Shall we say goodbye to the United Kingdom? (Warning: This article has a lot of difficult vocabulary)

Do you know what the full name of the U.K. is?  It is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.  Great Britain is the main island of the British Isles, and contains England, Scotland and Wales.  Northern Ireland is a small country which is the northern part of the island of Ireland.  Only that northern part is a member of the U.K.  The southern part of Ireland, called the Republic of Ireland, is a separate country.  This is already complicated enough to confuse most of my Japanese students.

But it gets more complicated.  My home country, Scotland is thinking about becoming independent from the U.K.  There is a referendum in September, 2014, to decide if we will become an independent country or remain as part of the U.K.

It’s a very complicated issue and if I try to explain in detail then this will become a very long article, but let me explain three of the main reasons why some people want Scotland to be independent.

First of all, Scotland had a long history as an independent country.  The first king of Scotland ruled from some time in the 9^th century and Scotland was independent until 1707, nearly 900 years later.  Even after the United Kingdom was formed in 1707, many laws and customs remained different in Scotland.

Secondly, the economic situations and political beliefs common in Scotland and England tend to be different.  Scotland became more dependent on heavy industry than England and after the Second World War, when heavy industry declined, Scotland had more problems with unemployment, poverty and poor health than most of England.  The years when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of the U.K. were particularly difficult times for Scotland when many industries collapsed.  Margaret Thatcher’s party, the Conservative Party, are not very popular in Scotland.  The Labour Party and the Scottish National Party get many more votes in Scotland.  The Conservative Party remains the most popular party in England and they are the largest party in the U.K. parliament at the moment.

Thirdly, there is a lot of oil and gas in the sea around Scotland.  If Scotland becomes independent, the country will be able to make money from this oil and gas.

If Scotland votes ‘Yes’ in the referendum, many things will change.  And Scotland will say goodbye to the rest of the U.K.  We will have to wait until September to find out what will happen.
 

Vocabulary:

To be separate – to be different, not connected.

Independent – If a country is independent, then it is not a part of another country and is not controlled by another country.  For example, Japan is an independent country but Tibet and the state of California are not.

A referendum – A referendum is a vote which takes place across a whole country.  The government asks the voters of a country to decide on an issue.

To be dependent – If you are dependent on something then you rely on it; you cannot survive without it.

Unemployment – Not having a job.

Poverty – This is the noun form of the word ‘poor’.  Not having much money.

To collapse – If something collapses, then it suddenly falls down.  If an industry collapses, then it may suddenly become bankrupt or disappear.

Can you study hard enough to live here?

Why do you have to study if you want to live in the U.K.? 

The answer is that for around ten years or so, the British government has required immigrants who want to live permanently in the U.K. to pass a test.  This is similar to the citizenship tests given in many countries like Canada and Australia.  There are 24 questions about British culture, history, employment and the health system.  The purpose of the test is to show that the candidate has enough English ability to live in the U.K. and enough knowledge about Britain to live without difficulty.  You need to get 18 of the 24 questions correct, or 75% to pass. 

Of course there are some problems with this.  After testing around 11,000 people already living in Britain, it was found that only 14% of people passed it.  If it is so difficult for people already living here then why should immigrants be forced to study for it? 

Here is a very small sample of questions.  Could you get four out of these six questions right?  If not, then the government doesn’t want you!

 

1.The monarch is the head of the Church of England
 True or false?

2.How often are elections held in Britain?
 Every 3 years
 Every 4 years
 At least every 5 years
 Every 7 years

3.A lot of People carve lanterns out of ______ and put a candle inside of them during Halloween    
 Melons
 Pineapples
 Coconuts
 Pumpkins

4.'The Enlightenment' is known as New ideas about politics, philosophy and science that were developed in the 18th century
 The abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire in the 19th century
 New laws introduced in the 18th century to protect workers
 The Industrial Revolution in the 18th century

5.When were women allowed to vote?
 1882
 1948
 1928
 1918

6.What is the Grand National?
 A tennis championship
 A football cup competition
 A horse race
 A motor race

 

Answers: 1: true; 2: at least every five years 3: pumpkins; 4: new ideas about politics, philosophy and science which were developed in the eighteenth century; 5: 1918; 6: a horse race

 

How did you do?  Actually, I left out some harder questions because I don’t want to bore you. 

Recently, I received a permanent resident visa for Japan.  Fortunately, they didn’t have a test like this.  But if they did, what questions should they include?  And could you pass it?

 

Vocabulary:

To require someone to do something – To say that someone has to do something.  For example, the postman often requires you to sign a piece of paper before getting a parcel.

Immigrants – People who move from one country to live in another

Permanent – Without limit of time; forever.

Candidate – Someone who applies for something is a candidate.  Someone who takes an exam or test is often called a candidate.

Monarch – The king or Queen.

 

When I called you last night from Glasgow... －昨夜、グラスゴーからあなたに電話した時－

Has your home town ever been mentioned in a famous song?  If you are from a big city like London or New York or Tokyo, of course, your city will have been mentioned in many different songs.  Songwriters will mention it to look cool.

As one small example, a band from my home town of Glasgow have a song called “I’m a cuckoo.”  They sing, “I’d rather be in Tokyo./ I’d rather listen to Thin Lizzie-o/ And watch the Sunday gang in Harajuku.  There’s something wrong with me./  I’m a cuckoo.”  Pretty cool, huh?

But if you’re from a smaller town or an industrial area then it might be harder work trying to find a mention of where you were born.  There might be some songs about your town, but not many which are famous outside of it.

There is one very famous song which mentions Glasgow.  I’ll bet even if you don’t listen to much music that you have heard of Abba?

Unfortunately, it doesn’t make Glasgow sound so cool.  The song is about a successful singer who is tired of travelling around the world performing.  She calls her lover from Glasgow because she is so tired and wants to come home.  It sounds like Glasgow is making her depressed, like she is stuck at the end of the world.  She could be singing, “I was feeling tired and all alone/ When I called you last night from Timbuktu.”

Are Abba insulting my home town?  Have a listen and decide for yourself.  I’ll include the lyrics below and a cover version of the song by the Glasgow band Camera Obscura.  They play the song quite slowly and it’s easy to catch the lyrics. 

 

I was sick and tired of everything
When I called you last night from Glasgow
All I do is eat and sleep and sing
Wishing every show was the last show

I was glad to hear you're coming
Suddenly I feel all right
And I know I'll feel so different
When we're on the stage tonight

Super Trouper lights are gonna blind me
Shining like the sun
Smiling, having fun
Feeling like a number one

Facing twenty thousand of my friends
How can anyone feel so lonely
Part of a success that never ends
Still I'm thinking about you only
There are times when I think I'm going crazy
But I'm gonna be all right
And I know I'll feel so different
When we're on the stage tonight

Super Trouper lights are gonna find me
Shining like the sun
Smiling, having fun
Feeling like a number one
Super Trouper beams are gonna blind me
But I won't feel blue
Like I always do
'Cause somewhere in the crowd there's you
 

So I'll be there when you arrive
The sight of you will prove to me I'm still alive
And when you take me in your arms
And hold me tight
I know I'm gonna feel so good tonight

(chorus)
 

Vocabulary:

A cuckoo – A kind of bird.  It is famous for stealing other birds’ nests.

Thin Lizzie – The name of a rock band from the 1970s.

Timbuktu – The name of a town in Mali in Africa.  English speakers often use it as an example of somewhere very far away.

Super Trooper – I’m not sure that this has any meaning.  A trooper is a kind of soldier.  Maybe the singer feels she is working hard like a soldier.

 

 

Do you belong to the satori generation? (warning: the language in this is a little bit difficult)

This article is based upon an article printed in the Japan Times with a similar theme.  My wife emailed it to me recently and I thought it would be an interesting topic for my students. 

Satori is a Japanese word which has now entered the English language, although most English speakers probably don’t know it.  It means “enlightenment.”  Buddhists believe that the goal of life is to reach Enlightenment.  To be enlightened, you should have no desires on Earth: you shouldn’t desire to eat delicious food, or to get a good job etc. 

So what is the “satori generation”?  Well, some people have noticed that many Japanese youngsters, university graduates and recent graduates, are not as active as their parents were when they were younger.  Many say that they are content to live without a girlfriend or boyfriend, and to find a job which pays their bills.  They have less ambition to be rich, to go abroad or to start a family than their parents did.  So you could say that, like Buddhists, they have few desires.  They are the satori generation. 

I wonder if this is also true in my students’ experience.  Do you, or your children, have as many desires as the last generation?  Do people simply have different desires nowadays, which their parents can’t easily understand? 

And if there really is a satori generation, what has caused it?  Is it related to the long decline of the Japanese economy?  Do young people have few expectations that they can get a job as good as their parents got, and so give up trying?  Are there so many kinds of entertainment available at home that young people do not seem active outside their home? 

I am going to stop this article now.  I have lost the desire to continue writing.  I think I can feel the satori flowing through me.

 

Vocabulary:

A Buddhist – A Buddhist is someone who believes in Buddhism.  Buddhism is a religion followed in countries like Thailand and Japan.  Kiyomizu Temple is a Buddhist temple.

A desire – A desire is a feeling that you want something.  John Lennon had a desire for world peace.

To be content – To be satisfied.

A bill – A bill is something that you have to pay.  For example, I have to pay the gas bill and the electricity bill.

An ambition – An ambition is something that you want to achieve, a goal.

A decline – a continuous loss of strength.

 

 

In defence of British food

What do you think of British food?  Have you ever been to Britain and tried it?  Have you heard something about it? 

Judging from my experience of talking to Japanese students, there is a strong chance that you are thinking, “British food is not so good.”  Japanese students often say that to me when I say that I come from the U.K.  You might have heard of fish and chips and think that that is the only famous food to come from Britain. 

I sometimes imagine a special class in Japanese schools, where the teacher talks about countries of the world and explains some points that the students should know. 

Teacher: “Iceland.  Population about 300,000.  Famous for whaling.  Next, the U.K.  The population is about 65,000,000.  It’s famous for the Queen and its food is not very good.  Next, Ireland...” 

So why do people believe that the food in Britain is not good?  Is there any justification?  Perhaps.  There are many recipes and traditional local dishes from the U.K.  But people are forgetting about them.  That is partly because Britain is very open to immigration and new forms of cooking from other countries.  You will find many nice Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurants in Britain.  It is partly because both men and women are expected to work and household tasks like cooking are not given as important a role in the U.K. as in countries like Japan: so knowledge of how to cook traditional dishes is not necessarily passed on from one generation to the next. 

But I always feel a little sorry for any of my students who say that they went to Britain and only tried fish and chips and didn’t like it so much.  Then you are not looking hard enough! 

Britain is an island and you can find delicious seafood restaurants.  You can find oysters which are much bigger and better value than those you can buy in Tokyo.  Mussels and other kinds of shellfish are widely available and delicious.  Pies and pastries are popular and very nice.  Try a steak and kidney pie, a pork pie or a Cornish pasty. 

Each local area has its own specialities.  My home country, Scotland, has delicious soups like Scotch broth, a kind of thick soup with meat, vegetables and oatmeal inside.  We have very clean rivers and quiet countryside spots and you can find very nice salmon, lamb, and haggis (a kind of black sausage). 

If you have a sweet tooth, Britain is a kind of Paradise.  We love desserts and have a great variety.  My favourite is rhubarb and custard. 

My mouth is watering just thinking about all the kinds of food from Britain that I am missing or cannot get in Japan.  The next time I go back, I will have proper bacon (they don’t make it the same in Japan).  I will have haggis, ‘neeps and ‘tatties (that’s a Scottish speciality of black sausage, mashed potato with butter and yellow turnips).  I will have some Scotch whisky with applewood smoked cheddar cheese.  And then maybe another Scotch whisky... 

It’s not that British food is no good.  It’s just that you have to look a little harder to find it.  And the challenge and adventure make the holiday more fun.  If you eat fish and chips every day and don’t like it so much then don’t complain to me about it!

 

Vocabulary:

Justification – A reason to believe that something is true./ An explanation.

To be passed on – To be given from one person to another.

To have a sweet tooth – Someone who has a sweet tooth likes desserts or other sweet food.

My mouth is watering – I can’t wait to eat.

 

 

What connection does Margaret Thatcher have to a sticky, brown substance? －茶色くて、ねばねばした物質とマーガレット・サッチャーは、どんな繋がりがある？－

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of Britain from 1979 to 1990.  She changed many aspects of British life during her long spell as Prime Minister.  She became known for her uncompromising style and was nicknamed “the Iron Lady.” 

Marmite is the name of a snack made in Britain.  It is made from yeast extract.  That is a by-product from the brewing of beer.  It was invented in 1902 and became popular during the First World War, when it was given to British soldiers.  It is brown, sticky and has a very strong, salty taste.  People often spread a small amount onto bread or toast.  It has a very distinctive taste. 

So what does Margaret Thatcher have to do with Marmite?  Can you guess? 

For both Margaret Thatcher and Marmite, you either love them or you hate them.  People tend to have a strong reaction to them and opinions about them are polarised. 

When Margaret Thatcher died last year, she was given a state funeral.  That means that officially the U.K. honoured her at her funeral.  The queen and current Prime Minister attended, as did many foreign politicians and world leaders. 

And yet on the day of her funeral, many street parties were held in cities and towns across Britain to celebrate her death.  Many people blamed her for the decline of traditional industries, especially coal mining.  Many people thought she was responsible for sinking the Argentine warship the Belgrano, killing many people who were not a threat to the British navy, at the start of the Falklands War in 1982 with Argentina.  When she died, some people still hated her so much that they wanted to have a party. 

And for Marmite: the strong taste is either something that you love or hate.  The company even used this in their advertising campaigns.  They ran an advertising campaign which said “Love it or hate it?”  This reaction to Marmite has become famous in Britain.  If there is a person or thing which makes people have a strongly polarised reaction then they are said to cause a “Marmite reaction” or to have a “Marmite effect.” 

I wonder if there is any food in Japan which causes a similar reaction.  Is there a natto effect?  An umeboshi reaction?  Please let me know.

Vocabulary:

By-product – Something produced accidentally during the production of something else

Sticky – If something is sticky, it attaches itself easily to anything else it touches.  For example, glue is very sticky and natto is a sticky food.

Distinctive – Unusual, it can be recognised easily.

To polarise opinion – To split opinions to one extreme or the other.

A personal matter by Kenzaburo Oe －個人的な体験 大江健三郎著

I just finished reading this book recently.  It was recommended to me by my wife, who knows that I like Haruki Murakami and thought that this book or writer was a big influence on him. 

I wasn’t sure about the book in the first few chapters.  It seemed that every character behaved in a way that was very strange or creepy.  There was the doctor who laughed inappropriately when discussing the main character’s new-born disabled baby.  There were other doctors who light-heartedly asked for permission to examine the baby’s dead body before it had died.  There was the abortionist with “an egg-shaped head.” 

One or two interesting or creepy characters make a very interesting book.  If every character is creepy then I start to wonder if this is meant to be set in the real world.  It seems to be 1960s Japan, but a dark version of 1960s Japan, seen through a dark window. 

In any case, by the end of the book I accepted the strange world and was hooked.  It is the story of a father whose wife gives birth to a seriously disabled baby.  He is not sure whether he wants the baby to live or die and he wrestles with his conscience and tries to escape the dilemma. 

I can see why this writer won a Nobel Prize.  The creepy world Oe has built is heading towards the magical realism of Garcia Marquez or the later Murakami.  It is certainly not afraid to ask difficult questions.  And it is not afraid to lead the main character, Bird, down some pretty dark paths. 

If, like me, you are a keen follower of Haruki Murakami’s work then this is an interesting insight into where his dark, creepy world came from. 
 

Important or difficult vocabulary:

To be creepy – To be frightening or disgusting.  For example, “Last night I saw a creepy guy standing outside my window.”

To be disabled – To have a medical problem which means that you cannot do something that most people can do.  For example, if you cannot walk or if you are blind then you are disabled.

An abortionist – A kind of doctor who helps women to end their pregnancies before the baby can be born

To be hooked – To be addicted.  When reading a book, if you are hooked then you cannot stop reading.

To wrestle with your conscience – To struggle to make a good or moral decision.