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Thursday, April 12, 2007

「日本通」度を競い合う全米高校生選手権—Japan Bowl

412japanbowlqschool制服を着た日本の中学生が、下駄箱の前で靴を脱ごうとしている写真と、教室で給食を食べている写真がスクリーンに映し出される。
「写真を見て、生徒が何をしているか日本語で答えなさい。」司会者が問題を出題すると、会場を埋め尽くした200人もの高校生がざわめく。

412japanbowl15thannivワシントンDC市内のホテル。「日本通」度を競い合う全米高校生選手権に取材に来ている。この選手権「ジャパン・ボウル」は、日米の文化交流事業を手がけているDCの日米協会が主催。参加する高校生は、すべて純然たるアメリカ人で、全米各地の州から地区予選を勝ち抜いて、決勝戦の行われるDCに駒を進めた。彼らの日本語能力や日本文化・伝統、現 代事情についての知識を、クイズ形式で問う。

412japanbowltetsujin_2「この人が司会する、日本の有名TV番組の名前はなんでしょう?」スクリーンに俳優の鹿賀丈史の写真が映し出されると、元気よく答えが出た。「Iron Chef!」フジTVの人気番組「料理の鉄人」は、アメリカで「アイアン・シェフ」という番組として人気を博している。

このコンペティション、 語学として日本語が出来るだけではだめで、ポップカルチャーを含む日本文化にも精通していなければならない。ただ「語学好き」なだけでもだめだし、アニメや日本文化などにやたらと精通した「日本おたく」なだけでも高得点は上げられない。そこが面白い。

参加チームは、日本語を学んでいる年数によって レベルわけされている。学習2年目はレベル2、3年目はレベル3、4年目はレベル4。もっとも高度な問題が出題されるレベル4で優勝すると、10日間の日本研修旅行が授与される。

アメリカでは、高校で第2外国語を学ばなければならないが、語学のチョイスのひとつとして日本語教育がはじまったのが15年前だという。その後、同じアジアの言語としては、近頃、中国語の人気が高まり、日本語の影は薄くなって来ている。とはいえ、このような大会を見ると、その日本語学習熱には本当に驚かされる。第1回ジャパン・ボウルは、DC周辺の高校生だけを対象に1993年に開催されたというが、数年後には全米各地から参加者が集まるようになり、2006年には全米15州から90チーム、約230人の高校生が参加。

412japanbowlsmallrm問題の中には日本のことわざの意味を答えるものや、漢字を解読するものもあり、高校生たちがよく勉強をしてきていることに、驚いた。ひとつのテーブルに、一高校から3人が座り、グループ戦で答えて行くのだが、3人全員が知らなくても、誰か一人が知っていれば、グループの答えとしていい。だから3人のチームを「語学として日本語が出来る人」「雑学に詳しい人」とバランスよく構成する必要がある。

こんな風に楽しく、かつ真面目に語学が学べるなら、私も高校生に戻りたいくらい。アメリカン・ティーンの熱い「日本熱」には本当に驚かされ、感動し、日本を誇りに思った夕べであった。

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