Customer Reviews

Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Wit and Wisdom of Japanese Proverbs (Vol 1)

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I just finished going through this book, and I enjoyed it very much. Today I read the other reviews, and I can understand their opinions, but think another perspective should be added. I'm sure my Japanese is not nearly as good as the other reviewer, and I don't live in Japan. Still, here is my opinion.

Translations are difficult in any language. Working on some very simple translations I found them most challenging. For example, the word Kobunboku I translated as Plum Blossom. If you translate the Kanji singularly and literally it would be Nice Prefered Wood. But if you understand the symbolic compounds it reads "The famous tree of Chinese literature" the flower of peace, the plum blossom. Most Japanese people would not recognize this literary compound. In reality no translation is perfect. In the version of one of these proverbs I have: "Fallen blossoms don't return to the branch. . ." It includes: "There is no sense in crying over spilt milk."

As far as testing them on Japanese friends, and average Japanese people having not heard them. . .would this be less common with English idioms? The South has many idioms people in the North have never heard. "He's drunker than Cooter Brown" "Penny wise, Pound foolish" I never heard till I was 40.

I would add I don't think it is a good idea to try and use these proverbs to impress Japanese speakers. Contrivance is rarely respected.

I greatly appreciated the author including the Kanji, Romanji, Hiragana, and English, and I think the book is helpful and a lot of fun to read with some nice thoughts to reflect on their wisdom.

PS: The title "IS" Even Monkeys Fall From Trees :)

I live in Japan and I am here to tell you that these proverbs are rarer than an uncooked steak. 80% of the proverbs my Japanese friends have never heard of, and the rest they are not sure what the proverbs actual mean. My advice is master the easier Japanese first!