Posted by Dave Bull at 12:42 PM, February 11, 2009
Here is the video of last night's NHK program on YouTube:
I'm already getting requests for a translation, but you'll just have to hang on a bit; I've got to get this print out the door first, before I can fool around with this other stuff ...
Two of the episodes in my 'A Story A Week' series talk about the making of this program. First one is here, and it links to the second one ...
[Update: OK, here's that English version of the audio track. Don't bother trying to match it to the Japanese exactly line by line, but it's based on the same outline ...]
Thanks for sharing. I liked the part when you said "I have the best job in Japan". ;-)
Even though I cannot understand much of what you are saying - but know from your audio .mp3 file previously added to the RoundTable what it is you are talking about -, I think your presentation at NHK looks great: it elegantly combines a fine quietness (you almost whisper your words at times) with an obvious enthousiasm for the topic that you are discussing. And all that exactly in the ten minutes time that were alloted to you.
One thing I wondered while watching your TV appearance is this: somewhere I heard or read that Japanese people seem to find large arm movements threatening. Is that really true?
large arm movements
Well at this 'distance', it's certainly no problem. Everybody here is well used to seeing people on TV give speeches (especially after that long US campaign season) so arm movements like that are just accepted as being 'what those foreigners do ...'
Face to face is a bit different I guess, but I don't think I would move like that if there was somebody right in front of me. From my perspective, the camera lens was around 2.5~3 meters away, so perhaps I moved in ways that felt 'natural' for a target at that distance. Interesting point ...
