When people hear Texas, the first thing they think is it's hot. It is true, Texas does get hot, but not all the time. Like most states, it is icy in the winter, cool in the fall, and rainy in the spring, with the occasional tornado.
However, during the summer, it's normal to see temperatures reach anywhere from 38-45°C! Therefore, we have to be careful and try to stay cool and hydrated. So, how do Texans keep cool during the summer?
Some people are unaware that Japan is the first country I've ever visited. It is also the place I've wanted to go since I was a child. Many people ask me "Why did you decide to go to Japan?" To answer that question, I can't say I ever had a particular reason, but over time, I became more and more interested in Japan.
In my home country in America, I would eat Japanese food, attend cultural festivals, and even began to try to self teach myself a few words and phrases in Japanese. I often saw travel videos of people visiting Japan, and felt I HAD to go and experience it myself!
I really wanted to make friends in Japan, experience the culture, and learn the language because I always thought it was beautiful. I still have a lot of language learning to do, but the experiences I've had in Japan, and people I've met are unforgettable, and I hope to have more wonderful memories in the future!
憧れの日本ですばらしい思い出をつくられ、本当によかったですね。
〔編集委員〕
ニュージーランド英語を学ぼう！（第４話）
更新日：2022年09月18日
今回はとっても短いスラングについてです。
■Ta / Taa
Ta is a very casual way to say “thanks” in New Zealand/British English.
“Can you please pass me the salt?...... Ta”.
Or if you say it with a long “a” sound, “taa”, while holding out the palm of your hand, then it means, “give that to me right now”.
(Mother speaking to a toddler) “taaaa.. give the toy to mummy”.
“Ta”は、日本語でしたら、「どーも」ですかね。
“Taa”は？？
〔編集委員〕
ニュージーランド英語を学ぼう！（第３話）
更新日：2022年09月17日
ニュージーランドの英語には、フレンドリーな国民性を反映したスラングもたくさんあります。
■Kiwi
You may have heard that people in New Zealand are really friendly.
One way that we are friendly is in the way we speak.
New Zealand English is very casual and we have a lot of slang.
I’d like to introduce you to some New Zealand Slang to help you understand and sound like native Kiwis!
Of course kiwi is the name of a fruit however we always call the fruit “kiwifruit”, never just “kiwi”.
Kiwi is also the name of New Zealand’s native bird, but a “kiwi” is also what New Zealand people call themselves!
Example:
“Are you an American?”. ＿＿＿ “No, I’m a Kiwi, I’m from New Zealand.”
So if you go to New Zealand and someone asks you “would you like a cuppa” or “how about coming over for a cuppa”, they are asking you to have a hot drink of tea or coffee with them!
Now you have learned the difference between: “It’s tea time!” and “Would you like a cuppa?” an important part of NZ culture!
