Current location:opinions >>
VOX POPULI: Contrary to forecasts, spring hasn’t quite sprung yet
opinions2People 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.“World Warp news portal”。http://albania.bahnsport.org/html-60c099935.html
Related articles
NASCAR star Kyle Larson is embracing his Indianapolis 500 debut, right down to milking a cow
opinionsINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kyle Larson has been adamant about soaking up the entire Indianapolis 500 experi ...
【opinions】
Read moreMoment Home Office cops kick down door in dawn raid to smash 'sophisticated' people
opinionsHome Office cops smashed down doors across the country yesterday amid an 'arms race' against people ...
【opinions】
Read moreGermany arrests 2 for allegedly spying for Russia, plotting sabotage to undermine Ukraine aid
opinionsBERLIN (AP) — Two German-Russian men have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of espionage, one of ...
【opinions】
Read more
Popular articles
- Seoul AI summit opens with companies including Google, Meta, OpenAI pledging to develop AI safely
- Richard Osman reveals his food addiction is still 'absolutely ever
- They cost up to £30. But which posh lip glosses are worth the dosh?
- Party's over: Coyotes end tenure in the desert with raucous atmosphere before move
- US Open champ Coco Gauff urges young Americans to vote
- Kim Kardashian showcases signature curves in tiny black bikini as she inexplicably dives into knee
Latest articles
Report says China is accelerating the forced urbanization of rural Tibetans
New Black congressional district in Louisiana bows to politics, not race, backers say
Portuguese bodybuilder 'Monster', who claimed to be the 'most shredded ever', dies aged 46
Louisiana bills seeking to place restrictions on where people can carry guns receive pushback
New Zealand Black Caps fans look to Twenty20 World Cup with hope, trepidation
Strong quake in southwestern Japan leaves 9 with minor injuries, but no tsunami
LINKS
- Cambodia's prime minister sounds a sour note on trucks' musical horns
- Federal data does not show a soaring number of unauthorized migrants registering to vote
- Lawsuit seeks to force ban on menthol cigarettes after delays by Biden
- US tuberculosis cases were at the highest level in a decade in 2023
- Who's really left
- Voodoo doll, whoopie cushion, denture powder among bizarre trash plucked from New Jersey beaches
- Gaza and Haiti are on the brink of famine, experts say. Here's what that means
- Former world's oldest dog stripped of title
- Study: Many cancer drugs unproven 5 years after accelerated approval
- Thailand ready for any scenario on Myanmar border, foreign minister says — Radio Free Asia