ENGLISH MADE FUNNY speak politely t0 Linda's family. She practiced a few expressions in advance, as: 'l'm verypleased tO meet you. And: "May I please have a glass ofwater?" AIso: "Thank you for your hospitality. le day ofthe dinner arrived. Linda picked up Kaori and they drove t0 Linda's parents house. Her parents lived in a suburb 0f Boston. •e house was rather big, made of red brick. Kaori was a little nervous. But she was determined not tO show it. Linda's parents soon made Kaori feel comfortable. ln fact, Linda's parents were a lot like Kaori's parents. Linda's father made silly jokes like Kaori's father often did. The dinner went smoothly. Then, Linda's mother got up t0 make tea. Kaori thought this would be a good time tO use the toilet. She wanted to say: "Excuse me, may I please borrow your toilet?" But instead she said: "Excuse me, may I please rent your toilet?" Kaori didn't realize her mistake. She was 90

TRYING TO BE POLITE always mixing up "borrow" and "rent. " But Linda's father couldn't pass up an opportu- nity for a joke. SO he replied: "Sure. lt costs five dollars for the first minute, and one dollar for each additional minute. There's a time clock next tO the tOilet. Make sure tO get a receipt when you're done. Kaori was speechless. She had never heard 0f anyone charging money like that for a toilet! She didn't know what to do. She looked at Linda's dad. Then she looked at Linda. lhen Linda said: "Come on dad, that is so not funny!" Linda's father had been keeping a straight face. But now he broke into laughter. "Sorry! I couldn't resist. Yes, Kaori, dear, you may use the tOilet. You don't need tO ask. Next time, please just get up and go. We're very laidback around here," he said. 91

TRYING TO BE POLITE sense. lt just sounds strange! lhen what are you supposed to say? You don't have to say anything. Just smile and nod. oor Mayumi, she just wanted tO be polite. Another exchange student had a funny moment, tOO, because she tried tOO hard to be polite. Kaori was studying for a year in Boston. She had become friends with one of her American classmates, Linda. Linda's family lived near the university. SO once a week, Linda went home tO eat dinner and dO her laundry. One day, she invited Kaori t0 come along. Kaori was used t0 speaking casual English with the other students. But she wanted tO 89

ENGLISH MADE FUNNY ロ laid Jjllay ( 置く ) の過去 , 過去分詞 ge い aid 寝かされる , セックスする ロ laidback 形ゆったりした , くつろ いだ ロ lasttime 《 the—》この前 ~ したと き ロ laugh 熟 make someone ねⅡ ( 人 ) を笑わせる laughter 名笑い ( 声 ) ロ laundry 名洗濯物 ロ Laura 名口一ラ《女性の名前》 ロ lean 動寄りかかる , ( 体を ) 傾ける lean over ~ にかがみ込む ロ learning 名学習 , 学識 ロ least #atleast 少なくとも leave &alone ~ をそっとして おく ロ led ü]lead ( 導く ) の過去 , 過去分詞 ロ letout ( 声を ) 出す , 発する ロ lid 名 ( 箱 , なべなどの ) ふた ロ liedown 横たわる , 横になる ロ likethis このような , こんなふう ロ likely 形ありそうな , ( ~ ) しそうな ロ Linda 名リンダ《女性の名前》 ロ line 熟 inline—列に , 並んで pick-up line 誘い文句 ロ Lisa 名リサ《女性の名前》 ロ living 名《 the ー》生きている人々 ロ loan word 借入語 , 外国語から入 ってきた言葉 ロ logic 名論理 ( 学 ) , 理屈 ロ logical 形論理的な ロ lonely 形孤独な , ひとりばっちの ロ long-legged 形足の長い ロ Ok 熟 okaro Ⅱ nd 見て回る ok for ~ を探す ok forward ~ を期待する 0k0 外を見る ok someone in the eye ( 人 ) の目 をまともに見る look to ~ に目をや る ok Ⅱ p 見上げる , 調べる takea ok at ~ をちょっと見る ロー oose 形ゆるんだ , だぶだぶの loose soc ルーズソックス LOS AngeIes ロサンゼルス《米国 ロ の都市》 ロ IOSt 熟 get lost ( 命令文で ) うせろ , 消えろ ロ loudly 大きな声で , 声高に ロ IOW tension 緊張やストレスの低 い状態《本来は「低張力」「低電圧」の 意味で , 感情を表す正確な英語表現で はない》 ロ low-tension 形ストレスのない , 不安のない , くつろいだ ロ we 「動下げる , 下ろす ロ luckyfor ( 人 ) にとってラッキー だったことには ロ made 熟 be made 0f ~ でできて [ 作られて ] いる bemadeupof— で構成されている ロ make 熟 make a mistake 間違 いをする make sense 意味をなす , 筋が通る make someone laugh ( 人 ) を笑わせる Makeme. ( でき るものなら ) 強制してごらんなさ い。 make sure 確かめる . 確認する makeup 作り出す , 考え出す , ~ を 構成 [ 形成 ] する ロ male 形男の ロ mansion 名大邸宅 ロ many 熟 somany 非常に多くの ロ married 形結婚した , 既婚の ロ masochist 名マゾヒスト , 被虐性 愛者 ロ match 動調和する , 釣り合う ロ matter 熟 a matter of ~ の問題 nomatterhow どんなに ~ であろう とも notma er 問題にならない 100