Current location:sport >>
VOX POPULI: Contrary to forecasts, spring hasn’t quite sprung yet
sport971People have gathered around
IntroductionThe Japanese word for spring, “haru,” has a really light and cheerful ring to it.But what if the wor ...
The Japanese word for spring, “haru,” has a really light and cheerful ring to it.
But what if the word were “baru” and not “haru”? The difference is almost negligible, but the image of the season we get may differ greatly between the two.
I once came across a Japanese linguistic study claiming that any word containing a syllable with the “dakuten” diacritic, or “voice mark,” gives an impression of being “heavy.”
The study also posited that the more syllables a noun contains, the “stronger” it sounds.
Perhaps that explains why “haru” sounds light and airy--the opposite of heavy and strong.
In Korean, the word for spring is pronounced “pom." This, too, gives a lighthearted and soft impression.
As for the English “spring,” it sounds--well, bouncy. No surprise: Synonyms of “spring” include “leap” and “jump.” One associates these words with a feeling of anticipation for the start of something new.
In reality, however, spring as a season is obviously not all mild and pleasant. On the contrary, the weather can be outright rough and nasty, with cold rains and gusty winds.
“March comes in like a lion, out like a lamb” is a famous British saying.
In Japan, the “higan” equinoctial week ends on March 23.
According to weather forecasts, the mild winter we had this year was supposed to be followed by an early arrival of spring. But we still need warm jackets. It is as if spring is now being sullen and mean, having taken offense at being told off, “You’re too early.”
A haiku by Fusei Tomiyasu (1885-1979) goes to the effect, “Time has passed/ For all I know/ higan is already over.”
Gazing up at cherry blossom buds that don’t seem to be opening any time soon, I murmur to myself: Come quickly, mild and warm spring.
--The Asahi Shimbun, March 23
* *
*Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Global Gazette news portal”。http://reunion.allesfuersjagen.com/html-48e199949.html
Related articles
The AstraZeneca vaccine 'victims': From families losing loved ones to those left with life
sportThe AstraZeneca vaccine was said to have saved more than six million lives around the world in the f ...
【sport】
Read moreAn area of exceptional taste
sportDifferent areas in Zhejiang boast specific and famous dishes, such as xihu cuyu(West Lake fish in vi ...
【sport】
Read moreCreations of Laurèl staged at China Fashion Week
sportVideo PlayerCloseA model presents creations of Laurèl at China Fashion Week S/S 2018 in Beijing, cap ...
【sport】
Read more
Popular articles
- Iconic former Uruguayan President Jose Mujica says he has esophageal cancer
- Roundup: Overseas Experts Hail Xi's Notion of Building Modern Chinese Civilization
- Xi Sends Congratulatory Letter to Forum on China
- Xi Focus: Xi Orders All
- I'm a Brit living in America
- China's tourism booms during Qingming Festival holidays
Latest articles
The Twins’ new home
An area of exceptional taste
Xi Story: Spirit of Ancient Poet Resonates in Modern China
Going against laws of free trade market is like building a dam of sieves: Chinese FM spokesperson
Mel Gibson sports an arm sling following shoulder injury as he attends a coffee meeting in Malibu
Xi Stresses Cultural Advancement in Letter to Forum
LINKS
- Waymo's robotaxi service expands into Los Angeles, starting free rides in parts of the city
- Government to spend more money on silt clean
- Eli Lilly's new ad says weight
- Crusaders rediscover winning form with 11
- Colonial statues vandalised ahead of contentious Australia Day holiday
- US and UK launch fresh strikes on Houthis in Yemen
- Green Party activist puts forward radical manifesto in leadership bid
- California doctor with cancer gets rare lung
- Colonial statues vandalised ahead of contentious Australia Day holiday
- California doctor with cancer gets rare lung