Smile from ‘year to year’
Bilingual rakugo performer Diane Kichijitsu, who hails from Liverpool, has made people laught at home and abroad since her debut in 1988. On her first visit to Japan in 1990, she fell in love with the Japanese traditional arts including kimono and flower arrangement. She says Japanese shouldn't worry about gramatical mistake in English when they meet visutors from overseas, and emphasizes:“Smile and make eye contact. A smile is more powerful than any language.”
今年も笑いを届けます。
英国人落語家のダイアン吉日さんは、世界各地で「英語落語」を演じ、日本のユーモアを伝えています。もとはと言えば1990年、バックパッカーの旅の途中で来日し、着物、生け花、陶芸、茶道などに魅了されながら、長く関西に住むことになったのでした。2020年に迫った東京五輪・パラリンピックに向け、「おもてなし」への留意点も語ります。「外国人観光客と積極的に交流を。上手な英語より、スマイルとアイコンタクトが大事だよ」と。
＜ AsahiWeekly No.2200 より ＞
英語小噺
The Art Gallery
(A lady looking at the pictures)
Lady： Excuse me , sir, is this a Monet?
Man： No,Madam. That's a Renoir.
Lady： Oh, I see. Is this a Renoir, too?
Man： No, Madam. That's a Da Vinci.
Lady： Oh. It's beautiful. Ahhhh! (scream)
This one's ugly. A bit grotesque. Wait
… I know this one. It's a Picasso.
Man： Erm… No, Madam. That's a mirror.