【No. 0363】Boring things (Tsumaranai mono)

Dec 16, 2015 10:30

There is a Japanese traditional expression "tsumaranai mono desuga (which means something like 'this is a boring thing')."

We would say this phrase when we brought someone something (presents).

You might think "to give someone gift with such a bad word is strange."

Actually, this phrase implies something like "I chose this present wholeheartedly, but it could be a boring thing for splendid people like you."

I mean, this phrase is a kind of Japanesey honorific expressions.

However, some people oppose to use this phrase because it's difficult to carry the nuance to recent generations.

By the way, my dictionary translate this phrase into "Here's a little something for you."

つまらないもの

日本の伝統的な表現に、「つまらないものですが」というものがあります。

これは、相手に手土産などを贈る際に言う言葉です。

「つまらないもの」と言いつつ贈り物をするなんて変に感じるかもしれません。

しかしこの言葉は、「あなたのような立派な人間の前ではつまらないものになってしまうかもしれませんが、一生懸命選びました」のようなことを暗に意味しています。

つまり、相手を立てて自分を下げる、敬語のような表現なのです。

しかしながら、最近ではこのニュアンスが伝わりにくいということで、この表現に反対する人もいます。

ちなみに、辞書には「Here's a little something for you」のように訳されています。

Corrections (4)

No. 1　Cin

• There is a Japanese traditional expression "tsumaranai mono desuga (which means something like 'this is a boring thing')."
• There is a Japanese traditional expression called "tsumaranai mono desuga ,which means this is a boring thing.

• We would say this phrase when we brought someone something (presents).
• We would say this phrase when we brought someone something, such as presents.

• You might think "to give someone gift with such a bad word is strange."
• You might think that to give someone gift with such a bad word is strange.

• Actually, this phrase implies something like "I chose this present wholeheartedly, but it could be a boring thing for splendid people like you."
• But actually, this phrase implies something like "I chose this present wholeheartedly, but it could be a boring thing for splendid people like you."

Japanese people like to use honorific and humble expressions!
This article is interesting. I hope to see more article about Japanese culture. ^__^

Toru
Thank you very much for correcting my post!
I'm glad to hear you say that. I'll write more articles about our culture. ;)

No. 2　Oceansea

• There is a Japanese traditional expression "tsumaranai mono desuga (which means something like 'this is a boring thing')."
• There is a Japanese traditional expression, "tsumaranai mono desuga (which means something like 'this is a boring thing')."

  I think that you are supposed to use a comma before quoting an expression like this.

• You might think "to give someone gift with such a bad word is strange."
• You might think "to give someone a gift with such a bad word is strange."

• I mean, this phrase is a kind of Japanesey honorific expressions.
• I mean, this phrase is a kind of Japanesey honorific expression.

  "Japanesey" is an acceptable way to speak (and we speak this way a lot), but I wouldn't write like this normally as it is not a "real word." But it is okay to talk like this.
  
  A more "correct" (or formal) way to say this in writing might be:
  "I mean, this phrase is a kind of Japanese way of using honorific expressions."

• However, some people oppose to use this phrase because it's difficult to carry the nuance to recent generations.
• However, some people are opposed to using this phrase because it's difficult to carry the nuance to recent generations.

• By the way, my dictionary translate this phrase into "Here's a little something for you."
• By the way, my dictionary translates this phrase into "Here's a little something for you."

I remember hearing about this expression before. Its funny how there are little different ways of speaking like this between cultures, isn't it?

Toru
Thank you very much for your corrections and helpful comments! :D
Yes, it's interesting. When I learn English, I can notice peculiar phrases of both Japanese and English.

No. 3　outdoors

• There is a Japanese traditional expression "tsumaranai mono desuga (which means something like 'this is a boring thing')."
• There is a Japanese traditional expression "tsumaranai mono desuga" which means something like 'this is a boring thing'.

• We would say this phrase when we brought someone something (presents).
• We would can say this phrase when we bring someone something, such as a present.

• You might think "to give someone gift with such a bad word is strange."
• You might think that to giving someone a gift with while saying such a bad word is strange.

• Actually, this phrase implies something like "I chose this present wholeheartedly, but it could be a boring thing for splendid people like you."
• Actually, this phrase implies something like "I chose this present wholeheartedly, but it could be a boring thing for a splendid person like you."

• I mean, this phrase is a kind of Japanesey honorific expressions.
• I mean, this phrase is a kind of uniquely Japanese honorific expression.

• However, some people oppose to use this phrase because it's difficult to carry the nuance to recent generations.
• However, some people oppose to using this phrase because it's difficult to convey the nuance to recent generations.

• By the way, my dictionary translate this phrase into "Here's a little something for you."
• By the way, my dictionary translates this phrase as into "Here's a little something for you."

Toru
Thank you so much for the corrections! :)
I'm so sorry for this late reply.

No. 4　outdoors

• We would say this phrase when we brought someone something (presents).
• We would say this phrase when we brought bring someone something like a present.

• You might think "to give someone gift with such a bad word is strange."
• You might think it's strange to say such a phrase when you're giving someone a gift.

• Actually, this phrase implies something like "I chose this present wholeheartedly, but it could be a boring thing for splendid people like you."
• Actually, this phrase implies something like "I chose this present carefully wholeheartedly, but it could be a boring thing for a splendid person like you."

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