Japanese Lessons: Wasabi Japanese Radio Podcasts 11-2

Program: 女性じょせいの眉まゆと日に本経済ほんけいざい　Personality: 村上隆むらかみりゅう二

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Slow Speed with Pauses

Natural Speed

Natural Speed with Pauses

Japanese Script

1950せんきゅうひゃくごじゅう年代ねんだいは角型かくがたでちょっと太ふとい眉まゆ毛げ、高こう度ど成長せいちょう期き*1にちょうど入はいる頃ころ。そして1970せんきゅうひゃくななじゅう年代ねんだい、えー石せき油ゆショック*2 が1973せんきゅうひゃくななじゅうさん年ねんにあったんですが、この頃ころになると、おー眉まゆが細ほそく薄うすくなる。そして80はちじゅう年代ねんだいから90きゅうじゅう年代ねんだいに入はいってくると、ま、バブル*3 絶頂ぜっちょう期きで太ふとく濃こくなる。さらに1990せんきゅうひゃくきゅうじゅう年ねん代だいの後こう期きから2000にせんねん年代ねんだいに入はいってくると、色いろが明あかるく細ほそいという眉まゆ毛げに変かわってくるわけなんですけども。今こん度どはまた眉まゆが太ふといということ。眉まゆで景けい気きが分わかるっていうのは、ちょっとなんとも、ねぇ。すごいっていえばすごいですよね*4。

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English Translation

Title: Women’s Eyebrows and the Japanese Economy　Personality: Murakami Ryuji
In the 1950s, eyebrows were oblong and a little thick, exactly around the time a period of rapid growth*1 set in. And then in the 1970’s, um, there was the Oil Crisis*2 in 1973, and when it comes to this time, eyebrows became thin and slender. And then from the 80’s entering into the 90’s, well, at the peak of the bubble*3, eyebrows became thick and dense. Furthermore, from the second half of the 1990’s entering into the 2000’s, eyebrows changed to light and thin. Now, eyebrows are thick again. We can judge business by eyebrows, how can we describe this? It’s not too amazing, but if you ask me, it’s rather amazing!*4

Notes: Japanese Grammar and Vocabulary

1. I.e. the period of rapid economic growth right after WWII.

2. 「石せき油ゆショック」 literally means “oil shock”.

3. I.e. economic bubble

4. The phrase 「すごいっていえばすごいですよね」 literally means “speaking of amazing, it’s amazing isn’t it?” However, this phrase also carries the connotation of being the speaker’s opinion. This phrase can be used in other contexts. For example, 「悲かなしいっていえば、悲かなしいですよね」, “It’s not really sad, but if you ask me, it’s rather sad”.

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