知ってる内容を英語ルートで理解。
TV Show Teaches About Nature in New York City
I recently watched an interesting TV show called “Catch! Top News in the World” on NHK. It talked about something cool happening in New York City.
An environmental activist is making “meadows” on top of tall buildings in Manhattan. She wants to bring nature back to the city. She says gardens are for people, but meadows are for nature and animals. Her meadows look a bit like gardens, though!
I got curious about the words “garden” and “meadow.” Here’s what I learned:
“Garden” comes from an old word meaning “surround.” Gardens usually have fences or walls around them.
Other words like “court” (as in basketball court or royal court) come from the same old word. They are also surrounded by something.
The activist thinks gardens are more artificial, made by humans.
“Meadow” comes from an old word meaning “mowing.” It’s an area where people cut down plants they don’t want, letting other plants grow.
So, both gardens and meadows are actually created by humans in different ways!
I think what the activist is doing in New York is great. I hope this information makes you want to learn more English. It’s fun to discover where words come from!
Keep studying and enjoying English!
Jiro
私立学校に英語教師として勤務中、40代半ばに差し掛かったころ、荒れたクラスを立て直す策として、生徒に公言して英検1級に挑戦することを思い立つ。同様の挑戦を繰り返し、退職までに英検一級（検定連合会長賞）、TOEIC満点、国連英検SA級、フランス語一級、スペイン語一級（文科大臣賞）、ドイツ語一級、放送大学大学院修士号などの成果を得る。
アメリカで生徒への対応法を学ぶ為に研修（地銀の助成金）。最新の心理学に触れた。4都県での全発表、勤務校での教員への研修を英語で行う。現在も特別選抜クラスの授業を全て英語で行っている。「どうやって単語を覚えればいいですか？」という良くある質問に答える為、印欧祖語からの派生に基づく「生徒には見せたくない語源英単語集」を執筆中。完成間近。常日頃洋書の読破で様々な思考にふれているが、そうして得た発想の一つを生かして書いた論文がコロナ対策論文として最近入賞。賞品の牛肉に舌鼓をうっている。元英検面接委員