November 15 reading -Jaxon

 I didn't get what "War Bride" was trying to express. I found it a little hard to follow, and I only knew it was trying to discuss something with the power of words, which is also discussed in "A Poor Aunt Story." I don't see the type of people, "poor aunt," described in the story, but it seems the poor aunt on the back is kind of something that can trigger people's memory, which has similar traits to the poor aunt. They are not hated but avoided and don't want to face.  I wondered why his companion didn't see anything. Maybe it's because she already has a "poor aunt?" I really like the scenes on the suburban train. I felt so bad about the girl, and I wondered why the girl was blamed so hard. I don't like annoying kids and the boy who took the hat is almost exactly the typical figure I don't like.

I used a physical dictionary when I was in primary school, and I think I have never ever seen someone who is interested in making or editing a dictionary. When I started to learn English as my second language, I found good definitions of words are important for studying a language. I used an electronic dictionary in high school, and it provided very simple and one-sided explanations for the words I looked up, which made me misunderstand a lot of words in the past. I like the example of "dog" at the beginning, I wonder how is that part being translated from Japanese to English.

I can still see a strong Yoko Tawada's features from "The Emissary." There is a lot of emphasis on the change of language, like changes in expressions and the forbidden of English. The setting is interesting, as always. I think Tawada focuses a lot on the relationships between cities and the countryside. Tokyo became a city that not everyone dreams of moving to anymore, although it still keeps some features. Okinawa and Hokkaido seem to be more independent since the word "immigrant" was used.

The idea in "The Fall of the Language in the Age of English" is fascinating. I definitely feel kids in the next generation are not reading literature as we did in the past since they have more options. Especially in America, I can feel the power of English that helps connect all the people in the States together. The idea that Natsume Soseki will write in English is arguable. I agree with the part that says not everyone can have time and put effort into learning another specific language.