英語における"ordinary voice" : 本物への道

抄録

In teaching English in Japan, there are two fatal defects that make the English language of most Japanese lifeless. One is that there is no awareness of the "ordinary voice" in which the British and Americans make use of the English language (p. 84), and the other is that there is no positive idea of "expressing one's thoughts by words" in speaking (p. 90, Note 4). The "ordinary voice" of the British and Americans is quite extraordinary to us Japanese, as it is accompanied with dynamic pitch, stress, force, impetus, speed, and so forth. The first thing that we should do is to make this "extraordinary" voice our ordinary one. English has been a borrowed thing for many years. So long as it remains such with us, we cannot use it at our own convenience. We have been concerned only with keeping its appearance in order. We have been particular about pronunciation, neglecting to produce voice. Give the priority to phonation, and we can have our English transcend the borrowed status and make it an authentic one.English has been a borrowed thing for many years. So long as it remains such with us, we cannot use it at our own convenience. We have been concerned only with keeping its appearance in order. We have been particular about pronunciation, neglecting to produce voice. Give the priority to phonation, and we can have our English transcend the borrowed status and make it an authentic one. When we are vigorous in voice, our English, like our Japanese, becomes vigorous. The source and material of voice is breath. Breath is life itself (息iki breath-生iki life). Breathing is derived from good posture. Let us sit at the desks with chins drawn in and our elbows off the desks. Keeping ourselves alert in body means keeping alert in mind. Both are correlated, and are achieved by one element- breath. Without breath a man dies. Without it speech is dead. When we are ready, our eyes are wide open and our breath is held. The important fact is that inhalation has been fast and deep. We find that the ribs are pressed outward (and that the diaphragm is contracted toward the abdomen). Now utter an English word. It is to be uttered at a high pitch, with "extraordinary" impetus. Holding breath serves greatly for this impetus. If we keep enough breath in the lungs and use it with reaction and control, we can overcome indiscriminate imitation of English. If we have breath in reserve, we can afford to think while speaking. We should be keenly aware that most Japanese not only cannot speak English, but also have not even acquired the ability to say a single word, or a single phoneme, as it should be said. Supply them with BREATH, and their English will be brought to LIFE. To conclude: Strain your eyes in uttering any one word, and uttering the first word and the stressed ones of a sentence.