Hi,
Well, I'm ready to post the first two chapters. The rest should follow daily
as my prereaders chew them over.
I would like to thank my prereaders here: Steve Pardue, whose original
sketch the story is based on, Rachel Blackman, Zen, and Nick Leifker. Thank
you, everyone!
The story is peppered with Japanese words and cultural references, and some
people had problems with them, so I've included a glossary here. Feel free
to skip it if you like. It will be on the web site when the story is posted
there.
Tidbit: I changed Mrs. Tendou's name from Keiko in my original draft to
Kirara in this one. I thought it was more in keeping with the Tendou family
naming theme (hint: look up the kanji for "Kirara").
I hope you all enjoy this revised (and complete!) version of Genma's
Daughter. Unfortunately, the totally new material begins in Chapter 9, so it
will be a while before you see anything other than revised stuff.
Deborah Goldsmith
--------------------------
Quick Japanese language and culture notes for "Genma's Daughter":
O.L.: "Office Lady", female office worker who serves tea, cleans desks, etc.
Bluntly put, office wives.
Salaryman: White collar office worker.
Genkan: The entryway of a Japanese home. This is where you take your shoes
off, put on slippers, and (usually) step up into the house.
Oneechan: Affectionate term for one's older sister. Pronounced
"oh-nay-chan". Also used to refer to any young woman older than oneself.
It's not used in this story, but Oniichan ("oh-knee-chan") is the equivalent
term for an older brother. If you're being more formal, it's "Oneesan" and
"Oniisan".
imouto: little sister. The equivalent for little brother is "otouto".
Katana: A Japanese sword.
Bokken: A wooden practice sword, used in Kendo.
Kendo: Martial art using wooden practice swords.
Kenpo: The Japanese word for Kung Fu, a martial arts style.
Kotatsu: Many Japanese homes (especially traditional styles) do not have
central heating. A kotatsu is like a table with a heater underneath it, and
which has a fabric skirt. You sit with the lower part of your body
underneath the skirt to warm up.
Itte kimasu/itte 'rasshai: Set phrases used when leaving home (roughly
equivalent to "Goodbye" and "See you when you get back")
Tadaima/O-kaeri (nasai): Set phrases used when coming home (roughly
equivalent to "I'm back" and "Welcome home")
Ohayou (gozaimasu): Good morning.
O-yasumi (nasai): Good night.
Itadakimasu: Literally, "I humbly receive." Always said before meals, even
if the meal is a Cup Noodles eaten alone.
Yatta: Exclamation meaning "I did it!" (even if the speaker didn't actually
do it), also used in similar ways to "all right!" or "Yessss!"
Mou: Literally, "already". Can be used as a frustrated exclamation: "Mou iya
da!" (I'm sick of this already), or just "Mou!" When used by itself, most
often used by women.
Ganbatte (kudasai): A set phrase to encourage someone. "You can do it," "Go
for it," "Good luck."
ne: Japanese sentence ending soliciting agreement. Like "isn't it?" or
"don't you think?" in English. Example: "ii o-tenki desu ne." (Nice weather,
isn't it?)
Baka: The all-purpose Japanese insult. Idiot, fool, moron, etc. Used by both
men and women.
(name) no baka: "(name), you idiot! Again, used mostly by women. Men use
nastier insults.
Gomen (nasai): "I'm sorry". Most often used by women.
Kantou: The large, flat plain where Tokyo is located: "Eastern Plain".
"Western Plain" is Kansai, where Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe are located. Ukyou
is from Kansai and speaks a dialect (Kansai-ben) in the original Japanese.
Okami-san: The wife of the owner of a business. Usually responsible for the
bookkeeping, often helps in the actual work. Cooks meals for any apprentices
as well as for the family, and does similar, traditionally female chores for
the business. Never gets paid a dime, of course. ;-)
Terms of address (simple version):
-san: like Mr., Ms., etc. Everyday polite usage.
-sama: extremely polite version of "-san", used for superiors, or when you
want to be extra-polite. More often used by women.
-sensei: Master, Teacher, Doctor. Term of respect.
-kun: Refers to an inferior of either sex, or to a boy.
-chan: Suffix indicating endearment (see "Oneechan", above). Also used to
refer to girls (but not women), or a very young child of either sex. Used by
childhood friends (e.g., Ranchan, Ucchan).
Kami-sama: God