ENGLISH MADE FUNNY like you want tO have a conversation with that person. lt's like, 'dO you have time to talk tO me?' or do you have time to get a cup of coffee with me?' lt sounds like a pick-up line,' explained the co-worker. A pick up line! Oh no, that's not what I meant at all, thought Atsushi. ronouns are alSO an extra headache for Japanese students of English. lt is necessaryto add "he" or "she" tO a sentence. Mix them up and you might call someone's husband ” or someone S sister "he. AISO, a sentence that doesn't need a pronoun in Japanese needs one in English. But the problem is: what pronoun tO use? Trisha remembers getting an email from one of her English students.lhe email said: 58

GRAMMAR GAFFS And poor Ryusuke was pushed into the back of the patrol car! What did he do wrong? The first thing he did wrong is this: he forgot that drinking in public is against the law in America. police officer stopped him because of the cup of beer in his hand. However, if he played it smart, Ryusuke may have escaped with only a warning. Surely the police officer could have taken pity on a foreign student. How did he wind up in the back of the patrol car? Ryusuke's problem was a pronoun. When the police officer stopped him he asked, "What's ア 0 リ r problem?" He should have asked, "What's the prob- question "what's your problem?" has an angry meaning in English. lt is the kind 0f thing you say if someone pushes ahead ofyou in line. Or, if someone bumps intO you and doesn't apologize. ln fact, it is Often used as an invitation tO start a fight! 63

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

ENGLISH MADE FUNNY Can a person be boring? Yes, but it is not a nice thing tO say. A boring person iS someone you try t0 stay away from— maybe because they talk too much about the same thing, or don't talk at all. ⅱⅡ and Asuka missed a chance at romance because Of a grammar gaff. ln our next story, a Japanese man lOOks for romance —without meaning tOO! Remember Atsushi? Back in school ⅲ Japan, he had learned hOW tO say, "What time is it?" But since coming tO America he had learned a more natural way tO ask the same question: "DO you have the time?" One day, Atsushi was heading tO a meet- ing in New York. He looked at his wrist t0 56

ENGLISH MADE FUNNY another story. lt is normal for an adult tO say, 町 played golf' or "I play the piano. ' But just play" on its own, used by adults, takes on a sexual meaning. For example, the expression 'tO play around" means tO have sex outside Of a relationship. And someone wh0 is a player" has many boyfriends or girlfriends. SO Scott got completely the wrong idea about Kenichi! 'I see," SCOtt said, nodding and smiling at Kenichi, as he got out Of the elevator. Ever since then, SCOtt has acted more friendly towards Kenichi. "Hey Kenichi. Another good weekend, eh? Out in Shinjuku again?" SCOtt says, with a wink. A few weeks later, Kenichi rode the elevator with Kristen, whO now worked at Kenichi's company. had a conversation. "Hi Kenichi, how was your weekend?" Kristen asked. "Good. I 〃ア e イ with my friends in 74

ENGLISH MADE FUNNY •e shop clerks had to say this. lt is the custom in America. But when Mayumi heard "thank you," she always replied: ツ 0 リ ' re ル elCO ′ e. This is what she had practiced in school. lt had become a habit, too. Just like saying: "Fine, thank you. And you?" But she had no idea how funny it sounded tO say, you re welcome!" "You're welcome" is something you say after helping someone. For example: "Can you pass me the salt?" "Sure, here you go. "lhank you. "You're welcome. When you shop, you are helping the store. lhat's why the clerk says "thank you. " But is that really your purpose? NO, your real purpose is t0 buy something for yourself or your family! If your real purpose is helping the store, then it is Okay tO say, "You're welcome. " But if that's not your purpose, then saying, "You're welcome" doesn't make 88

FALSE FRIENDS you must be crazy! l'd only care about her clothes if they were in a pile on my floor,' said Steve, looking at K0ichi like he was an alien. "Huh?" Poor Koichi— he thought he was playing along! What Koichi didn't know is that, ⅲ English, "style" is about fashion. TO "have style" is to dress fashionably. lt's about having your own personal, unique 100k. On the other hand, someone With style" just wears whatever is comfortable. •e word Koichi probably wanted was 、 figure. " A nice figure is a curvy one with a Slim waist. Of course there is nothing wrong with complimenting a woman on her fashion! ln fact, this probably would have worked well for Koichi. lmagine if K0ichi had the nerve t0 go up t0 the bar and say to the beautiful blonde: "You have nice style. " "Thank you. lt's nice of you to say that. 41

ENGLISH MADE FUNNY Japanese. SO they usually talked in English. When Atsuko made a mistake, Dave cor- rected her. lhanks to this, Atsuko's English improved greatly. However, there is one mistake that Dave never corrected. Why? Because it makes him laugh. Atsuko Often mixes up the words "arro- gant" and "elegant. ' When she sees someone dressed nicely, she says t0 Dave: "Look how arrogant that woman is. And when she is angrywith Dave, she often says tO him: "You are an elegant man!" Now, Atsuk0 is a very elegant woman. She always 100ks nice. She never gets angry in public. ln contrast, Dave is not an elegant man. He prefers tO dress casual. He does not like t0 comb his hair. Over the years, he has put on a little weight. ln reality, Atsuko wants Dave tO be more elegant. But instead, she is telling him that he な elegant. Of course what she really wants to say is: are an arrogant 20

WORD LIST なし ロ instead 副その代わりに instead host 名客をもてなす主人 of ~ の代わりに ~ をしないで ロ instrument 名楽器 hottie 名性的魅力にあふれる人 ロ interested 形興味を持った , 関心 housewife 名主婦 のある hOW 熟 Howabo ~ ? ~ はどう ロ intro 名イントロ , 前書き ですか。 ~ しませんか。 how ~ す る方法 no matter how どんなに ロ invitation 名誘い . 招待 であろうとも show ~ how to ・・ ロ lt iS ~ fO 「 someone tO . に・・・のやり方を示す ( 人 ) が・・・するのは ~ だ HOW'S it going? 調子はどう ? ロ ロ ltalian 形イタリア ( 語 ) の名イタ ロ however 接けれども , だが リア語 ロ hug 動しつかりと抱き締める ロ huge 形巨大な , ものすごく大きな ロ huh 間《驚き・困惑・軽蔑・疑問な どを表して》はあ , ふうん , なんだっ て humor 名ユーモア ロ hung ühang ( かかる ) の過去 , 過 去分詞 ロロロロ ロ Japan 名日本《国名》 ロ Japanese 形日本 ( 人・語 ) の 名①日本人②日本語 ロ jealous 形嫉妬して , うらやんで ロ Jeans 名ジーンズ , ジーパン ロ Jim 名ジム《男性の名前》 ロ jOke 名冗談 , ジョーク ロ judge 名裁判官 ロー don't get it 分からない , 理解で ロ jump up 素早く立ち上がる きない。 ロ just as ( ちょうど ) であろうとおり ロ idea 熟 have no idea わからない Just in case 念のため ロ idiot 名ばか , まぬけ ロ ロ justthen そのとたんに ロ熟 even if たとえ ~ でも If + 《主 語》 + co ⅲ d ~ できればなあ《仮定法》 ifo ⅲ y ~ でありさえすれば what if もし ~ だったらどうなるだろうか wonder ~ ではないかと思う ignore 動無視する ロ keep in touch 連絡を取り合う imagine 動想像する , 心に思い描 ロ keg 名アルミのビール樽 ロ K 可ⅳ名ケリー《女性の名前》 impress 動印象づける , 感銘させ ロ kind of ~ のようなもの [ 人 ] る ロ knock 動ノックする improve 動改善する [ させる ]. 進 know 熟 gettoknow 知るように ロ 歩する なる , 知り合う include 動含む , 勘定に入れる ロ Kristen 名クリスティン《女性の名 indeed 副実際に 前》 insensitive 形鈍感な , 無神経な ロ ロロロロロロロ 99

名《 the ー》死が目前の人々 each other お互いに each time ~ するたびに easy-going 形おおらかな , びりした ロ edge 名端 , 縁 ロ effect 名影響 , 効果 ロ e 升 0 名努力 ( の成果 ) 当 ENGLISH MADE FUNNY まりが悪い , 当惑させる ロ erection 名勃起 ロ escape 動免れる , 逃れる ロ even if たとえ ~ でも ロ even though ~ であるけれども , ~ にもかかわらす ロ eventually 副結局は ロ ever since それ以来ずっと ロ every Other 他のすべての ロ everyday 形毎日の ロ everyone 代皆 ロ everything 代すべてのこと [ も の ] , 何もかも ロ exact 形正確な , 厳密な ロ example 熟 for example たとえ ば ロ except 前 ~ を除いて , ~ のほか は接 ~ ということを除いて except r ~ を除いて , ~ がなければ ロ exception 名例外 , 除外 ロ exchange student 交換留学生 ロ excited 形興奮した , わくわくし た ロ exciting 形興奮させる . わくわく させる ロ exist 動存在する ロ expect 動予期 [ 予測 ] する ロ explanation 名説明 , 解説 ロ expression 名①表情②言い回 し ロ extra 形格別の , 特別の ロ eye 熟 ok someone in the eye ( 人 ) の目をまともに見る ロ fact 熟 infact つまり , 実は , 要する ロ fail 動《ー to ~ 》 ~ し損なう , ~ でき 96 ~ 《 be ー》 ~ したくてたまらない dying 形死にかかっている dying drug 名薬 , 薬品 d 「 0 e "jdrive ( 車で行く ) の過去 driving 名運転 downtown 名街の中心 , 繁華街 的な ロ down-to-earth 形堅実な , 現実 する ロ down 熟 have ~ do “第 ~ を会得 ロ double 形二重の ロ doorbell 名玄関の呼び鈴 [ ベル ] D Ⅳと略され日曜大工の意味 ロ do-it-yourself 名自分でやろう , 分でやろう ) の略》 ロ DIY 名日曜大工《 DoItYourself( 自 ロ discuss 動議論 [ 検討 ] する ロ disappointment 名失望 のん ロ eh 間《確認 , 同意を促す意味などを ロ embarrassing 形恥ずかしい , き 惑して embarrassed 形恥ずかしい , 当 ロ email 名電子メール ロ else 熟 or else さもないと ロ elegant 形上品な , 優雅な ロ electronic 形電子の election 名選挙 込めて》だよね , そうでしょ