娘「お父様、定年退職後はどうなさるの」
父「心機一転して日本語の先生にでもなろうかと思うん
だ」
Shinki-itten
Musume: Otoosama, teinen taishokugo wa doo nasaru no.
Chichi: Shinki-itten shite Nihongo no sensei ni demo naroo ka to omou-n da.
Daughter: Father, what are you planning to do after you retire?
Father: Well, I was thinking of doing something different like becoming a Japanese teacher.
* * *
Shinki-itten means to completely change one's mind and feelings, to turn over a new leaf. I got an unexpected phone call last week. It was my daughter's former grammar school teacher. "I retire in March and was thinking about spending the rest of my life teaching Nihongo (Japanese for non-Japanese)." I was certainly happy he called but, to be honest, didn't really know what to say. He had taught grammar school kokugo (Japanese for Japanese) for many years and was confident about his understanding of the language (kokugo). But the point of view of the Japanese taught to non-Japanese is nothing like that of the Japanese taught to Japanese. I just couldn't bring myself to tell him this though. I ended up sending him the names and addresses of some Nihongo schools. Today, he called back, dejected and discouraged. "I visited nine schools and they all turned me down. Even though I'm now taking a teacher training class, it seems impossible to get a job until I pass the kentei shiken (Teaching Japanese as a Second Language Qualifying Exam). Shinki-itten ganbatte miyo ka to omou'n desu (I've resolved to start all over again)." To tell the truth, I was really happy to hear this. A 65-year-old teacher getting excited about studying all over again in order to start a new career! What spirit! He attends my teacher-training class twice a month. Go for it K sensei!
Shinki-itten is also used when you fail at some job or undertaking. The president of an export company that has gone bankrupt because of the high yen ex7 change rate: "Shinki-itten. Hajime kara yarinaoshi desu" ("Time to turn over a new leaf. Back to the drawing board.") A news reporter friend wrote a novel in his spare time. In spite of his being confident, publishers only sent back polite rejection letter after polite rejection letter. At first he was angry, "They can't appreciate the value of my work." Later, however, "Shinki-itten shite betsu no shosetsu wo kakihajimemashita "I've turned over a new leaf and begun to write a different novel"). Good to hear. I hope his new novel is a big success.
Imagine a workaholic who works from morning till night, goes 6ut to drink with his co-workers after- ward, and always gets home in the middle of the night. "My wife takes care of everything at home," he boasts. One day, however, his wife surprises him by asking for a divorce. Aren't Sundays the only day you are able to talk to the children? Do you even know what your own wife is thinking? Finally shocked into coming to his senses he says, "Shinki-itten shite yoi otto ni naru kara, kangae naoshite kurenai ka" ("I'll turn over a new leaf and become a proper husband. Please think things over again, OK? ) If only these feelings last...