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留学先で、または日本にいる外国人と話していて、日本の文化について尋ねられることはよくある。そんなとき、日本語でしっかり頭に入れることはもちろん、英語できちんと説明できるようにしよう。
（出典：英文日本絵とき事典 JTBパブリッシング発行）
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 日本の文字のなりたち |
[THE ORIGIN
OF JAPANESE CHARACTERS] |
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Kanji (Chinese Characters) were developed
in China in the 14th century B.C. These characters spread to the
neighboring Korean Peninsula (modern-day Korea). Around the beginning
of the 3rd century a man named Wani came to Japan from the ancient
nation of Kudara, which was located across the Japan Sea on the
eastern part of the Korean Peninsula. With him Wani brought volumes
of The Analects of Confucius and Senjimon, a Chinese textbook for
studying kanji. This was the first time that kanji were introduced
to Japan. However it was not until the 4th and 5th centuries, when
there was a great exchange of trade and voyagers between Japan
and the Korean Peninsula, that kanji were really introduced to
Japan.
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The Japanese language originally developed without
a form of written expression. All communication took place orally.
When people wanted to tell others of an important event they
hired a professional narrator known as a kataribe. Kataribe
traveled around and conveyed messages and important announcements
to others. |
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The descendants of those who
immigrated to Japan worked as official recorders. They transcribed
the ancient Japanese language, Yamatokotoba, into kanji. This
provided the Japanese with their first form of written expression
and allowed them to record important events and knowledge. |
The use of kanji became more widespread as Chinese culture and
literature spread to neighboring countries. The Korean Peninsula
borders on China and many kanji and Chinese words became part of
the indigenous language. In the 15th century the Korean people
devised a system of characters with which to write their language.
These are called Hangul letters. Today in The Republic of Korea
(South Korea), Hangul characters are used in conjunction with kanji.
However, kanji are not used in the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (North Korea).
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ボキャブラリー
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| origin |
起源、由来、発端 |
| Korean Peninsula |
朝鮮半島 |
| Analects of Confucius |
論語 【関連】Confucius：孔子 |
| orally |
口頭で、口から |
| convey |
伝える、〜ということを知らせる、運搬する |
| descendant |
子孫、末裔 |
| indigenous |
固有の、現地の |
| in conjunction with |
〜と併せて、〜と同時に |
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『欧文日本絵とき事典』（JTBパブリッシング発行 定価968〜1,050円）
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日本の文化について英語で話したい人に最適の英文イラストブック。ポケットサイズなので、持ち運びも便利！ |
| 1：文化・風俗編 |
10：自然・社会編 |
| 2：生活編 |
11：自然・社会編 |
| 3：飲食編 |
12：仏文 生活編 |
| 4：日本のまつり |
13：仏文 文化・風俗編 |
| 5：京都編 |
14：日本の旅館 |
| 6：日光編 |
15：日本語会話編 |
| 7：東京編 |
16：日本の武道 |
| 8：サラリーマン編 |
17：日本の家族 |
| 9：人物日本史 |
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→購入はこちら |
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『絵ときシリーズ 見てわかる日本』（JTBパブリッシング発行 定価1,050円）
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日本の伝統、文化や、年中行事、生活の基本を日本語併記でイラストとともに紹介。留学や日本で外国人を案内する際に役立つ一冊。 |
| 1：伝統・文化編［英語版］ |
| 2：生活・社会編［英語版］ |
| ※それぞれ、中国語版、韓国語版もあり |
| →購入はこちら |
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