Basic-Japen Lesson 30 * Maitta 20 Mangasin Whenever you hear someone say maitta as an interjection, you know they are somehow in trouble or distressed. Maitta can be used to admit defeat, like “Uncle/l give up" in English — including cases of a good humored defeat. It can be a mild exclamation of chagrin like “Geez/Damn it all/What a bummer!” Or it can be similar to komarta (see Basic Japanese #15) in indicating that you are in a fix, worried, at a loss for what to do or say. ‘Maitta comes from mairu (& 2 ), which refers to the act of approaching or moving close to a superior and is used as a humble verb for “(1) go” or “(1) come.” One of the idiomatic uses stemming from this is “(g0) worship/pray at a shrine.” So the word has always been associated with submission/supplication. Consider- ing these implications of maitta, it’s not hard to see certain connections with the meanings in the examples we present here, but we haven't been able to find any theories about just how these usages might have evolved. ‘When maitta is used as an interjection, an emphatic particle almost always follows it (na, wa ne, yo, etc.). As some of our examples show, it can also be used as the verb of a regular sentence to convey essentially the same meaning. “What a Bummer” This hostess bar (referred to usa 7 7 7 (kurabu, “club”] in the story) is having a rough time because ofthe poor economy, {© Kanilono Yasuyuki Paro aro, Shogakskan not bho. SR OR RAW b tte Matta yea més Zenzen yal Rona wa yom inatolbind (om, (cllag) stall customer() don't come (fem) (Enh) “What a bummer. No customers at all.” (PL2) “Sound” PX: AAA Garin {elfect of being empty/deserted) Hostess: bb. THO BL A OLY. A” baburu no jidai ga natsukusit. Th bubble. "e ifere (a) is fondly membered ‘ah, Lmiss the bubble (economy) era.” (PL2) + the Japanese word for “bubble” is ava (il), but a katakana rendering ofthe English is used when refering to the “bubble” economy of the late 80 and early 50sBa icesa “What to do?” This section chief (kacho) usually gets someone else to make copies for him, but this time he is atthe office by himself Kau: i Senn EX: : : keke 6 thyashi & Ts BRL CORTZ Ce EFBE are," / Kono botun de nai _ to suru. fan’ "tie tate “eat when you consider hat “Huh? Well if itisn’t this button, then =." (PL2) nee Hee hacha ache (Glicking sound of pushing a button) Rok th Maia ng. inate (alloqy “What do Ido now?" “Dang” ‘The hero of this story about shdgi, or Japanese chess, fell asleep in his room and is snow late for an impo Shasuke: 2 k= 0 BR oko ® Maite — na.” Doko no heya dattakke ka? ‘Dang, which room was itnow?” CQ brane te. ae, wakanné ne. Ahem bS Minna oni a “They all look alike: Fean't tel” + daria tke (or often da kke) i used aftr question word (ko, “where” in this case) when you can tring 0 mind Something you Used to kaw orate yng Yo remember + akanné isa contration/coruption of wakaranal the negative plain past of walt, "know/understand.” ‘game. His laid-back style shows in this situation wher ‘might expect him to be in a near pani trying to find the game room. you {© Nas hunch / Geka no Kish Shogakakan Manaauin 29siceJapane Physical distress Maitta can also be used when you're hot or tired. In this scene, Muraki has just returned from running some company errands on a blisteringly hot day Muraki: 0 ac RCT ia “mata sasuke ansukute Cal emu, la bot hae “Wow, F've ad it, It's so hot” (PL2-3) + iva (sometimes lengthened to) is actually a state ‘ent of eisgustor chagrin, but here is used more asa Seba warm-up, + maita suis a contacton of mia desu, a kind of formal alternate to the PLS mairimashita collet most aways shortens desu 1 st Muraki A star jockey has been getting threatening letters, and then receives a package contain- ing a small voodoo doll of him with a pin through the chest. Understandably worried, he is nego- tiating with some professional body guards. wv CARTE | Whom ee BR 2 OR Try ‘ine Ft "Rue Dr RAB A CF. ° WFR 2 Fe save Saco texan) “i AK Fe acon ‘SSo1 can't even sleep well at night. Its really getting to me.” (PL2) + rok means “good” or “wel” bu is usually used with ‘negative to mean “ot well"-+"bad/poortet.” i 30 ManaasinAt a loss for words Former college rugby star Naoto heads out for alate night snack after putting his son to bed. The proprietress recognizes him from an old magazine article BER OTE BEA Anata no koto ne, Tsutsuen-san yous thing (came bon} EThis is you, isn't i, Tsutsumi-san,” 2 i HA ‘Tsutsumi Naoto oe peeiSnee + anaza no koro looks like “te facing of you.” fbut means “(about you + the kant in Azakami's dialog belloon is appar tently a misprint, and should be #2 ast appears in 3 the magazine sh is holding s Naoto: $00 f &. EOHN TH Maia na) Sonor desu don't know what to say (colle) nthe tat yarrassing. 1's just as you say.” (PL) i Etsuko was ready to marry this man five years ago, but broke up with him beeause she saw him in a love hotel district with another woman. She now finds out thatthe woman was his sister, who worked in the area of the hotels. She had thought that he was just toying with her affections, but he was actually hoping to marry her. Now she decides to pretend that she ‘was never serious about hrm Etsuko: Aa haha ‘avg “Ab, ha ha ha, . ‘© Kunitomo Yasuyski/ Paro par, Shopakskan Sokka, |” maitchata na. iethatio dont know what ay bee 23TH i ott BAT Anata ga soko made watashi ri homki data mane Jorn (shi) that mactvar "lines serous “vas. the vey ie Js that so? What ean I say? I never knew you were so serious about me.” (PL2) + the sobka andthe na after maichatta pve her spesch a somewhat rough tone which serves to mask her disappoiniment, Manaasin 31BasiceJapanese “| lose/give up” Yoshii is negotiating the price of a catered party with Akiba. It was supposed to cost '¥25,000 per person, but now Akiba says ¥30,000, with all drinks included. Yoshi reluctantly agrees when Akiba makes a rather high-pressure pitch. OKIE SH ashe ni Arigata gocaimasu leva hitori sanman-en thask you with tht one pers 0.000 yen “Thank you, ‘Then 30,000 yen apieee itis.” (PL3-4) Enok & mba £ Maina no. Kanawanat "yo Eheup (alloy) ameormaich (uph) “OK, [give up. P'm no mateh for you.” (PL2) Imano works at the front desk of a hotel, and has recently heard from his co-workers that itis important to scrutinize people as they leave the hotel to figure out whether they were pleased with the service or not, and then take measures to set things right with the guests Who {weren't happy. The old pros can tell how the hotel guests feel just by looking at their posture from behind, but Imano can’t seem to get the hang of i Imano: £8.97 & Maia na Showa] HOTEL, Shopakvkan Meee ae Tshinomori Shitar6/ MOTEL. Shogakaka “ST give up.” (PL2) ie AT Hh oH brane * Ushiro——sugata—_nante ‘ura memo wakarmai ya. Tnciichind fguecshape someting Ike no mater hw much Hook don't gett (cm "No matter how hard T look at them from behind, [just can’t tell anything,” (PL2) + wakannai isa contraction of waarana, the negative plain past of wekaru ("understand") 32 MANGAJINBasiceJapane A taunt ‘Commodore Bell has come to Japan on a trading mission, bu first wants to experience the finer points of having a good time. The local magistrate (bug the famous Japanese carouser Haguregumo, and they order some sake, The bugys takes hi has taken him out drinking with ther hot nor cold, but hitohada, or “skin temperature.” (See Mangajin #5 for the complete story.) BS BEC HRY D Tb EC MID Sitsuku mo aku tsumetai no demo nak hitohada? ee alo “nate eats expan) aso “nat hua kin “Neither hot nor cold, skin-temperature?” (PL2) TY th te, BU OTA LEU Bd. jin wa nd, atsuika tsumereha dake dare ions) artor (clea) ocor, “coker | ‘ony ‘Tht rot cas eli vam Thidstons at ali) AML oT D% HR A HL Witohade “te no mo “orm nda so, oman in called () dito paves (eaplan) i cemp) “Foreigners have only hot or cold, don’t they. We have what's called “skin temperature’ t00.” (PL2) ook dO 16h Maita ka kono baka: gee sh "Do you give up, you idiot?” (PL1-2) ‘The bugya uses akin of rough speechiilect in which the word suet becomes sumer, and gajon Becomes seh. aPrTt morse Sat y LR ane SHU I Pie REDE 368 Baga | fet me * ¢ * t% b & &* R a hm i/34 © Akiyama Jj /Hagureguno, Shogakukan “You've got me there” ‘One of his drinking buddies comments that Haguregumo is a man who has a good feel about him. The accompanying barmaid pipes in about what she thinks gives a man that certain Barmaid: 9 ficito properly Maguregume: 4 ©. al Shogakukan Uchi nishinara desu yo, abot Hoc(ns A Ose haratteRureru ito no toro deste ne a (fer) perio (1) Sa'man with a good feel about him is one who keeps his tab paid up.” (PL3) che Evot “Oops, guess you've got me there.” ‘bewilderment . = + Hors contraction of kre wa (fortis) ie (enh “Well, as for me, you know,” AHS DOV FB oC O id, BE t Kimochi no it otoko “te no wa, anys Tein (tg “man (gute (=) aor account (3b) ‘a calog) sou Manaasin 33