Japanese Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases

Fülszöveg

I
JAPANESE PROVERBS
By Rokuo Okada 213 p., 43 sketches
Expert psychologists and sociologists assert that the shortest cut to understanding the Japanese is through a study of their proverbial phrases.
But it is quite a task to study all of them thoroughly, for there are about 30,000 in current use.
Luckily, Mr. R. Okada has solved the problem. He has selected 513 from among the most popular for his book, Japanese Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases.
All these expressions are used frequently by the Japanese in their everyday speech and discussions, in their newspapers and magazines, on the radio and the platform. This indicates that they make the clearest, and most easily available mirror of the Japanese mind.
In his introduction, the author says: ". . .among English-speaking nations, familiar quotations. . . are mostly looked upon today as hackneyecl expressions. In Japan, however, all classes of people interlard their conversation from time to time with (Continued on hack... Tovább

Fülszöveg

I
JAPANESE PROVERBS
By Rokuo Okada 213 p., 43 sketches
Expert psychologists and sociologists assert that the shortest cut to understanding the Japanese is through a study of their proverbial phrases.
But it is quite a task to study all of them thoroughly, for there are about 30,000 in current use.
Luckily, Mr. R. Okada has solved the problem. He has selected 513 from among the most popular for his book, Japanese Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases.
All these expressions are used frequently by the Japanese in their everyday speech and discussions, in their newspapers and magazines, on the radio and the platform. This indicates that they make the clearest, and most easily available mirror of the Japanese mind.
In his introduction, the author says: ". . .among English-speaking nations, familiar quotations. . . are mostly looked upon today as hackneyecl expressions. In Japan, however, all classes of people interlard their conversation from time to time with (Continued on hack flap)
(Continued from front flap) proverbs or proverbial expressions. Such cliches are even used sometimes in clinching an argument."
Scholar of the English language, Mr. Okada is unique in explaining these selections. He compares many of them with similar expressions used throughout the world, and often gives practical cases in which they may be used.
The Mainichi Daily News, Tokyo:
"Akete kuyashii tamatebako."
[ To open a jewel box, only to rue).
This collection of Japanese proverbs, however, is one jewel box that will be a delight for anyone to open. Its aim is based on the premise that through a study of proverbs, a short cut to the understanding of the Japanese people is obtainable.
JAPAN TRAVEL BUREAU TOKYO Vissza