Please use spoiler tags - [spoiler]like this![/spoiler] - where appropriate; anything from later chapters or the anime, and any major or interesting information from this chapter.
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Don’t be afraid of asking questions, even if they seem embarassing at first. All of us are here to learn.
Have fun
We’re discussing grammar, vocab usage and its context, checking if our reading comprehension is right, interesting plot/character development, etc.
Can you customize your anonymous name in Google Sheets? Either someone did that or Google is getting awfully stalkery about the content of our spreadsheets.
I would be (not very) anonymous dragonfly if that was the case!
I thought I’d get cracking on this chapter because it’s Eurovision this week and I’m going to be spending several evenings watching hilariously appalling Europop and not thinking about Kiki. (Kind of appropriate that it’s a music-themed chapter though!)
@Kyasurin So naturally the book should be getting easier as we keep reading (and has been for me) as we get more used to the writing style used in novels in general and in this book in particular. But does it feel like this chapter and the previous chapter have be objectively easier?
I’m voting for “we’re getting better at it” rather than “the book is getting easier”
I seem to be looking up just as many words per page in most cases. However I think perhaps the grammar has been more straightforward the past two chapters?
I’m kind of missing being able to ask/answer questions but I haven’t really had any.
I will upload this chapter’s pictures for you soon.
I have to say, this chapter actually surprised me with the ending.
I was expecting the miserable musicians to start playing and thaw themselves out in the process.
Aspects of this chapter I enjoyed:
the irony of the musician saying they were not the sort of musicians who could perform with「風が吹いても鳴るようなへぼ楽器」- given that the concert ended up being exactly that.
the excitement of Kiki trying to get the rather reluctant Jiji into the moving train (Subtitle for this chapter: “Don’t try this at home children!”)
the image of Kiki & Jiji flying along like a giant wind chime, having a great time making a racket with the precious instruments
I read this as “Can we perform with the sort of mediocre instruments that will sound even if the wind blows them?”
I’m guessing the implication is that crappy instrument → anyone can play it but it doesn’t sound good, in contrast to quality instrument -.> sounds good but requires skilled musician to play it.
See the middle of p232 red book = p210 blue book I think
Thanks, I found it on the first line of page 211. I understood that Kiki suggested connecting the trumpets together and hanging them from the broom. But apparently I missed (or forgot) the line 「そこにある荷物のひもを、少しずつもらってさ」. So I guess they got some string from some of the luggage and used that to tie the trumpets together.
I envisaged the ひも as being used to hold the 荷物の山 together on the train. Lucky no-one else was in the luggage compartment to watch this brazen act of Junior Great Train Robbery!
Anyway, here are the illustrations from the red book for this chapter.
Although only the word ラッパ (which Jisho defines as trumpet, horn, bugle) is used in the book, I see the illustrator has included other brass instruments. My paper dictionary has ラッパ only meaning (military) bugle, the sort you . So I googled it (as you do) and found the following random fun facts for you.
The picture of them flying with the instruments is pretty cool, especially Jiji clutching the violin.
I wish I could start the last chapter early too, but I’m going on vacation in a few days, and there’s no way I could finish the chapter in that time. So I probably won’t be starting the last chapter for about two weeks.
“what’s important, is whether or not the people of this town can hear well. It’s quite the concern.”
most unsure about the next one: “in any case someting seems to be left out.”
This has to tie in to the luggage left on the train so, even if it seems far fetched to me, does 耳がいいか refer to the station staff’s mistake?
魔女の宅急便 
For the Chapter 9 discussion thread, click here!
Start of the Repeat Club Discussion
