＃２相槌は共感だ！Japanese Aizuchi: Weaving Empathy into Every Conversation
⬆️⬆️This is at normal speed. First, try listening and see if you can understand.
Source: Beginners Japan日本のあいづち
Your 5-Minute Weekly Real Chat Lesson 2: Mastering Casual Aizuchi（相槌）のプロになろう！
“Aizuchi" (相槌) refers to the practice of giving verbal or non-verbal cues, such as nodding or making brief verbal responses, during a conversation to indicate active listening, understanding, and engagement.
It is an important part of Japanese communication and shows respect and empathy for the speaker.
Effective communication relies heavily on the skill of giving appropriate responses during a conversation.
Source: 日本の相槌（あいづち） | 中国人奥さんとの生活漫画 (ameblo.jp)
In my experience living in the United States, it seems that using frequent affirmations like nodding or saying "uh-huh" isn't as crucial. In fact, if you nod and agree too often, it might come across as insincere or unusual.
In American-style communication, active listening is emphasized. You listen carefully to what the other person is saying, summarize their points, give compliments when necessary, and then share your own thoughts.
However, in Japanese conversations, empathy and active acknowledgment play a significant role. We, as a culture, value sympathy and harmony, so responding with nods and verbal cues is highly important.
After someone makes a statement in a conversation, we make sure to show understanding and engage with affirmations.
Now, let's delve into today's conversation.
To make it more engaging, we've structured the conversation with two speakers: a female speaker (Nami) and a male speaker (Sanji).
By the way, don't make fun of me using the name from One Piece! I told you guys I am どはまり中！笑 lol
Nami: 昨日さ、ジェニーと飲みいったんだけど
Kinou sa, Jenii to nomi ittanda kedo.
“Yesterday, Jenny and I went out for drinks, you know?”
Sanji: へージェニーと？元気そう？
Hee, Jenii to? Genki sou?
“Huh, with Jenny? She doing well?”
Nami: それがさー、バイト、首になっちゃったらしくてさー。
Sore ga saa, baito, kubi ni nacchatta rashikute saa.
“Well, actually, she got fired from her part-time job.”
"首になる" is expressed in English as "to be fired" or "to get fired." This phrase refers to the termination of an employment relationship. For example, "I was fired from my job last week" (先週、私は仕事を首になりました) can be used. This expression is typically used when the employment contract is terminated by an employer or supervisor.
Sanji: えーーー首！！？なんで？
Eee kubi!? Nande?
“What?! Fired? Why?”
Nami: あそこの店長、厳しいんだよね。
Asoko no tenchou, kibishii nda yo ne.
“It seems the manager at that place is really strict.”
Sanji: 厳しいの？
Kibishii no?
“Strict, huh?”
Nami: うん、遅刻とか。
Un, chikoku toka.
“Yeah, like being late and stuff.”
Sanji: あー遅刻かー。アイツ、真面目だし、いいやつなのになー。
Aa, chikoku ka. Aitsu, majime da shi, ii yatsu nanoni naa.
“Ah, being late… I see… She's a hardworking and nice person, though.”
Nami: でしょー。まあ時間にルーズ***っちゃールーズだけど。
Deshou. Maa jikan ni ruuzu cacaruuzu dakedo.
“Exactly. She is kind of lacking the sense of time though.”
***"ルーズ" (pronounced as "ruuzu") is borrowed from the English word "loose" and is often used in Japanese to describe something that is not tight, relaxed, or not strict. It can refer to various situations or attributes, such as loose clothing, a relaxed attitude, or a lack of discipline. The exact meaning of "ルーズ" can depend on the context in which it is used.
"ルーズ" (ruuzu) can be used in different contexts:
Loose Clothing: If someone is wearing loose-fitting clothes, you can say, "彼女の服はいつもルーズです" (Kanojo no fuku wa itsumo ruuzu desu), which means "Her clothes are always loose."
Relaxed Attitude: Suppose someone is not taking a situation seriously. You can say, "彼はルーズすぎる" (Kare wa ruuzu sugiru), which means "He is too relaxed" or "He is not taking it seriously enough."
Lack of Discipline: In a workplace context, you might say, "この会社はルーズな雰囲気がある" (Kono kaisha wa ruuzu na fun'iki ga aru), which means "This company has a relaxed atmosphere" or "This company lacks discipline."
Loose Schedule: If someone has a flexible or non-strict schedule, you could say, "彼のスケジュールはいつもルーズだ" (Kare no sukejuuru wa itsumo ruuzu da), which means "His schedule is always loose" or "His schedule is not very strict."
Sanji: ルーズ。確かに。よく遅刻するよな。
Ruuzu. Tashika ni. Yoku chikoku suru yo na.
“Lacking the sense of time, indeed. She tends to be late quite often.”
Nami: 遅刻するするー。
Chikoku suru suru.
“Yep, always running late.”
Sanji: まーじゃー俺がいっちょ***、いい仕事紹介してやるか！
Maaji, jaa ore ga iccho ii shigoto shoukai shite yaru ka!
“Well, maybe I can help her find a good job!”
***"いっちょ" (itchou) is a colloquial expression in Japanese that can have a few different meanings depending on the context. Here are a couple of possible interpretations:
Casual Agreement or Confirmation: In informal conversation, "いっちょ" can be used to express casual agreement or confirmation. It's similar to saying "Sure," "Okay," or "Let's do it" in English. For example, if someone suggests going to a cafe, you might respond with "いっちょいこうか" (itchou ikouka), which roughly means "Sure, let's go."
Trying Something Out: "いっちょ" can also be used when someone wants to try something out or take a shot at doing something. For example, if someone is unsure about attempting a task but decides to give it a try, they might say, "いっちょやってみよう" (itchou yatte miyou), which means "Let's give it a shot" or "Let's try it."
Nami: さすが！頼もしい事いうじゃん！なんかあて***あんの？
Sasuga! Tanomoshii koto iu jan! Nanka atean no?
“You're the man! So do you have a plan?”
***"あて" (ate) typically refers to a person's intention or plan regarding the topic. So in this conversation, Nami wants to confirm that Sanji has a specific plan for introducing the job opportunity for Jenny.
Sanji: あては、無い。
Ate wa, nai.
“Plan… not really.”
Nami: ちょっとーーー。
Chotto.
“Hey, come on!”
Have you noticed that in the conversation, we repeat the same expressions? For instance, when responding to "being late" or something similar, we use the word "late" repeatedly. While I may have exaggerated a bit in this conversation, repeating words is a technique we frequently use to keep our conversations flowing smoothly, so it's something worth remembering!
Quiz time!
Question: What is Jenny's personality like?
Answer 1: Jenny is hardworking and always punctual.
Answer 2: Jenny is fun, but she lacks a sense of time.
Answer 3: Jenny is nice but lacks a sense of time.
Ok how was it!!?
Today, we encountered some challenging expressions like 'ルーズ' and 'あて,' which can have different meanings depending on the context, making understanding them a bit difficult. If you ever feel unsure, please feel free to leave a comment and ask!
Your feedback and requests, such as wanting to learn specific phrases or suggestions on how to improve this newsletter, are greatly appreciated as always!! Hope you guys have a fantastic weekend!! またらいしゅう！