なぜ?どうして?科学のお話 - Section 1 Discussion Thread, Completed!

2000kanji is right on this one. It’s that use of と at the end of a clause again meaning, “when…”

But when stuck to the wall…
…you can’t do that.

I think Ivor’s translation is better here, capturing the たり - たり structure of “doing things like A and B”.

I would phrase it as “By skilfully shifting their centre of gravity, humans do things like standing, walking or running.”

Translating the で at the end of the first clause as “by”.

2000kanji you’ve misread the ためして as たのして. I break this down as:

あなたも - You also
この不思議な力を - these amazing abilities
してみて下さいね - please try doing
ためしてみてください - please try attempting (ためす - to attempt in て- form)

I couldn’t work out how the ため fitted in though. I understand now, thanks @Belthazar

Great to have all these translations going up from different people!

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Honestly didn’t know this one even had kanji. You’re basically never going to see this in the Real World, unless someone’s trying to be clever.

It’s 試す in て-form.

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That’s what I did :pensive:

ok for the 試す, but that still leaves us with the extra みて? Is this 見て?

It’s ~てみる = try (verbing). Or more literally, do (verb) and see (what happens).

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So it is a double try: try trying
I will try …

Merci @sansarret for initiating this book club, thank you @Micki for managing the next section.

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Section 2 thread is here.

There’s nothing to read except the title of the section on page 49, so we carry on from page 50 tomorrow!

Zuzu started the bookclub and it was an interesting choice for an absolute beginner’s club. I guess Zuzu got busy with other things in life, but thanks @sansarret for updating the page numbers each day to keep us on track while none of us could edit the opening post!

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I guess I at least caught up in time for the next thread. I agree with others that it was a bit tough and I was rushed again.

Translations for pgs. 44-48

44:
科学のじっけん

Science experiments

やってみよう からだあそび ふしぎなカ

Let’s play with the body’s marvelous power.

今から 三つの ふしぎな 力を さずけましょう。

Hence, three things to grant incredible strength.

一、 ゆび 一本で 相手を 立てなくする 力です。

First, with a finger, your opponent cannot stand up.

友だちでも おとなでも よいので、いすに ふかく こしかけて もらいましょう。

Whether a friend or an adult, have them sit on a chair.

その人の ひたいを ゆびで かるく おさえるだけで、おや ふしぎ。。。。。

That person, with your finger only lightly pressed on their forehead, oh! Wonderful!

もう、その人は 立てません。

Now, that person can’t stand up!

45:
ふしぎな 力の ひみつは 重心に あります。

The marvelous, hidden strength in your center of gravity.

重心は、あたまの ま下に あるので、こしかけている ときは、おしりの 方、立っている ときは 足の 方に なります。

Your center of gravity + subject marker
being the case that it’s below the head
when sitting + subject marker
the butt area when standing + subject marker
on your feet + become/attain/succeed
Your center of gravity, being the case that it’s below your head, and in your butt area when standing on your feet.

立つ ときは、前かがみに なって、重心 を足 の方に うつしますが、あなたの ゆびが ひたいを おさえていると、それが できないのです。

When you try to stand, you become slouched, your center of gravity transfers to your feet, with your finger on their forehead restraining, explains why they cannot finish standing.

46:
ニ、次はあなたが椅子に腰掛けましょう。

Second, next you’ll sit in the chair.

どちらかの手を、頭の後ろに当てたら、誰かにこの手を頭から放してもらいましょう。

Put either hand behind your head, and then have someone try to get you to let go.

どうですが。

But how is this?

あなたが特に力を入れなくても、手は簡単には放れません。

Your strength cannot enter and your hand cannot easily be freed.

これにもわけがあります。

This is also the reasoning.

頭の真下に重心があるため、あなたの手を放すことは、あなたの体を持ち上げるのと同じくらい大変なのです。

For your center of gravity is below your head, to release your hand from your head, raising your body is difficult in a similar way.

47:
三、最後は手も指も使わないでできる、まるで「超能力」のような力です。

Third and final won’t use hands or fingers at all, but a strength similar to psychokinesis.

誰かに体の左側を壁にぴったり付けて立って貰います。

Have someone stand against a wall with the left side of their body.

そこで、呪文のように「右足が動かなくなる。」と言いましょう…

Then, say the magic word… (have them not move their right leg)

48:
吃驚。本当に右足は動きません。

Surprise, their right leg can truly not move.

これも秘密は重心です。

The secret is also the centre of gravity.

片方の足を上げるとき、私達は体を反対側に傾けてバランスをとります。

When you raise your foot on one side, our body’s opposite side leans in order to achieve balance.

でも壁にくっ付いていると、それができないのです。

But the expectation would mean staying against the wall is not possible.

重心を旨く動かすことで、人間は立ったり、歩いたり、走ったりしています。

The body’s center of gravity skillfully shifts so human’s are able to stand, walk, and run.

あなたもこの不思議な力を楽してみて下さいね。

You also have this wonderful power, see right

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Well done catching up!

First sentence - 力を入れる means “to put effort into) and ても means “despite”. So it’s more like “despite not particularly putting in much effort, your hand can’t easily be freed.”

Second sentence:

わけがあります means “there exists a reason” - so the sentences means “there is also a reason for this”

Other way round: “But when attached to the wall, you can’t do this.“

@JenK could you kindly make the OP in this page a wiki as well please? I can then update with a link to the next section. Thank you again.

@Sansarret please could you update the title from “Page 48” to “Completed!” Thanks again!

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Thanks @sansarret!

Yay! I have read each page every day (even on vacation last week). I still don’t understand much but my reading has gotten a bit faster. :slight_smile:

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It’s a wiki now!

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いつも always; usually; every time
~と違う differs from, is different from
いつもと違う differs from always, is different from the usual
いつもと違ううんち poo that is different from always/usual

いつもと ちがう うんちが 出たら、ちゅういしましょう。

If poo that is different from usual comes out, let’s take heed/pay attention.

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