RADIO

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19242, 2 December 1930, Page 4

RADIO

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("AERIAL.")

WHAT WIRELESS IS DOING FOR JAPAN.

NO. 1. “ Woman Talk.” People who have visited the West Indies often remark with great surprise that in many cases the Carib women do not use the same word as the men wliem they talk of the same thing', writes Neville Whymant in the October issue of “World-Radio.” It is considered improper and unnatural for the women to use a man’s word, just as no man would lower himself to interlard his conversation with women’s words. Linguists speculate on the previous history of the Carib dialects, and imagine that there was once a time when the men and women used almost totally different styles of speech. Well, that does not matter so much to the world of wireless, for, so far, the natives of the Caribbees? have not set up wireless sta- ■ “ Caste Talk ” In Japan. Bui. in some parts of the Far East ' a very pretty little problem has arisen in connection with broadcasting. Many of the Far* Eastern nations have for years maintained, not two, but many, varieties of speech. There is first of all the speech of the common people—- “ heimin,” as they are called in Japan —and this is considered vulgar by those who arp socially a little superior. So the “ heimin ” are “ spoken down to ” by their social superiors, and those who are slightly above the “ heimin ” have to address those a little higher still in a style of speech yet more refined and honorific. Social divisions are still very strongly marked in the Far East, and no excuse can serve the man who breaks the established custom of centuries. When a servant addresses his master (especially if he happens to be a noble or a high official of the State) more than half the words which come tumbling from his lips are meaningless honorifics made necessary by “Is ” In Six Ways. It can readily be imagined that the poor foreigner, who sets out to learn the language so as to make his sojourn in the country more interesting, soon gives up the task in despair. Very few, indeed, go on to the second stage of their studies—the mastery of the written language. For apart from all the varieties of the spoken language (in Japanese for example “da,” “ de,” “aru," “desu,” “desu te,” and “de gozaimasu ” are all different ways of saying “ is ”) there is a wide gulf between the spoken and the written language. You may know colloquial Japanese thoroughly and yet be stumped by the first printed announcement you see. Even if it is read out to you, you are still far from understanding what it is all about, because the grammar of the written language is different from that of the spoken language, and different words are used. The Announcer's Problem. Think, then, of the difficulties of Japanese announcers! The Japanese announcer is not necessarily a man of good family, and seldom is he a man of high social standing. Yet he must address all classes of Japanese listeners so as not to give offence! He may have among his listeners rickshaw boys, schoolmasters, tradesmen, students, Cabinet Ministers, and peers of the realm. What is he to do about it? Perhaps a notice is sent in composed in the written language and it must be broadcast, but if the announcer reads it no one will understand. And suppose a letter is sent to be broadcast: this brings in yet another style—the' epistolary—in which “soro” or “ gozasoro ” is the word for “is”! (Thus far six out of a possible dozen!) (To l>e continued, to-morrow.) TO-NIGHT’S CONCERTS. IYA, Auckland (329 metros). 7 40: Talk, “Birth Stones”, Mr Edmond S. Kohn. 8.0 to 11.0: An operatic and classical programme, followed by dance music session. 2YA, Wellington (416 metres). 7.4 0: Lecturette, “For the Man on the Land . B.U: Salon Orchestra, “Prince ,

Methusalem”, “Vienna Echoes”. 8.16: Tenor—Mr Sam Duncan, “C'harmaine”. Quartet —Melodie Four, “The Two Roses”, “Blueberry Lane”. Bass—Mr W. W. Marshall, “Drinking”. 8.30: Mandolin duo—Messrs J. H. Thomas and B. French, “Hine e Hine”, “Drowsy Waltz”, “Ratana Healing Song”, “Lei No Kaiulani”, “E Pari Ra”. 8.45: Soprano— Mrs R. S. Allwright, “Serenade in Summer”. Light Opera Company, vocal gems from “Lilac Time”. 8.50: Sketches—The Sketehers, “Would You Believe It”, “Dippy”. 9.0: Weather report and station notices. 9.1: Band of H.M. Grenadier Guards, “A Voyage in a Troopship”, “Sylvia Ballet”. 9.16: Tenor—Mr Frank Bryant, “Mary, Sweet and Brown”. Baritone—Mr R. S. All.wright, “Fleurette”, “His Lullaby”. Mrs R. S. Allwright and Melodie Four, “Romany Rose”; quartet, Melodie Four, “Funiculi Funicula”. 9.33: Salon Orchestra, “Haydn Wood’s Songs”, “Pizzicato”. 9.45: The Sketehers, “Housey Housey”. 9.56: Salon Orchestra, “The Village Orchestra.”, “The Song of the Clock”. 10.6: Close. 3YA, Christchurch (306 metres). S.O: Relay from Civic Theatre of description of the inter-provincial amateur boxing tournament between Otago and Canterbury for the Waironga Shield, under the auspices of the Christchurch Sports Club. 3ZC, Christchurch (250 motres). 5.45 p.m.: Children’s Hour. 6.15: Dinner music. 7.15: Wireless and Morse session. 7.45. News session. 8,0: Short talk arranged by Manufacturers’ Association. 8.15: Evening concert session. 9.20: Dance music. 10.15: Close down. 4YA, Dunedin (461 metres). 7.0: News session. S.O: Relay from Town Hall, Dunedin, of presentation of “The Messiah” by Dunedin Choral Society, under eonductorship of Dr V. E. Galway. Soloists: Madame Winnie Fraser, soprano; Miss Mary Pratt, contralto; Mr Alfred Walmsley, tenor; Mr Ernest Short, baritone. 10.0: Close. Prom Australia To-night. The Musical Association of New South Wales has arranged the first hour of 2BL’s programme to-night, and the artists assisting ax*e Edna King-, soprano; Doris Williamson, violinist; Frank Hutchens, pianist. This will- be followed by a reading set to radio of Jeffrey Farnol’s famous novel, “The Amateur Gentleman”, arranged by the Storyteller. Dancing is in progress through 2FC, and between dance groups Grace Quine is singing popular songs. There are comedy numbers by Frank Ryan, and solos by John Warren, tenor. To-night 4QG’s programme will commence with another of the series of talks on “Early Brisbane” by “Observer”. Then the well-known Ipswich City Vice-Regal Band will visit Brisbane and will play from the studio. Vei'a Parker (contralto) and Bessie Watkins (soprano) will support. At a quarter past twelve to-day’s play in the Sheffield Shield match will be reviewed, the talk being relayed to Sydney. Dance music will complete the programme.