LINGUISTIC:
Saturday, May 3, 1997 9:06:56 am Diversity University MOOtime (EDT)


NOTE:
In the excerpt below, DocZ is learning some new Japanese.
He likes to make puns, as will be seen in other comments.

DocZ says, "Ohayou gozaimasu, miyan."

miyan (^_^)

GloriaLee says, "Koh nishi wah..."

miyan holds up a BIG sign: Good afternoon = Kon nichi wa..

DocZ says, "Sayonara!"

miyan holds up a BIG sign: Arigatou = Thank you!!

miyan holds up a BIG sign: Sayonara = Good bye!!

DocZ write down Aligator=Thank you.

miyan laughs.


NOTE: Below is an example of one of Miyan's ten slides of haiku
history.

-------------------------------- Slide 1 ----------------------------------

What is Haiku?

Haiku is a 17-syllables verse form consisting of three metrical
units of 5,7 and 5 syllables, respectively. Because its simplest form,
Haiku may be easy to learn, but difficult to master. Someone may think
it is a child's game, but someone may find the deepest meanings in it
and it is a lifetime discipline to master Haiku.

--------------------------------- End of Slide ------------------------------


NOTE: Miyan begins explaining about the Japanese alphabets. There
are several and this is a factor in understanding how the lines are
counted out metrically.

miyan says, "We have many letters in Japanese. Kanji, Hiragana and
Katakana.  Hiragana and Katakana represent each syllables.. So we can
easily count 5 7 5 syllables."


NOTE: Miyan explains that every traditional (though maybe not modern)
haiku must contain a "kigo" word that is representative of season. We
westerners did not at first understand that the "kigo" had to refer to
a natural object.

----------------------------- Slide 2 ----------------------

Season Words (Kigo)

Haiku includes usually a seasonal thema. A season word ( kigo )
indicates a particular season of the year. By using kigo, Haiku poets
try to awake readers' imagination vividly and maximally in its shortest
form.

It is decided what words are of what season, spring, summer, fall and
winter. We have dictionaries for such season words, which are used for
Haiku poets.

------------------------- END OF SLIDE -----------------------
 


NOTE: Maxi begins to question the use of an "n" for a syllable
so Miyan patiently explains about how transliteration makes things
confusing.

maxib says, "I thought that "n" was a whole syllable. How does 'mizu no
oto' be 5 syllables and not 6?"

GloriaLee says, "So the Kigo can come in the middle?"

miyan says, "Mizu no oto 5 syllables. Oder?"

miyan says, "Count the Vokale!"

DocZ says, "Mi zu no o to."

DocZ holds up six fingers. Inigo Montoya stares at him.

miyan says, "Vowel."

maxib says, "But if "n" is a syllable, mizu n o oto"

maxib says, "Though I've heard 'u' at the end of a word is not vocalized"

DocZ says, "N is only a syllable on Shrove Tuesdays."

miyan says, "N is a syllable? Glorialee san? I don't know the definition
of syllable."
 


NOTE: Miyan brings the practice we've had in syllables and counting
for this slide...

------------------- Slide 6 -----------------

Before Basho

We, Japanese have been fond of the rhythm 5-7, or 7-5 syllables since
long long years ago. These rhythm long long years ago. These rhythms appeared in the ancient style of verse 'Choka' ( long verse ), which has the form of 5-7-5-7-...-5-7-5 7-7.

Other style of verse is 'Tanka', 'or' Waka', 5-7-5-7-7. Choka was composed
before 7th century, and Waka since 8th century and is made now also.

Same as the Waka was begun to make, another style of literature arose as a
diversion by which poets could relax from the serious business of
composing Waka. That was ' Haikai no Renga'.

This was a linked chains of verses which was This was a linked chains of verses which was composed by many poets as follows..

person A B C D

5-7-5 -- 7-7 -- 5-7-5 -- 7-7 -- ....( continued )

This style of literature was first considered as an amusement or a word
game. By the time of the renga master Sohgi ( 1421 --1502 ), however,it
had become a serious art with complex rules and high aesthetic standards.
And after Sohgi, another master Matsunaga Teitoku ( 1571 -- 1653 ) emphasized the humourous aspects of Haikai. For him, humour implied a sort of intellectual wit.

-------------------------- End of slide -------------------------------


NOTE: We were all speaking some Japanese by the end...

miyan says, "Any question ??"

DocZ says, "Do you write haiku, miyan?"

miyan says, "NO... I write Tankas a little."

miyan says, "Thank you fro listening to me... my bad English.."

GloriaLee says, "Very good job! she applauds Miyan loudly

miyan (*^_^*)

Osborne says, "arigatou, miyan and thanks, GloriaLee"

DocZ says, "It is we who should say Arigatou to you, miyan."

miyan says, "Arigatou gozaimasu.."

GloriaLee says, "Arigatou, Miyan san."