Thursday 3 November 2011

I Want My MTV

While revising old chapters in my Japanese textbook, I came across a comprehension passage in the chapter on Expressing Wishes and Desires. I scanned it, just in case you like looking at foreign languages like I do, but my rough-and-ready translation is below.

Things I Want

We asked various people what they want most of all.

1. I wish I had time. I go to office, work, come back home, and the day is over. The day is too short. I wish there were 36 hours in a day. (Woman, 25)

2. I wish I had my own bank. If I had a bank, I could take out money whenever I wanted and buy things I like. (Boy, 10)

3. I wish I had a potion which would make me young. When I was young, I did not study much. If I could be young again, I would study hard and get a good job. (Woman, 60)

4. I wish I had ‘humour’. If I make conversation, my wife says, “You will be busy tomorrow, won’t you? Go to sleep early.” The children tell me, “Father, we’ve heard this story about three times already.” I wish I could be more interesting. (Man, 43)

5. I wish there were another one of me. I have to go to school every day. If there were two of me, while one ‘me’ was studying, the other ‘me’ could do things I like. I wish there were two of me. (Girl, 14)

I remember learning this chapter back in July. My Japanese teacher had me frame sentences of the form “[noun] ga hoshii desu,” which means “I wish I had [noun].” This form is only used for things. It should not, for instance, be used to say, “I want to go to Iceland,” which in fact I do want.

And the funny thing is, I could not readily think of anything that I want, and I’m not entirely sure that’s a good thing.

So, what do you want?

11 comments:

Rara Avis said...

Like the 14-year-old girl, I wish there were another me. One would come to NUJS and the other would go to JUDE.

Okay, that was stupid, but it's the first thing I thought of. Lemme think further...

I wish all my school friends had holidays together. And that I could visit some of my long-distance pals whenever I want to. For which, I guess I'd need money in a bank, and more hours in a day.

I wish I really enjoyed working for exams, like some people do. And had great concentration, great self control, and great Srijataness. Which is the same as wanting a magic potion for something impossible.

I wish I had your habit of making my life sound a lot cooler than it really is. Which is the same as saying I wish I had a better sense of humour.

My god, I'm greedy. I asked for EVERYTHING all those people wanted!

Shrabasti Banerjee said...

Wow, you could use the Mirror of Erised like a normal mirror. That IS a good (albeit scary) thing. :D

relativelytruthful said...

i want to learn to do cartwheels.

Pratiti said...

I want chicken reshmi kebab.

Srin said...

I wish I was taller and I wish I could sleep alone.

TWAS Fan said...

I wish I could write like Sroyon

Tommy said...

I thought you wanted a yellow bicycle.

Anasua Deb said...

I want patience, patients and patent(s).

rorschach said...

One single going platinum, and the consequent lifetime supply of royalty.

Spaax said...

I want to watch Queen perform live.

Sroyon said...

@all who left comments: Thanks for participating!

@Tommy: I did, but by July I already had another bicycle which I liked. So the yellow bicycle was no longer on the wishlist.