「put up」の使い方

One of the reasons I was busy recently is that we put up a new sign on our building. I hope it will make it easy for you all to find our building.

• put up a sign サイン［掲示板｛けいじばん｝・標示｛ひょうじ｝］を立てる［掲げる・掛ける］(definition from Eijiro on the Web)

Another thing that kept me from posting on the blog as much as I would like has been the heat. I'll admit that I have less energy when it is hot. Fortunately, we have put up with the hot weather long enough, and cool weather has arrived. It feels great, right?

• put up with【句動】～に耐える、〔じっと〕～に我慢する◆【語源】put up（しまう、隠す）から。(definition from Eijiro on the Web)

Still, I told you all that I was going to write more blog posts, but it has been a while since my last one. Maybe you were thinking, "come on, Nick, either put up or shut up!"

• Put up or shut up! 行動で示すか、それができないんなら黙ってろ！(definition from Eijiro on the Web)

I'll try to put up more blog posts soon!

• put up 4. 掲揚｛けいよう｝する、揚げる、つる、掲示｛けいじ｝する、示す、発表｛はっぴょう｝する、上演｛じょうえん｝する、提出｛ていしゅつ｝する、提案｛ていあん｝する、提供｛ていきょう｝する、寄付｛きふ｝する (definition from Eijiro on the Web)

We really want to help you with your English. If you will put up the necessary effort, we will guide you as far as we can to speaking English better.

• put up an effort ~ make an effort 努力｛どりょく｝する (definition from Eijiro on the Web)

You should take a look at all of the other meanings for "put up" at Eijiro on the Web:

http://eow.alc.co.jp/put+up/UTF-8/

Put up your hands if you have any questions. = Raise your hands...

• Raise your hand if you have any questions. 何か質問のある人は手を挙げて。(definition from Eijiro on the Web)

I'm not a cop, though, so I won't tell you to "put your hands up!"

• Put your hands up! 手を上げろ！(definition from Eijiro on the Web)

「lately」と「late」の違い

One of my students was a little late for class earlier this week and as soon as she came into the room she said "I am sorry to have kept you waiting." (this part is OK.)

She then said "I woke up lately."

What she should have said is "I am sorry to have kept you waiting. I woke up late."

Lately means not long ago or recently. E.g. Have you studied English lately? See you in class.

台風接近に伴う休講のお知らせ

台風１５号の接近により、9/21の授業は休講といたします。

Due to the typhoon, we are calling off classes tonight.  Be careful out there!

call off (definition from Eijiro on the Web)
【句動】

    ～に声をかけて攻撃｛こうげき｝をやめさせる
    〔計画｛けいかく｝・予定｛よてい｝など〕中止｛ちゅうし｝する［させる］、取りやめる、取り消す、中止｛ちゅうし｝を宣言｛せんげん｝する、白紙撤回｛はくし てっかい｝する、打ち切る
    ・Company A and company B called off their proposed $__ merger. : 企業Aと企業Bは＿ドルの合併案を取りやめた。
    ・The Security Council voted to call off the hunt for General Bob Smith. : 国連安全保障理事会は、ボブ・スミス将軍の追跡を打ち切ることを可決しました。
    〔取引｛とりひき｝など〕断る、手を引く、解消｛かいしょう｝する
    ・Let's call the whole thing off. : もう交渉［議論・言い争い・けんか］はやめましょう。／私たちは意見が合わないということをお互いに認めましょう。◆【同】Let's agree that we disagree ［don't agree］.◆お互い話がかみ合わなくなったとき、あるいはどちらも譲らなくなったときの締めの文句。
    ～を呼んで立ち去らせる、遠ざける、呼び戻す、〔注意｛ちゅうい｝を〕そらす
    ～を読み上げる

「for」と「since」の使い方とスッポン店

What makes a business successful?  There must be a demand for starters.  The product or service must be of good quality.  Moreover, having a good location is key. 

Just outside of Yurakucho station, on the first floor of the Tokyo Kotsu Kaikan, there is an interesting shop tucked in a small corner.   It is a shop that sells soft shell turtle (スッポン) food products, e.g. soup, stew, etc.  A very interesting shop indeed.  .   

I remember seeing this shop the first time I passed by (in 2003) and lo and behold, that shop has been in business for 8 years (at least).  It must have been there since 2003 (at least). 

We use for and since to say how long something has been happening.   Let’s look at the examples below.

We use for + a period of time

　　　　　　　　　 (Now)

=======|=========|

                ( two years)               

l         I have lived in Tokyo for two years.

We use since + the start of a period

                                 (2011)

=======X=========|

           (2009)

l         I have lived in Tokyo since 2009.

I wonder what スッポンsoup taste like?  Anyone brave souls out there? 

Useful Vocabulary

Key~ 重要な、主要な、キーポイントになる

Indeed~ 実に、本当に、確かに、いかにも、実際に［は］、全く

Lo and behold~ 驚いたことに、驚くなかれ、何ということか、そしてなんと◆会話で相手の注意を引くために使われる

「blog」と「post」の使い方

This has been a really busy week. I'll show you one of the reasons in my next post. Because I've been too busy, I haven't written so many posts lately. Someone recently asked why Johnny and I write this blog.

× The blog posts about our experiences.
○ The blog contains posts our experiences.
○ We post articles about our experiences on this blog.

"Blog" can be a noun or a verb. In the case of the noun, it means a website that is something like a diary.
As a verb, it means to write things on a blog.

• diary 【名】〔個人｛こじん｝の〕日記（帳）｛にっき（ちょう）｝◆【同】journal (definition from Eijiro on the Web)

"Post" can be a noun or verb, too. The noun means an article written on a blog.

•  article【名】〔雑誌｛ざっし｝や新聞｛しんぶん｝の〕記事｛きじ｝、論説｛ろんせつ｝、論文｛ろんぶん｝◆小説などのフィクションを含まない。(definition from Eijiro on the Web)

When we are talking about blogs, the verb "post" means to place an article on a blog. So when describing our blog, I can say:

• I also post about English grammar and vocabulary.
• I also blog about English grammar and vocabulary.
• I also write posts about English grammar and vocabulary.

How many of you are writing blogs? If you have one, what kind of posts are you writing? Do you blog about your hobbies or current events? Do you post often? Send me the links to your blogs so I can check them out!

一目ぼれ

Everyone has a weakness I have been told. Some people smoke like a chimney, some drink excessively, some eat too many sweets. As for me, I spend too much on fish. No, not the sashimi kind--who can say no to o-toro-- but ornamental fish, like Nemo and friends. There haven’t been many fish I have seen that I didn’t like. Earlier this week, I made my weekly visit to the local pet shop. I saw this gorgeous, eye-catching fish (see pic. above) in one of the tanks. It was love at first sight.

“I’ve gotta have her!”

Must be at least 5,000 Yen or 10,000 Yen at most I thought.

“How much would it cost to take her home?” I told myself.

“The kids will love her,” I continued.

I called the shop assistant over.

“How much is this beauty?” I asked.

“That is a black and white bandit angel, Johnny-san” he replied. “It is 180,000 Yen”

I nearly choked when I heard. There would be no new addition to the fish tank. Not at that price tag. Is it better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all? I went home heartbroken.

Grammar point: at least vs. at (the) most

at least means "not less than"少なくとも、最少に見ても、～を下らない、どんなに安く見積もっても［踏んでも］You should spend at least 30 minutes to an hour studying English everyday.

at most/ at the most means "not more than"最大限でも、多くて（も）、せいぜい、たかだか、よくても、高くても You've only been to class at most three times this term. :今学期、あなたはせいぜい3回ぐらいしか授業に出ていない。

Sample sentences

• I have at least 20 pairs of shoes.
• In Japan you must be at least 20 to drink.

Vocabulary:

• smoke like a chimney~ 煙突が煙を吐くようにたばこを吸う
• excessively~ 過大に、過度に、過剰に
• ornamental~ 装飾物、装飾品, 観賞植物
• love at first sight~ 一目ぼれ

TOEICの点数を上げたいなら。。。

“How do I supercharge my vocabulary?” One effective way is to get to know a word’s family and friends. Learning and knowing other forms of the word will help you to boost your score on the TOEIC test. This week’s pic blesses us with a great example. The intentions of this café owner were good however the word was used incorrectly.

Here are some meanings for the word ‘economy’: 経済、景気、経済活動.

• The economy is gradually recovering from a recession.

経済は景気後退から徐々に回復してきている

• The economy is improving somewhat.

景気はやや改善している

Perhaps he meant to say "We are economizing on electricity."

Here are some the word’s family and friends:

Economize [自他動]-　 倹約する、節約する、節減する、効率よく利用する、有益に使う

• try to economize on electricity ～ 電気の節約に努める

Economical [形]- 　安価な、コストがかからない, 効率的な、無駄な動きのない

• economical car ～　経済的な車、低燃費の車

• economical information ～　経済情報

Economist [名]-　 経済学者、エコノミスト、倹約家、経済家、経済専門家

• The chief economist says that further rate cuts may be needed.

主任エコノミストはより一層の金利引き下げが必要だろうと言っている。

So the next time you learn a word you don’t know the meaning of, look up the word in different parts of speech too. It will help you to increase your TOEIC score and make you more speak more eloquently.

「just」と「only」の使い方

The other day for lunch I cooked this fried rice. I used Indian spices in it, though, to make it more exciting. I also used a Chinese cooking ingredient, chili pepper flakes soaked in oil. I had never used that ingredient to make fried rice before.

× I just only imagined that it would be good.
○ I just imagined that it would be good.
○ I only imagined that it would be good.

Usually we do not use "just" or "only" together. Basically, they have the same meaning, so we have to choose one of them.

One exception is "only just [verb]".

• only just 辛うじて、たった今～したばかり、やっと、今しがた (definition from Eijiro on the Web)

I only just had enough time to make this fried rice before I had to leave the apartment. It's lucky that fried rice is not only easy to make but also delicious. I'd say it's just a perfect dish.