October 11, 2015　=========
☆ complex　複雑な
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Sometimes when I hear a new word in Japanese, the situation around it is so strong, that I never forget that word. For example, I still remember the first time I heard “複雑な” to describe a complex situation. I was in Bali with some of my English students, and we were listening to an author tell us her life story, including the story of her divorce to her British husband in order to marry a very young Balinese man….
One of my students exclaimed in Japanese that it was a very complex situation. Up until then we had been speaking in English, so it was strange that he suddenly used Japanese, I think maybe he didn’t want to offend the woman speaking to us. Later I asked him what the word meant, and when he told me I laughed a lot. Now, I will never forget how to say “complex” in Japanese because of this great memory I have attached to it.
Do you have any memories of the first time you heard an English word that was interesting or impressive?
Bye,
Chris