The ‘that’ that we know about: あれは会議でした。（’That’ was a meeting)

You may have heard the question: ‘Was there a party in Downing Street last Christmas?’

And you may have heard the answer: ‘Oh, that was a business meeting’.

I saw this week that particular answer translated into Japanese articles as: 「あれは会議でした」 ARE WA KAIGI DESHITA (that was a meeting). 　

The use of あれ ARE (that) is interesting. In this case, あれ ARE refers to a thing or event that both listener and speaker know about already . In this case, both the two people in the video knew about the あれ ARE (that) - ‘the Christmas party/meeting’.

I came across another interesting use of ARE in a very different context this week while listening to a TBS radio podcast.

The presenter was describing a conversation he had had with his wife that morning. They had said to each other: あれ、おいしかったね、 ARE OISHIKATTA NE (That was delicious wasn’t it?)

The couple were reminiscing about the taste of sweet potatoes the previous year.

あれ ARE (that) relies on shared knowledge so it is commonly used by colleagues and close friends.

This elderly radio presenter uses あれ ARE a lot because he often forgets the name of things. He sometimes just says あれ ARE and hopes his fellow presenter can work out what he means.

His あれ、おいしかったね quote also illustrates an interesting use of the topic particle: there isn’t one.

The は WA (topic particle) is commonly dropped in informal conversation after demonstrative words such as this and that, or with nouns referring to the speaker or listener.

I wish I had known that earlier in my Japanese study.

If I could have a sweet potato for every second I’ve spent pondering which particle to put in, I would be a very fat man.

On a slightly different note, I was often asked when living in Japan: “Don’t you miss English food?”.

I did not think I did until after about 6 months of white rice, one night a Japanese colleague ordered some potato. I nearly cried. It was like seeing a long lost friend again.

Potatoes do exist in Japan. And they are delicious, if slightly different.

さつまいも　SATSUMAIMO (sweet potatoes) are more common.

But I did also regularly enjoy じゃがバター JAGABATAA (Jacket potato with butter). Just hearing the words warm me up.

Finally, another translation into Japanese from the infamous video: チーズとワインなら大丈夫？　CHIIZU TO WAIN NARA DAIJOUBU (Is it alright if it was cheese and wine?)

The use of なら (only if) illustrates that other types of party would be unacceptable.

I wonder how much the expression チーズとワイン CHIIZU TO WAIN (cheese and wine) gets lost in translation.

The と TO (and) sound separates the cheese and wine as if they are 2 isolated items rather than a ‘collective thing’.

To be honest, I don’t really understand the cheese and wine thing myself.

I would much rather have a potato.