DCとヒューストンのコミュニティ・ペーパー、『さくら新聞』で書かせていただいているコラム「英語 de 敬語」。 今月はホリデーパーティーなどの招待への返事の仕方を取り上げました。
My column this month in “Sakura Shimbun,” a Japanese community paper in DC and Houston, discusses how to respond to invitations to holiday parties and other events. Once again, I’m so grateful for this opportunity!
欠席する場合には、招待へのお礼とともに、 This sounds like a wonderful event, and I’m sorry to miss it because of work commitments. や、 I would love to attend, but I’m afraid I will be out of town visiting my parents. など、都合がつかない理由も含めて丁寧に断ると、次回も声をかけてもらえる可能性が高まるでしょう。
出席可能となると、今度はいろいろ確認すべきことが出てきます。他に予定があるものの部分的に出席したい場合には、 Would you mind if I arrive half an hour late, since I have a conference call that ends at 6pm? や、 May I leave around 8pm to prepare for my business trip the next day? など、理由や時間も含めて聞くとよいでしょう。
家族や恋人（「プラスワン」）を連れてきてよい場合は、 I would love to attend with my spouse, Tim Cratchit. など、自分との関係と名前を書くといいでしょう（家族で別姓の方も多いため、ネームカード等がある可能性のある公式なイベントでは、フルネームで書いた方がホストに親切です）。お子さんと参加したい方は、 May I bring my ten-year-old daughter? など、年齢も含めて確かめた方がよいでしょう。
ホームパーティーの場合は、ポットラックでなくとも、 Please let me know if there’s anything that I can bring. と聞くと丁寧です。多様な人たちが集まる米国は、健康や信念に基づく食事制限がある方も多く、アレルギーにもとても気を遣いますので、何か持参する前に、 Do you or your guests have any food allergies or dietary restrictions? と確認した方が安全でしょう。
少し難しいのは、集合時間です。座って食事をする場合は遅れると失礼にあたりますが、立食のビュッフェやポットラックであれば、時間通りに行くと他に誰もおらず、忙しいホストに気を遣わせてしまうこともあります。事前に説明がない場合には、 Am I correct that this is a sit-down dinner? などと確認できます。さらに I plan to arrive before 7pm. などと到着予定時刻を知らせると、もう少しゆっくり来た方がよければその旨お返事があるでしょう。
–Interpreting for the Kansai Keizai Doyukai in DC and Cambridge
Last month, I had the opportunity to interpret for delegates from Kansai Keizai Doyukai (the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives), as they participated in their annual symposium at the Harvard Kennedy School. Every year, they participate in a one-day symposium in Cambridge with professors at the Kennedy School–and also visit another city (for this year, DC) to exchange views with opinion leaders. This was meaningful to me in many ways.
A view from the booth at Loeb House at the Kennedy School, prior to the symposium
Memorable reunions
First, the interpreter who was kind enough to bring me onto this project was someone I’ve admired for years. I met this interpreter more than ten years ago, when she trained many of us Japanese language contract interpreters at the State Department. We lost touch for a bit–but reunited about a year later in New York, where she was kind enough to give me a few jobs. I lost touch with her again after that (I left the country for a while, and by the time I returned, her old email address no longer worked). Then in 2017, I attended a dinner in DC as a USJC staff member–this dinner was with the Kansai Keizai Doyukai on their annual symposium trip, and accompanying them was the interpreter I had wanted to see for so long! It turned out she had worked with this group for decades. So I was really happy to get to work with her directly this year. She joined the Cambridge portion of the program, and from her and the other senior interpreters, I learned so much about the craft of interpreting, as well as next steps I could take in my career.
One of the delegates was also a familiar face. She was a participant in a 2017 International Visitor Leadership Program themed on women’s empowerment. This is an annual program that Kankeiren (the Kansai Economic Federation) conducts with the State Department, and the 2017 delegation that I interpreted for visited Boston and LA. She was kind enough to bring me a gift from Japan: a cute stomach warmer (haramaki) with a kitty on it! I’ve never owned a haramaki so I’m very excited about it 🙂
The cute haramaki with a kitty!
Another nice aspect about this project was that the DC itinerary included a lunch with the U.S.-Japan Council President, Irene. It’s always nice to interpret for USJC, as it feels like bringing together different aspects of my life.
U.S.-China relations and digital transformation
The DC portion was filled with meetings with thinktanks, and it was great to hear their opinions on the latest developments in U.S.-Japan relations and security in the Indo-Pacific, as well as the rapidly changing relationship between the United States and China. Many of the business leaders in the delegation have worked globally for years, and asked tough questions, often directly in English, about the U.S.’s current and future stance.
In Cambridge, we took a tour of the Harvard Art Museum, a new, modern Renzo Piano structure uniting three older museums. Our group’s student tour guide did such a great job explaining about the works of Klimt, Picasso and more, that we went beyond the time limit with numerous questions and observations.
The entrance to the Harvard Art Museum
With the symposium at the Kennedy School, half of the focus was on U.S.-China relations (I was amazed to have the opportunity to interpret for Professor Joseph Nye, whose work I’ve admired since college!). The other half was on the digital transformation of society. When a poll was conducted on how the symposium participants think digital technology will mean to humans 20 years from now, the results were fascinating: most of the Japanese delegates thought digital technology would be a “friend,” while most of the American professors thought it would be a “servant.” To this, symposium participants remarked that Japanese pop culture like Astro Boy and Doraemon might have played a role in shaping the mindset that robots are friendly–which is fascinating to me!
This year’s theme was about security and society in the digital age
I was very inspired by the business leaders who were not only engaged in their own communities and region (Kansai), but also participated in global, cross-sector discussions to shape the future of their companies. This was a really fun project, and I hope I’ll have the chance to work on it again in the coming years!
At my workplace, the U.S.-Japan Council (USJC), the biggest event of the year is our Annual Conference. This year’s conference, held in Los Angeles last month, was an even bigger deal because it was our tenth one. The organization was founded a decade ago by Japanese Americans, many of them based in LA, who sought to strengthen U.S.-Japan relations. We’ve held our Annual Conference in many cities, but never before in Southern California–so this was a homecoming in many ways.
The yagura in Japantown with early Christmas decorations
Working in Communications
It is always rewarding to see various projects we’ve worked on for months turn into something tangible. More than a dozen video interviews of members, which we had conducted in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and Tokyo in celebration of our 10 year anniversary, turned out well–and members eloquently described how USJC has impacted their lives. As always, it was exciting to hold the print program (with 50 or so speakers whose bios we edited in both languages) in our hands, and I enjoyed witnessing how various scripts and speeches I drafted were incorporated into the announcements of emcees and board members. I only had a minor role in media relations this year, but it was nice to sit in with interviews by The Washington Post or others, or see how excited some speakers were to be covered by NHK.
Members and supporters
As a staff member, I always find it rewarding to catch up with members and supporters who contribute to U.S.-Japan relations in unique ways. Their backgrounds vary widely, but all share an interest in wanting to bring our countries closer together. One of our speakers was Ted Homma, a Silicon Valley-based Japanese entrepreneur working on smart homes. We’d first met a few years ago through the kind introduction of his friend, Daiki Michishita–who in turn was part of a State Department delegation (themed on inclusive education for children with disabilities) that I had been interpreting for. Back then, Mr. Homma was about to found his new company, and his friend was a member of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly. Since then, Mr. Homma’s company has been thriving, and he has supported a lot of people-to-people exchanges between Silicon Valley and Japan, including the Silicon Valley Japan Platform. Mr. Michishita has since become a Diet Member, and kindly stopped by our Annual Conference in Tokyo last year. I’m honored to know them both! Even if conversations are brief, where we mostly greet each other while rushing by, I gain a lot of energy and inspiration from these face-to-face moments.
The Conference also brought rare opportunities to talk with people we wouldn’t meet otherwise. When some of us staff members had the opportunity to talk to the ShibSibs backstage, I was amazed by how friendly and polite they were in person. I was also lucky enough to join a backstage photo with friends and alumni from my alma mater (Iolani School in Honolulu), where we surrounded a fellow alumnus who spoke at the Conference: Bobby Webster, General Manager of the Toronto Raptors (2019 NBA Champion).
A panel discussion welcoming young Japanese American leaders, with (L-R) moderator and USJC Board Member Jan Yanehiro, Bobby Webster, professional dancer Koine Iwasaki, Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani (Photo courtesy of USJC)
Leadership
As staff, we rarely get to fully see or hear the content of the Annual Conference as it happens. But for part of the Conference, which was a series of workshops on leadership, I was one of the observers whose job was to listen and evaluate the content. One of the sessions I observed was about how to serve on boards. The speakers–including the USJC Board Chair–shared their experience with corporate, government, nonprofit and academic boards. One of my favorite parts of the discussion was this slide–made all the more perfect because, as one of the speakers pointed out, it looks like a plum blossom! I took copious notes on the back of my evaluation form (and took a photo for my records!).
A plum-shaped chart on leadership
Food and fun
After the conference, us staff members enjoyed lots of Japanese and East Asian food. Some were a bit different from what’s usually served in Japan–but that made it all the more interesting! It was nice to have such easy access to Japanese dishes, books, stationary and other items that are so scarce in DC. I also got to catch up with my middle school friend who moved to LA last year, and met her two-month-old daughter.
With fried (!) takoyaki at Shin Ramen
While preparations leading up to and during the Conference were grueling, it was still nice to see many familiar faces and learn new ideas!
Details of the June 2nd concert that we attended. (Screenshot from the Vienna Philharmonic website.)
I am saddened to hear that the conductor Mariss Jansons has passed away.
I am embarrassed to say that I did not know of him until this past June–when my father and I attended a concert in Vienna that Mr. Jansons conducted. My parents and I were traveling in Vienna for about a week, and it was just a few days before we left.
My father is a huge fan of classical music. He owns thousands of CDs, several of them works by the same composers but conducted by different maestros or performed by different orchestras. Every weekend and many weeknights, he spends time relaxing in his “music room” with a good book. When we travel together, he’s often gone to classical concerts on his own, like at the Lincoln Center in New York, while my mother and I explore the locale in other ways.
So when my father said that he wanted to go see a concert by the Vienna Philharmonic, it completely made sense. But what made things complicated was that the concert my father wanted to attend was only open to members of the Philharmonic. The general public could only get in if there are additional openings or cancellations that morning.
On the day of the concert, my parents and I stood in line at the ticketing office, but were told that no tickets remained. My father was very disappointed–that’s when I found that, despite his many visits to Vienna, he’d never seen the Philharmonic perform locally–and we decided to at least take photos in front of the beautiful Musikverein concert hall. My father pointed to signs of the event and told us that he’d wanted to see this particular conductor, Mr. Jansons. I didn’t know how to console my father, and we just quietly took photos as dozens of people walked past us to enter the building.
Musikverein Concert Hall
A small miracle
That’s when something magical happened. A middle-aged lady approached us out of the blue, and asked us in English if we would like to have an extra ticket in the standing room. We hesitated for a second, caught by surprise. Then, another young man approached us and said that he could give us his ticket, too. My mother quickly encouraged us both to go, and it was decided. We rushed into the concert hall with five minutes to go until the concert began.
I had assumed that the tickets gave us some sort of assignment on where to stand (operas at Lincoln Center have individual areas where each person can stand), but that wasn’t the case. My father and I arrived at an area at the very back of the orchestra level. Much taller individuals already occupied the front, and we couldn’t see anything. Still, we were grateful for any space.
Mr. Jansons’s conducting
The orchestra performed Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 in B-flat major (Op. 38). I listened while I marveled at the gorgeous chandeliers and gold interior of the music hall (basically the parts that I could see above people’s heads). During the break some people left, and my father now seemed to have a view of the orchestra and Mr. Jansons. I still saw nothing and continued to listen as the orchestra performed Hector Berlioz’s Fantastical Symphony: An Episode in the Life of an Artist (Op. 14).
After Berlioz’s symphony ended, there was a slight moment of silence. Then the applause began, and roared on for many minutes. I turned to my father, hoping to talk to him. He was beaming and clapping enthusiastically, not even noticing that I had turned to him. That’s when I realized how much attending this concert had meant to him.
As people began to clear out, my father, still seemingly in a daze, asked if I saw the end of Berlioz’s symphony. When I said no, he began to explain what had happened during that moment of silence. Apparently, Mr. Jansons’s body was bent at an angle the whole time he was conducting–and after the performance ended, he had been frozen in place, unable to move. Members of the orchestra who realized what had happened came up and helped him down–and that’s when the audience began their applause.
As my father told this story, he choked up several times, touched by Mr. Jansons’ dedication to his craft. I was shocked. This was the first time in my life that I had seen him cry. I teared up, too, both from seeing my father’s reaction and from picturing Mr. Jansons’ bent back. My father mentioned that he was surprised to see how much Mr. Jansons had aged since the last time he’d seen him.
During the break
Youth and classical music
After this concert, my father and I searched various news about Mr. Jansons, worried for his health. Nothing came up–and to my relief and surprise, I found that he had conducted in Hamburg and Paris just a few days after this Vienna performance. I read that he’d once had a heart attack while conducting, and once again marveled at his commitment.
I also found this short interview on the Vienna Philharmonic Facebook page, where he talks about the importance to instill a love for classical music in the young generation. “I believe classical music will survive,” he says. And that I know to be true–partly because of him. Because on that day, the crowded standing space my father and I joined was full of young people who seemed to be college students. Many wore casual clothes like jeans and cotton dresses. During the latter half, when there was more space, some even sat on the floor, leaning against the wall and closing their eyes. After the concert I heard some of them exchanging their impressions in English. They seemed to know both symphonies well and shared their excitement to see Mr. Jansons on stage.
Unlike these youth who knew what a star Mr. Jansons was, all I did was tag along with my father. But I feel very fortunate to have heard his conducting in person, especially after getting tickets at the last minute (there were so many others in front of Musikverein, and it’s amazing that we received tickets from two individuals). I am so glad to have seen how much Mr. Jansons inspired my father as well as everyone in the audience–indeed, encompassing all generations and nationalities.
–The sister-city relationship between Baltimore and Kawasaki
Interpreting at the MOU signing ceremony between the Mayor of Baltimore and the Kawasaki delegation (Photo courtesy of Baltimore City Hall)
During the six years I spent in Japan, I grew up and went to school in Ota-ku, a southwestern ward in Tokyo, and Yokohama. Both places neighbor the city of Kawasaki, an industrial city that I visited many times.
So I was honored to interpret for a delegation representing the city of Kawasaki when they visited Baltimore last month. They are sister cities celebrating the 40th anniversary of their relationship!
Sister City Relationship
At a lunch at local restaurant Ida B’s Table with members of the Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee. The committee members had very interesting life stories!
The Baltimore-Kawasaki Sister City Committee is led by two wonderful individuals who are very committed and active. I met them when I interpreted at the Baltimore Japan Art Festival a year ago–and they have kindly given me several interpreting opportunities since then (including this one!). Working alongside Kawasaki officials, they arranged these meetings during the delegations’ visit.
One of our meetings was with Baltimore Sister Cities, Inc., a nonprofit organization that brings together the representatives of seven cities around the world that have sister relationships with Baltimore. It was fascinating to hear about the Dutch city of Rotterdam and its exchanges with Baltimore on architecture and urban design; about Xiamen in China and its youth exchange programs with Baltimore; and Alexandria in Egypt, which is known for its ancient library and has a digital exchange program with students in Baltimore. The cities have varied connections and histories with Baltimore, but what was encouraging to me is that Baltimore Sister Cities was founded in 2016–showing that despite what’s going on in recent domestic policies in the U.S., the trend towards globalization (and especially regional collaboration) is only getting stronger!
Separately, Mayor Jack Young of Baltimore and the Chair of the Kawasaki City Council signed an MOU commemorating the 40th anniversary. (The mayor of Kawasaki had to withdraw from the delegation due to Typhoon Hagibis, which struck just a few days prior.) The Kawasaki side presented a gift: Japan’s famous wax food samples, made to resemble Chesapeake crabs and other regional delicacies! The mayor displayed it right outside his office.
The Kawasaki delegation admiring how Mayor Young displayed their gift, a wax food sample of Baltimore delicacies (Photo courtesy of Baltimore City Hall)
Urban Development in Baltimore
Another theme of this delegation’s visit was urban development. We heard from a local redevelopment company as well as various officials from the Baltimore City Hall working on Project CORE, which strives to improve housing and shared spaces. The most memorable part to me was when we visited neighborhoods and saw new recreational spaces created with the vision of local residents. One of those, Kirby Park, is a green space among new and old houses (some of them waiting to be demolished). The park featured not only new gardens, benches, and trees planted by local residents that very morning, but also a horseshoe pit, in a nod to tradition and history.
We also visited the Sagamore Pendry Hotel, which just opened two years ago. Originally a commercial pier that was built in 1914, the waterfront hotel offers modern interior design while retaining the brick structure, beams and other parts of the pier. There are also many elements that serve as a nod to Baltimore, like nautical and industrial decorations, as well as a mural of the national anthem (which refers to Fort McHenry in Baltimore). What was fascinating to me was that this renovation was done by Kevin Plank, the founder of Under Armor. Apparently, since establishing the company headquarters in Baltimore (he is from Maryland), he has worked to rebuild and invest in the community. These connections are shown in many ways: for example, hotel guests can use the Under Armor gym, which is located right across the water, for free (I can’t imagine riding the water taxi in gym clothes, though!).
The interior of the Sagamore Pendry Hotel. They told us that the arch was part of the original pier structure, and that the view looking out to the street is an homage to how Baltimore residents would sit on porches and interact with neighbors.
Urban Development in DC
The delegation also visited DC, where we heard about the Anacostia Waterfront Initiative from the DC Department of Transportation. A new bridge and park will not only connect Anacostia with the rest of the DC, but also strives to bring social equality among different communities by providing a space where they can interact, learn, and rest together.
We also visited places like the new DC United Audi Field, where we saw green infrastructure applied to the very wide sidewalks (accommodating huge crowds that would come see soccer games) around the stadium. Our last stop was The Wharf, where we admired the waterfront view, and heard from the firm that designed it about how it’s booming as a new neighborhood.
A model of The Wharf
I learned so much about sister city ties, urban development, and most especially about local residents’ pride in their communities. This was such a fun project and I’m glad to have had a tiny role in it!
–Interpreting at the Baltimore Japan Arts Festival
Interpreting for Utomaru and Mr. Fine at MICA
Last month, I had the opportunity to interpret for the Baltimore Japan Art Festival (BJAF). This annual event celebrates contemporary Japanese art, and I was lucky enough to support it this year and last year. I have lots of respect for the Nippon Motion team, who put on a multi-day festival just on a volunteer basis, in between their busy full-time jobs!
BJAF 2019: Utomaru
One of my favorite illustrations at Utomaru’s exhibit. It reminds me of the line, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” (the title of the novel that later became Blade Runner).
This year, the featured artist was Utomaru, an illustrator who uses very cool, vivid colors. I interpreted for a discussion between her and Alex Fine, a Baltimore-based illustrator, mainly targeted for students at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). They discussed everything from Utomaru’s unique palette (“why not draw someone with a blue skin color?” she asks), to the struggle between commercial work and personal work, aspects of Japanese and American culture in her work, her love for the cute and gory, and the importance of finding your own community of artists.
The art toy MIMI, which is inspired by the movie Cannibal Holocaust (1980).
BJAF 2018: Mr. Yusuke Nakamura
I love the elegance of Mr. Nakamura’s work. In the illustration at the bottom, the little dog is actually the country of Japan.
And at BJAF 2018, which was held in September last year, the featured artist was the illustrator Mr. Yusuke Nakamura. He gave a full lecture on his development as an artist, as well as the image that certain colors evoke (his great example was the Power Rangers: the heroes are always red, and the yellow one and blue one just don’t seem as strong). He also spoke about Bikkuriman stickers, which I hadn’t thought about in three decades (haha!). I really love his style. He said he was influenced by Mucha and that’s really apparent! In studying for this interpretation, I also came across his Twitter account, in which he often gives virtual lessons on drawing. His philosophy is to make art accessible–something that I really empathized with. And he is incredibly hardworking: backstage, even as we were waiting for the stage set up and discussing what his lecture is about, he was on his laptop refining the colors and outlines of his most current work.
One of my favorite works that was on exhibit: Wonder Woman (who’s calmly drinking tea, haha)!
Both were very inspiring, especially in their discussion of colors and encouragement of budding artists. It was truly an honor to meet these artists. Many thanks to Nippon Motion for the opportunity!
Interpreting Mr. Nakamura’s lecture–and occasionally giving out goods to MICA students who asked questions
–Interpreting a talk with a former Defense Minister
A view from the booth prior to the start of the event
Last month, I had the opportunity to interpret for the Stimson Center’s “Voices of Japan” events. One of the key events was a public discussion with former Japanese Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera.
Minister Onodera spoke about Japan’s National Defense Policy Guidelines, the importance of the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance, security in the Indo-Pacific region, North Korea, and concerns about the ongoing conflict between Japan and South Korea. But the biggest theme was the rise of China in every realm: technology (5G), economy (trade wars with the U.S.), geoeconomics (the Belt & Road Initiative), as well as its humanitarian crises and surveillance system. (A video of the event is available here.)
The program
Minister Onodera was such a great speaker. The fascinating content illustrated how many complicated issues in the world are interrelated, but it was always easy to follow. He was also an ideal person to interpret for, speaking slowly, logically, and with good enunciation. During the Q&A with moderator Ms. Yuki Tatsumi, Director of the Japan Program at the Stimson Center, he said something funny on a few occasions–and when the audience didn’t catch on right away, he followed up with, “That was a joke, so I hope you’d laugh”! Jokes are often a big challenge for interpreters, in terms of the pressure to relay the humor to the audience–so him asking the audience to laugh made our jobs easier (and took away some of the pressure from some very serious topics!).
Minister Onodera was obviously extremely knowledgeable but also seemed very humble and down-to-earth. I’d previously heard praises from bureaucrats who’ve worked with him, and now I see why! I hope I’ll have the chance to interpret for him again in the future.
DCのコミュニティ・ペーパー、『さくら新聞』で書かせていただいているコラム「英語 de 敬語」。 今月はサンクスギビングに合わせて、感謝の気持ちの伝え方についてです。
My column this month in “Sakura Shimbun,” a Japanese community paper in DC and Houston, touches upon Thanksgiving and how to express our gratitude to others. Once again, I’m so grateful for this opportunity!
まず、丁寧かつ柔軟な appreciate は、様々な場で使えます。 We extend our sincere appreciation to all sponsors of this program. など、「深く御礼申し上げます」に相当する形にすることもできれば、口語的な言葉と組み合わせ、 I really appreciate your help. など、同僚へのお礼の一言にすることもできます。
個人的な感謝の気持ちがこもった grateful は、形容詞として We are so grateful for the opportunity to work with you. 、名詞として I’d like to express my gratitude to everyone who helped edit my book. といった表現に使えます。 Appreciate とともに依頼にも応用でき、 We would appreciate it if you could fill out our survey. や I would be grateful for any feedback. などとすることもできます。
日頃からお世話になっている人へのとっておきの言葉として、 thankful もあります。 I am thankful to have met a wonderful mentor like you. といった風に、人間関係などの深く長期的な内容に関し、真摯な感情を表現したいときに使えます。
感謝の気持ちを伝えるとき、相手のおかげで何が変わったかを明確にすると、さらに効果的です。 Thanks to your tutoring, my grades improved significantly. や、 Because of you, I was able to adapt immediately to my new workplace. などと言えます。文法を少し変え Your generous donation enabled me to attend the college of my dreams. などとすることもできます。
Thank you も、文章を閉じるときにいろいろな形で使えます。おそらく了承を得られるであろう小さな依頼は、 Thank you in advance. で終えられます。相手を待たせているときは、遅れている理由や謝罪とともに Thank you for your patience. と書きます。求職の手紙は、候補者として検討してもらうことへの感謝を込めて、 Thank you for your consideration. という一文で閉じることが多いです。了承を得られるか分からない大きな依頼は、「ご検討のほど、よろしくお願い致します」に相当する、 Thank you for considering this request. で終えられます。
DCのコミュニティ・ペーパー、『さくら新聞』で書かせていただいているコラム「英語 de 敬語」。 今月はちょこっとハロウィンに絡めて、謝罪の仕方についてです。
My column this month in “Sakura Shimbun,” a Japanese community paper in DC and Houston, touches upon Halloween and what we fear most in business – and how to fight that by apologizing effectively. Once again, I’m so grateful for this opportunity!
まず、アポのタイミングが合わないなど、軽い謝罪の場合。こちらの都合がつかない時を相手が提案した場合は、 Unfortunately, I will be traveling for business that week. など、ちょっとした謝罪で済みます。
しかし、相手が特に忙しい方で、随分前に申し込んだアポが実現しそうとなると、指定された日を断わるのにも気を遣います。その場合には、「たまたま状況がよくないことが残念」という意味合いのある unfortunately よりも、個人的な悔いの気持ちを込めて regret を使うことができます。回答に謝意を表明しつつ、 I regret that I will be out of town to attend my friend’s wedding. など、動かせない日程なのを明らかにして、他の日について聞くのがよいでしょう。
他にも謝罪の気持ちを真摯に表明する言葉として、 I’m afraid that . . . を使うこともできます。 I’m afraid that I did not realize we had misspelled your name in the book. など、組織としての間違いでも責任者や担当者として個人的に謝罪することができます。相手との関係やミスの内容によってはメール以外に電話や訪問をすることが丁寧かもしれませんが、その場合には、もう少し口語的な I’m very sorry などを織り交ぜつつ、改善する決意を伝えられるでしょう。
深い謝罪が必要な場合は、 Please accept my sincere apologies that I must cancel my contract with you. などとすることができます。もう少し軽くて済む場合には sincere を抜くことができますし、ごく小さなミスについては、更に短縮して My apologies, I forgot to attach our estimate to my last email. などと書けます。
DCのコミュニティ・ペーパー、『さくら新聞』で書かせていただいているコラム「英語 de 敬語」。第二回は、再会での挨拶についてです！
今回は一つ、あとがきがあります。ここで例として挙げた “Long time no see”、4つの言葉が音節一つずつで言いやすく、なんだか可愛くて大好きでした。でも、記事を提出した後にもう少し調べたところ、中国からの移民、もしくはアメリカ先住民の英語から来たという語源が差別的なので使うべきでないとする人も、ごく少数いるようです。他方、もはや一般化されているのだから問題ないとする人もいて、賛否両論のようです。米国で移民やマイノリティが大変な思いをしている今だからこそ、そして私もマイノリティだからこそ、誰かが気分を害する可能性のある言葉は使うのをやめるべきかな、と考えさせられました。提出前に気付くべきだったと反省すると同時に、あまりによく使われているので語源を気にしない人も多いかもしれない、とも感じています。記事には入れることができなかったものの、この言い回しのこういった背景も皆様に伝えたいと思って、本投稿に書きました。
My second column in “Sakura Shimbun,” a Japanese community paper in DC and Houston, is about greetings when you see someone you’ve met before. Once again, I’m so grateful for this opportunity!
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第二回は再会に焦点を当てます。
誰かに再会したとき、最初に交わす言葉として頻出するのは、It’s good to see you とその後に続くHow have you been? です。出勤中に遭遇したり、他の人が一緒にいたりして時間がない場合は社交辞令ということもありますが、そうでなければ近況報告だけで話が膨らみます。久々に会った場合には It’s been a while、意外な場所で会った時には What a nice surprise to see you here などが使えます。目上の方には適切ではありませんが、元同僚などある程度親しい間柄なら、前者にはピジン英語（中国語なまりの英語）から来た Long time no see、後者には It’s nice to run into you などとも言えます。
以前仕事で一緒になった人とのメールでの「再会」は、近況について聞くと、本題以外にもその話題を続けるプレッシャーが生じるため、I hope you have been well や I hope this email finds you well など断定形で書いた方がお互い楽な場合もあります。その応用として季節に触れる表現も、日本語の優美な表現に比べてあっさりしており、I hope you’re having a wonderful summer so far や I hope you’re enjoying the beautiful fall weather などと書けます。前回の仕事に触れてお礼を述べるのが丁寧ですが、Thank you again for kindly speaking at our conference last month など、日本語の「先日はどうもありがとうございました」と違い、具体的に書いた方がよいでしょう。スポンサーなど、日頃からお世話になっている方には、Thank you for your ongoing support of our company など、もう少し大まかに謝意を伝えることができます。
ネットワーキングにおいては、レセプションなどで名刺を交換した後、再会をお願いすることもあるでしょう。最後に会ってから時間が空いてなければ、上記の表現の代わりに、I enjoyed hearing about your work as an attorney など前回の会話の内容に触れつつ、I would like to request an informational interview to learn more about your company や I hope to visit your office to discuss how my organization might serve you などと具体的になぜ会いたいのかを明確にします。日程については、sometime や near future だと漠然としすぎてうやむやになってしまう可能性もあるため、in the coming weeks や in the next month or so と少し幅広い日程を提示すれば、相手も回答しやすいでしょう。
