Situation
Tanaka and Yamada are attending a farewell ceremony for their General Manager (้จ้ท - buchou). After Yamada delivers a heartfelt farewell address, Tanaka approaches him to offer his compliments. Their exchange quickly evolves into a discussion about the subtleties and difficulties of giving formal speeches in a Japanese business setting.
Dialogue
็ฐไธญ: ๅฑฑ็ฐใใใๅ ใปใฉใฎ้จ้ทใธใฎ้ๅฅใฎ่พใๅคงๅคใ่ฆไบใงใใใใ
Tanaka: Yamada-san, sakihodo no buchou e no soubetsu no ji, taihen omigoto desu yo.
Tanaka: Yamada-san, your farewell address to the General Manager earlier was truly splendid.
ๅฑฑ็ฐ: ๆป ็ธใใใใใพใใใ็ฐไธญใใใๆ็ธฎใงใใ
Yamada: Messou mo gozaimasen, Tanaka-san. Kyoushuku desu.
Yamada: Not at all, Tanaka-san. I'm much obliged.
็ฐไธญ: ใใใใใ้จ้ทใจใฎๆฐๅคใฎๆใๅบใ็นใไบคใใคใคใๅฟใฎใใใฃใๆธฉใใในใใผใใงใใใ็ใใใๆๅใใฆใใพใใใใ
Tanaka: Iya iya, buchou to no amata no omoide wo orimazetsutsu, kokoro no komotta atatakai speech deshita. Mina-san mo kandou shiteimashita yo.
Tanaka: No, no, it was a warm speech, full of heart, interweaving countless memories with the General Manager. Everyone was deeply moved.
ๅฑฑ็ฐ: ใใ่จใฃใฆใใใ ใใใจๆ็ธฎใงใใๆฎๆฎตใไธ่ฉฑใซใชใฃใฆใใๆนใงใใใใๆใใชใใใ็ฒพไธๆฏใฎๆ่ฌใไผใใใใฆใ
Yamada: Sou itte itadakeru to kyoushuku desu. Fudan osewa ni natteiru kata desu kara, tsutanai nagara mo seiippai no kansha wo tsutaetakute.
Yamada: I'm honored that you say so. Since he's someone who has always taken care of me, I wanted to convey my utmost gratitude, however clumsy my words may have been.
็ฐไธญ: ้จ้ทใใใฃใจใๅใณใซใชใฃใใใจใงใใใใญใ็งใไปฅๅใๅๆงใฎๆฉไผใใใฃใใฎใงใใใ็ทๅผตใฎใใพใ่จ่ใซ่ฉฐใพใฃใฆใใพใฃใฆใ
Tanaka: Buchou mo kitto oyorokobi ni natta koto deshou ne. Watashi mo izen, douyou no kikai ga atta no desu ga, kinchou no amari kotoba ni tsumatte shimatte.
Tanaka: The General Manager must have been very pleased. I also had a similar opportunity once, but I was so nervous that I got tongue-tied.
ๅฑฑ็ฐ: ใใใไบบๅใงใฎในใใผใใฏๆ ฃใใชใใจๆฌๅฝใซ่ใ็ใใชใใพใใใญใ็งใไบๅใซไฝๅบฆใๅ็จฟใ่ฆ็ดใใๅฃฐใๅบใใฆ็ทด็ฟใใพใใใ
Yamada: Ee, hitomae de no speech wa narenai to hontou ni i ga itaku narimasu yo ne. Watashi mo jizen ni nando mo genkou wo minaoshi, koe wo dashite renshuu shimashita.
Yamada: Yes, public speaking really gives you a stomach ache if you're not used to it, doesn't it? I also reviewed my draft countless times beforehand and practiced speaking aloud.
็ฐไธญ: ใใฎใๅชๅใๅฎใ็ตใใ ใฎใงใใญใ็นใซๅผๅ ธใงใฎในใใผใใจใชใใจใ่จ่้ฃใใๆฎๆฎตไปฅไธใซๆฐใ้ฃใใพใใใ
Tanaka: Sono go-doryoku ga mi wo musunda no desu ne. Toku ni shikiten de no speech to naru to, kotobazukai mo fudan ijou ni ki wo tsukaimasu shi.
Tanaka: Your efforts certainly bore fruit, didn't they? Especially for a speech at a ceremony, one has to be even more careful with their language than usual.
ๅฑฑ็ฐ: ใพใฃใใใงใใไธๅฏง่ชใฏใใกใใใงใใใ็ธๆใซๅฏพใใๆฌๆใๆใชใใชใใใใ่ฌ่ญฒ่ชใๅฐๆฌ่ชใฎ้ฉๅใชไฝฟใๅใใ่่ฆใงใใใญใ็งใฏๅฐใๅคง่ข่ฃใใชใจๆใใใใใใใไธๅบฆใใใจๅฟๆใใฆใใพใใ
Yamada: Mattaku desu. Teineigo wa mochiron desu shi, aite ni taisuru keii wo sokonawanai you, kenjougo ya sonkeigo no tekisetsu na tsukaiwake mo kanyou desu yo ne. Watashi wa sukoshi oogesaka na to omowareru kurai ga choudo ii to kokorogaketeimasu.
Yamada: Exactly. Not only polite language, but also the proper use of humble and honorific language is crucial so as not to offend the respect one has for the other person. I try to keep in mind that being a little overly formal is just right.
็ฐไธญ: ๅๆใงใใ็ธๆใธใฎ้ ๆ ฎใๆปฒใฟๅบใฆใใพใใใ็งใๆฌกใฎๆฉไผใใใใฐใๅฑฑ็ฐใใใฎใใใซ็ฒพ้ฒใใใใใฎใงใใ
Tanaka: Doukan desu. Aite e no hairyo ga nijimidete imashita. Watashi mo tsugi no kikai ga areba, Yamada-san no you ni shoujin shitai mono desu.
Tanaka: I agree. Your consideration for others really shone through. If I have another opportunity, I'd like to strive to be like you, Yamada-san.
ๅฑฑ็ฐ: ๆใๅ ฅใใพใใ็ฐไธญใใใใใฃใจใใใฎๆใซใฏ่ฆไบใชในใใผใใใใใใใจใจๅญใใพใใใ
Yamada: Osoreirimasu. Tanaka-san mo kitto, sono toki ni wa migoto na speech wo sareru koto to zonjimasu yo.
Yamada: You're too kind. I'm sure Tanaka-san will also deliver a splendid speech when the time comes.
็ฐไธญ: ใใใใใ็งใฏ่ทใ้ใใงใใใไปๆฅใฏๅคงๅคใใใๆๆฌใ่ฆใใฆใใใ ใใพใใใใใใใจใใใใใพใใใ
Tanaka: Iya iya, watashi wa ni ga omoi desu ga, kyou wa taihen yoi otehon wo misete itadakimashita. Arigatou gozaimashita.
Tanaka: No, no, that's too much for me to handle, but today you showed me a very good example. Thank you very much.
ๅฑฑ็ฐ: ใจใใงใใใใใพใใใใใกใใใๅ ๆ ใงใใ
Yamada: Tondemo gozaimasen. Kochira koso kouei desu.
Yamada: Don't mention it. The pleasure is all mine.
Key Vocabulary
้ๅฅใฎ่พ
soubetsu no ji
โ farewell address
่ฆไบ
migoto
โ splendid, brilliant, superb
ๆป ็ธใใใใใพใใ
messou mo gozaimasen
โ Not at all! / By no means! (humble refusal of compliment)
ๆ็ธฎใงใ
kyoushuku desu
โ I'm much obliged / I'm sorry to trouble you / I'm overwhelmed
ๆฐๅค
amata
โ many, numerous
็นใไบคใใ
orimazeru
โ to interweave, to mix in
ๆใ
tsutanai
โ clumsy, poor, unskillful (often used humbly to refer to one's own abilities)
็ฒพไธๆฏ
seiippai
โ with all one's might, to the best of one's ability
่ใ็ใใชใ
i ga itaku naru
โ to get a stomach ache (from worry/stress)
ๅ็จฟ
genkou
โ manuscript, draft
ๅผๅ ธ
shikiten
โ ceremony
่จ่้ฃใ
kotobazukai
โ choice of words, language, diction
่ฌ่ญฒ่ช
kenjougo
โ humble language
ๅฐๆฌ่ช
sonkeigo
โ honorific language
่่ฆ
kanyou
โ essential, crucial, vital
ๅฟๆใใ
kokorogakeru
โ to bear in mind, to keep in mind, to aim to do
้ ๆ ฎ
hairyo
โ consideration, thoughtfulness
ๆปฒใฟๅบใ
nijimideru
โ to seep out, to show through, to emanate
็ฒพ้ฒใใ
shoujin suru
โ to strive, to devote oneself, to make earnest efforts
่ทใ้ใ
ni ga omoi
โ too much for one to handle, a heavy burden
Grammar Notes
- ใใฎใใพใ (no amari): This pattern expresses that something happened as a result of an excessive amount of a certain state or emotion. It often implies a negative or unintended outcome.
Example: ็ทๅผตใฎใใพใ่จ่ใซ่ฉฐใพใฃใฆใใพใฃใใ(I got tongue-tied due to too much nervousness.)
- ใใคใค (tsutsu): A formal or literary way to say "while" or "at the same time as." It indicates two actions or states occurring concurrently.
Example: ๆฐๅคใฎๆใๅบใ็นใไบคใใคใคใๅฟใฎใใใฃใในใใผใใงใใใ(It was a heartfelt speech while interweaving countless memories.)
- ใใชใใใ (nagara mo): Means "although," "despite," or "while" (similar to ใใฉ/ใใใฉใ). It highlights a contrasting or unexpected element.
Example: ๆใใชใใใ็ฒพไธๆฏใฎๆ่ฌใไผใใใใฆใ(Although my words were clumsy, I wanted to convey my utmost gratitude.)
- ใใใจใจๅญใใพใ (koto to zonjimasu): A highly formal and humble way to say "I believe that..." or "I think that..." It's the humble equivalent of ใใจๆใใพใ/ใใงใใใ.
Example: ใใฃใจใใใฎๆใซใฏ่ฆไบใชในใใผใใใใใใใจใจๅญใใพใใใ(I believe you will surely deliver a splendid speech at that time.)
- ใใใใใใฎใงใ (shitai mono desu): Expresses a strong desire or hope, often with a nuance of wishing for something to happen or wishing one could do something.
Example: ๅฑฑ็ฐใใใฎใใใซ็ฒพ้ฒใใใใใฎใงใใ(I wish I could strive to be like Yamada-san.)
- ใใๅฟๆใใ (wo kokorogakeru): Means "to keep ~ in mind," "to bear ~ in mind," or "to make an effort to do ~." It implies a conscious intention or practice.
Example: ๅคง่ข่ฃใใชใจๆใใใใใใใไธๅบฆใใใจๅฟๆใใฆใใพใใ(I try to keep in mind that being a little overly formal is just right.)
Cultural Notes
In Japan, formal speeches in corporate or public settingsโsuch as farewell ceremonies (้ๅฅไผ - soubetsukai) or welcoming parties (ๆญ่ฟไผ - kangeikai)โare intricately tied to cultural norms of politeness and respect. The appropriate use of ๆฌ่ช (keigo - honorific language) is essential. This includes ๅฐๆฌ่ช (sonkeigo), used for the person being spoken about or to, and ่ฌ่ญฒ่ช (kenjougo), used humbly for oneself or one's in-group. Even when conveying a personal message, the tone must always remain formal and respectful of both the occasion and the audience.
A key aspect of Japanese etiquette is humility. Speakers commonly downplay their own abilities or the quality of their speech, using phrases like ๆใใชใใใ ("although clumsy"). They also humbly refuse compliments with expressions such as ๆป ็ธใใใใใพใใ or ๆ็ธฎใงใ. Moreover, an effective speech often balances formality with personal anecdotes, showcasing both respect and a genuine connection with the honored individual. Thorough preparationโincluding drafting and practicing the speech aloudโis highly regarded as a demonstration of dedication and respect for the audience and the recipient.
Practice
Here are some suggestions to practice this conversation:
Role-play: Find a partner and take turns being Tanaka and Yamada. Pay close attention to the politeness levels and emotions conveyed by each character. Try to mimic the intonation and pauses.
Substitution Drills:
Replace the departing "้จ้ท" with other titles such as ็คพ้ท (shachou - company president), ๅ ็ (sensei - teacher/doctor), or ๅ ่ผฉ (senpai - senior colleague). Observe how the nuances might shift.
Substitute "้ๅฅใฎ่พ" with different types of formal addresses, like ๆญ่ฟใฎๆจๆถ (kangei no aisatsu - welcoming speech), ้ไผใฎ่พ (kaikai no ji - opening address), or ่ฌ่พ (shaji - words of thanks).
Change the emotional impact word "ๆๅ" (kandou - deeply moved) to ๅ ฑๆ (kyoukan - sympathy/empathy), ๆ้ (kanmei - deep impression), or ่ณๅ (sandou - agreement/approval).
Variation Scenario: Imagine this conversation takes place after a wedding reception where one of the speakers was Yamada. How would the content of the dialogue change? What different words or phrases might they use to describe a wedding speech, focusing on congratulations and well wishes instead of farewells?