Virtual Summer Vacation

ホントの夏休みがなかなかとれないのですが、Virtual Summer Vacation ということで、あまり Deliberate Learning （意図的な学習）に偏らないように、National Geographic Special Issue (The Story of Jesus, 100 Events That Changed the World) などなど読んでおります。

本日はかなりひさしぶりに土曜日に休みがとれたので、National Geographic つながりで2時間ちかい動画（Guns,Germs and Steel - Jared Diamond）を一気にみてみました。個人的にはこういうのが好きなんですよね。



2回目なんで、1回目よりは理解できたかな。

Incidental Learning

精読する力をつけるために、短文系英文解釈：『英文読解の原則 125』（竹岡広信）にずっと取り組んでいて、少しずつ復習をしていました。
原則085「不定詞が結果を表すときがある」
まあ、なんとなくは知ってますけど、そのなかで暗記しておきべきパターンのひとつとして、
Milton went to Africa, never to return.
ミルトンはアフリカに行ったが、結局もどってこなかった。

これホントに暗記しておくべきなのかなーと思っていたら……。（学習とはまったく無関係に）本日読んでいた National Geographic Special Issue "The Story of JESUS" に、でてきました！
Jesus left Galilee, never to return – at least not in mortal form.
（試訳）
イエスは（故郷の）ガリラヤを離れたが、結局もどってこなかった。 – 少なくとも（通常の死すべき）人間の形では。

でてくるんだなー。まさに Incidental Learning (or Accidental Learning) なのでした。

What if ...

Yesterday, one of my dreams came true.

a witch's shot?

Today, my teacher told us he had a "gikkuri-goshi" several days ago. He asked, "What do you say gikkuri-goshi in English?" I said, "a witch's shot（魔女の一撃）" with confidence. However, he explaied gikkuri-goshi is a strained back, a sprained back or a slipped disk. It has nothing to do with a witch!

Not convinced with the explanation, I've searched for more information about strained back. I've found it's called "hexenschuss" in German. The term hexenschuss literally means a witch's shot. That's why some Japanese believe gikkuri-goshi is a witch's shot in English.

I'm doing research

Last week, my teacher asked me, "What does 'ichi-go ichi-e' mean?" I just answered, "It is related to tea ceremony. I'll explain the details in the next lesson. I'm going to do research on the topic during Golden Week."

The term, ichi-go ichi-e（一期一会）, is derived from Zen Buddhism.
（一: one/once, 期: a period/time, 会: encounter/meeting）

Literally, ichi-go means a lifetime; ichi-e means one encounter. So this phrase can be translated as follows:
1) once-in-a-lifetime
2) Treasure every encounter, for it will never recur.
3) Live every day as though it were last.
4) Do your best on every occasion as it may be the last chance to improve yourself from it.

There are so many 道（どう）s in Japanese culture. For example,

茶道（sa-do）: tea ceremony, 華道（ka-do）: flower arrangement,
書道（syo-do）: calligraphy, 柔道（ju-do）: martial art without weapons,
剣道（ken-do）: Japanese fencing, 弓道（kyu-do）: Japanese archery,
棋道（ki-do）: shogi or Japanese chess, 英語道（eigo-do）: learning English.

Usually, "道（do）" is translated as "the way." It's far more than just learning skills. What does "do" really means? That's going to be the next topic.