Learn Japanese with Advertisements: Tottori Sakyu

Posted on 06. Jul, 2006 @ 10:14 am by in Language, Travel Views: 976

Did anyone know there is a desert in Japan?

It’s called Tottori-Sakyuu (here is the official Japanese site) and to put it more accurately, it’s not a desert, but actually it’s an area by the ocean where giant sand dunes have formed (and are getting bigger every year). Tottori is about three hours by car from Osaka.
Actually I went there about a month ago, and will post on that later…

But first, the moment you have all been waiting for! More Japanese lessons with stupid Advertisements! This advert is for Tottori Sakyu and was in a train station in Osaka.

Original Text (with hiragana readings)
自然に、自然に、（しぜんに）
こころのそこに眠っていた、（ねむっていた）
ほんとうのわたしがいました、
鳥取•大砂丘（とっとり•だいさきゅう）
わたしが、
わたしに
なれるところ

Romanized Text:
shizen ni, shizen ni
kokoro no soko ni nemutteita,
hontou no watashi ga imashita
tottori daisakyuu
watashiga,
watashini
narerutokoro

Literal Translation:
To nature, to nature.
Sleeping at the bottom of my heart,
there was the true me.
Tottori Great Sand Dunes

The place where I can become myself.

At little more natural translation would probably be something like…
To nature, to nature. The true me was sleeping at the bottom of my heart. Tottori Sand Dunes. The place where I can be myself.

There you have it.

One thing though, NO ONE at Tottori Sakyu was dressed like the lady in that advertisement. No one.
Hey, does anyone enjoy these advertisement Japanese things? Would anyone want any more explanation of the vocabulary and grammar? Or is a rough romanization and translation enough? Let me know!
I’m here to serve you.

- Harvey

  • mdchachi

    Yes, keep this stuff coming. I have a question for you, 1kyu Master. How do you know the nareru is “become” and not “become accustomed to”? I read this as “The place where I can get to know myself.” But now after your explanation, it looks 微妙 to me.

  • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

    Glad you like the language stuff chachi! From the current poll results, I think you may be one of hte only ones…

    Good question.

    なれる。

    私が私になれるところ。

    I think that the 慣れる you are thinking of, which is to “become accustomed to” or “get used to”, is actually a 「る」verb as I am used to calling them. So if it was trying to say “a place where I can become accustomed to myself” it should be, わたしはわたしに慣れられるところ。 As the verb conjugation is different.

    But… if it was just 慣れる in the non “can do” form… it would be weird as it would be… “a place where I get used to myself” Isn’t that kinda strange?

  • http://misterwake.blogspot.com Mr. Wake

    verbs, shmerbs.
    What magical food to they eat there? Let me guess, anko-filled cakes with a picture of a sand dune on them. Or maybe a picture of a cactus.

    mmmmmmmm…smerbs.

  • Keith

    I just consulted with the Japanese. 慣れる means “can become.” なれられる is not understood (at least in this context.) And she translated the sentence as “The place where I can be myself.”

  • http://www.japannewbie.com harvey

    Keith, so technically, there is no way we can tell that なれる means, can become OR get used to myself, other than the “feeling” of the sentence.

    Japanese rocks!

  • Keith

    OK, thanks. I guess sentences have feelings too. Better watch what you say about them.

  • Vickie

    Hi, Harvey, could you help me with all theoretic information about Japanese commersials, as I see you know enough, I’m gonna write a diploma project according to this theme!

    Thanks =)

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