'Kotoba zamurai' articles are written to be 'a non-systematic approach to learning unusual, but useful words.' While these not-so-serious articles are written with the upper-beginner to intermediate in mind, even beginners should be able to get something out of them. If not, I may have wasted 15 minutes of your life... I will leave it up to you to take the chance.
Volume 6: You may be watching too many Jidai Geki IF...
Find out once and for all if you are a 時代劇 junkie!
(don't know what jidai geki is? see bottom!)
You may be watching too many Jidai Geki IF...
10) You answer the phone with, "何者だ？ nanimono da?" 9) You enter your friend's house with a sword drawn saying, "御用だ goyou da" 8) You have more than one Mifune Toshiro poster on a single stretch of wall. (One per wall is acceptable) 7) You say "すまん suman" when someone hands you a drink. 6) You catch yourself answering your boss with a "はっ、殿、仰せの通りに致します ha, tono, oose no toori ni itashimasu" 5) Sitting 正座 seiza no longer puts your legs asleep 4) You find pale faced women who play the shamisen attractive 3) You confuse a 招待状 shoutaijou with a 果たし状 hatashijou with terrible consequences... 2) You own a sword that costs more than your car AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST... 1) Your insurance policy covers, '切腹 seppuku' |
Ok, if you are not a Jidai Geki junkie, you will need some explanation:
A 時代劇 ji dai geki literally means 'period drama' but is a movie or television program set usually in the Edo period and involves samurai!
You may be watching too many Jidai Geki IF...
10) You answer the phone with, "何者だ？ nanimono da?"
- nani mono da is often heard when a guard hears some movement and asks, "Who's there?!"
9) You enter your friend's house with a sword drawn saying, "御用だ goyou da"
- 御用だ go you da is often heard by 奉行所 bugyousho (the Edo period police) as they approach a bad guy. Goyou literally means 'honorific (official) business' but kind of means, "You're under arrest, Bub"
8) You have more than one Mifune Toshiro poster on your wall. (One is acceptable)
- Mifune Toshiro http://www.answers.com/Toshiro%20Mifune was a great Japanese actor who stared in numerous samurai films including many Kurosawa flicks. You can also see him in the 1980 TV mini-series Shogun.
7) You say "すまん suman" when someone hands you a drink.
- すまん is short for すまない or the more recognizable すみません. It has a rough feel and used by men. It literally means "not finished" or "not satisfied."
6) You catch yourself answering your boss with a "はっ、殿、仰せの通りに致します ha, tono, oose no toori ni itashimasu"
- はっ、殿、仰せの通りに致します
- ha, tono, oose no toori ni itashimasu
- Yes, my Lord, It shall be done as you wish!
- はっ is a quick, blunt 「はい」 and is often heard by samurai speaking to their superiors.
- 殿 tono - lord
- 仰せの通り oose no toori - lit. just as you spoke
- に致します ni itashimasu - to do... (致します is a polite form of する)
5) Sitting 正座 seiza no longer puts your legs asleep
- 正座 seiza - lit. correct sitting; to sit on your heels with your legs straight under you and your back straight.
4) You find pale faced women who play the shamisen attractive
- geisha
3) You confuse a 招待状 shoutaijou with a 果たし状 hatashijou with terrible consequences...
- 招待状 shoutaijou - in invitation (to a party)
- 果たし状 hatashijou - a letter or challenge (to a duel)
2) You own a sword that costs more than your car
1) Your insurance policy covers, '切腹 seppuku'
- 切腹 seppuku or 腹切り harakiri - 'nuff said
Oh, lastly and I don't know if it is true but apparently George Lucas got the word “Jedi” from Jidai (Geki)
