan:-Ah-Magellan? You got 46 states.

Ross:-What? That's impossible.

Joey:-Forty-six. Well, who's well-educated now, Mr. I-Forgot-Ten-States?

Chan:-Okay, Ross, time is up.

Ross:-Now, just give me another minute.

Chan:-If you don't know them by now, you never will, okay? That is the beauty of this game. It makes you want to kill yourself.

Ross:-This is crazy. I can do this. All right, I bet I can get all 50 before dinner.

Chan:-Okay, but if you can't, no dinner. Ross:-You're on.

(after a while)

Ross:-How can I not get this? I'm a college professor. I got 1450 on my SATs.

Mon:-Twelve fifty. Ross:-Damn, I forgot you were here.

Ross:-I laid out the states geographically.

Joey:-Ross, you need some help? Ross:From you?......Yes please.

Joey:-First of all, Utah? Dude, you can't just make stuff up.


(after a while)

Ross:-I hate America! When I finish this game, I swear I am moving.

(after a while)

Ross:-Okay, may be this is so hard, because there aren't 50 states. Let me tell you something I have 49states...and there are no more! I think I should be able to eat something.

(midnight)

Ross:Delaware.......Delaware.(Ross is near to tears.)

Chan:-All right.

Ross:- I want my turkey now.

Chan:-You got it. You got Nevada twice.

Ross:-.........I know. Chan:-Yeah.

Here are the states of the United States of America.
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

And do you know about SAT? Ross said "I got 1450 on my SATs.", Monica corrected it to 1250 though.
The SAT stands for Scholastic Assessment Test and Scholastic Aptitude Test and is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. It's like a National Center Test for University Admissions called Center Test in Japan. But unlike Center Test that has only one opportunity a year in January, the SAT is offered seven times a year in October, November, December, January, March(or April), May, and June. There are three sections in the SAT, Writing, Mathematics, and Critical Reading and each section receives a score on the scale of 200-800 points. So the highest point is 2400 and the lowest one is 600. But many colleges seem to require ACT score more than SAT.

Let's name your country's all states or prefectures in six minutes!!

Monday, June 2, 2008

Shoe Size


Chandler and Monica



In the end of season7 and the beginning of season8, there is Monica and Chandler's wedding.



Chandler has practiced dancing because he wants to dance with Monica without embarrassing her on the dance floor, but his hopes are ruined by his slippery new shoes.


Then Chandler meets Joey and tries to borrow Joey's shoes.






Joey
Chan: -What size shoes do you wear?

Joey: -Eleven. 11 1/2.

Chan: -Great. Because my shoes give me a problem on the dance floor. Can I borrow your boots?

Joey: -I don't know where I left them.

(Chandler looks at Joey's feet)
Chan: -Those aren't 11 1/2.

Joey: -Okay, fine, I'm a seven!! I have surprisingly small feet. But the rest of me is good. I'll show you.



Did you get it what size of shoes dose Joey wear? 11. 5 centimeter? No way!! I didn't get it at first though because we usually use "centimeter" for shoe size in Japan.

Joey said "Eleven". It means 29 centimeters. So 10 means 28cm , 91/2=27.5cm, 9=27cm, 81/2=26.5cm, 8=26cm, 71/2=25.5cm, 7=25cm, 61/2=24.5cm.........get it? What's your shoe size in U.S.? These shoe sizes are for men, and there is also for women's shoe size. For women, 9 means 26cm, 8=25cm, 7=24cm, 61/2=23.5cm, 51/2=23cm, 5=22.5cm, and 41/2=22cm.

Joey's shoe size is seven. It means 25cm. And he said he has surprisingly small feet! My shoe size is also seven too!!!! So according to Joey, I have surprisingly small feet!! And the rest of me is good too!! I'm surprised that we have a lot in common.

Chandler ends up dancing by only using his hands!