Reading Challenge 読解に挑戦しよう！ Short Stories

[Bokusenou]

Jembru Ah, good idea! I went and added that to the sentence.

Looking at that next line, it looks like we skipped some lines. I guess I'll do them:
人と上手《うま》く喋《しゃべ》れな とが不健全であるように感じていたし、友人を作れない自分はできそこないのように思えていた。
Since not being able to chat with people is considered unhealthy, you could think of me as a failure.

教室では常に、だれにも話しかけられないことなんて気にしていない、というふうに平気な顔を装《よそお》った。
Usually in the classroom I'd act like I didn't care that no one would even give me the time of day.

そうしているうちに、本当に平気になれていたら、どんなに良かったことか。
What I wouldn't have given to have really felt that way.

携帯電話にプリクラを貼《は》っている女子が、かわいいストラップを揺《ゆ》らしていたりすると、たまらない気持ちになる。
Every time the girl who has the phone with purikura stickers on it swings her cute little phone strap, I just can't bear it.

きっと彼女には、たくさんの友達がいて、メモリーいっぱいの電話番号が記憶《きおく》されているのだろうな。
I'm sure she has a lot of friends, and her cellphone's memory is probably full of phone numbers.

Next Line: そう考えると、自分もそうなれたらいいのにと、いつもうらやましくて、涙《なみだ》が出そうになった。

[chocopie]

そう考えると、自分もそうなれたらいいのにと、いつもうらやましくて、涙が出そうになった。
Whenever I thought that, I was always jealous wishing I could be like that too and I thought I would cry.

Next line:
昼休みになると、よく図書館を訪《おとず》れた。

[Bokusenou]

昼休みになると、よく図書館を訪《おとず》れた。教室には居場所がなかったし、学校内でわたしを受け入れてくれる場所はそこだけだった。
During lunchtime I often went to the library. Since there wasn't any place for me in the classroom, there was the only place I could go.


Translating わたしを受け入れてくれる場所 as "the only place which would accept me" makes it sound like she needed to apply for permission to use the library, so I had to think of something else which would work...

Next Line: 館内は静かで、空調の設備が整っている。

[chocopie]

館内は静かで、空調の設備が整っている。
The library was quiet and was fitted with air conditioning.

Next lines:
今は冬、壁際にあるヒーターから、暖かい空気が出ている。寒がりで、すぐに風邪《かぜ》をひくわたしにとってはありがたい。

[Bokusenou]

今は冬、壁際にあるヒーターから、暖かい空気が出ている。寒がりで、すぐに風邪《かぜ》をひくわたしにとってはありがたい。
Because it was winter, warm air blew out through the heaters along the walls. Since I get chilly easily, and often catch colds because of it, I was especially grateful for the warmth.

Next Line: できるだけ人が近寄らず、ヒーターの近くにある机を選んで座る。

[chocopie]

できるだけ人が近寄らず、ヒーターの近くにある机を選んで座る。
I would choose the desk closest to the heater, furthest away from other people.

午後の授業がはじまるまでの数十分間を、もう何度も読んだお気に入りの短編小説を読み返すか、居眠りするかしてつぶさなくてはいけなかった。
I had to pass the short while before afternoon lessons began, by rereading a favourite well-read book or taking a nap.


Next line:
その日、突《つ》っ伏《ぷ》して目を閉じると、携帯《けいたい》電話のことを考えた。

[chocopie]

その日、突っ伏して目を閉じると、携帯電話のことを考えた。
That day, when I laid my head down and closed my eye, I started to think about mobile phones.

Next line:
もし、自分にそれを持つ権利があるとしたら、どんなのがいいだろう。

[Bokusenou]

もし、自分にそれを持つ権利があるとしたら、どんなのがいいだろう。
I only I had the right to own a cell phone, which one would I get?

Next line: 最近よく、そのことを考える。

[Jembru]

最近よく、そのことを考える
I've been wondering about this a lot lately.

That's a bit short.. I feel bad for taking 2 lines but then again, I have been pretty lazy in these threads lately... besides, I had 2 possible translations in mind for the next line, so whatever the next person came up with, I'd wonder if it could have been the other thought I had.

想像するだけならだれにも迷惑《めいわく》をかけない。
As it's just a daydream, there's no need to bother anyone.

Edit: forgot to state my other thought..  could that line not also translate as 'no one would be bothered by a daydream'.. It's awkward, but I think it could work.  

Next line: 失敗をすることもないし、思い通りにできる。
　

[chocopie]

I agree with your translation for 想像するだけなら, but I think 誰にも迷惑をかけない is like "it doesn't bother anyone/I'm not bothering anyone" so more like your second translation.

---

失敗をすることもないし、思い通りにできる。
I can't fail, I can do everything I imagine.

Next line:
色は白がいい。触《さわ》った感じは、つるつるがいい。

[Bokusenou]

色は白がいい。触《さわ》った感じは、つるつるがいい。
It's color should be white. It should feel smooth when I touch it.

Next Line:
いつしか自分だけの携帯電話を想像するのが楽しくなって、口許《くちもと》がほころんでしまう。

[魔]

いつしか自分だけの携帯電話を想像するのが楽しくなって、口許《くちもと》がほころんでしまう。
It was fun to imagine a cell phone of your own, with a falling mouth.

Next: わたしにはこの、想像をするという行為《こうい》が重要だった。

[Jembru]

Aug 2, 2014 16:13:31 GMT 魔 said:

いつしか自分だけの携帯電話を想像するのが楽しくなって、口許《くちもと》がほころんでしまう。
It was fun to imagine a cell phone of your own, with a falling mouth.

Next: わたしにはこの、想像をするという行為《こうい》が重要だった。

Weird coincidence. I was going to start participating in these threads again from tomorrow because I'm going to be focusing on reading and writing more!

As you've already woken up this thread, I guess it can't hurt to start a day earlier. 

When I read that line, I understand it as 'Before I knew it, I'd start enjoying the thought of having my own mobile and a smile would creep onto my face'. literally 'my mouth would start to open' ^^.  I wonder what the others make of it? 

わたしにはこの、想像をするという行為《こうい》が重要だった。

For me,  imagining in this way was very important. 

Next Line: 一日の授業が終わると、クラスの中で一番早く学校から立ち去るのは、いつもわたしだった。

[魔]

Aug 3, 2014 17:27:50 GMT Jembru said:

When I read that line, I understand it as 'Before I knew it, I'd start enjoying the thought of having my own mobile and a smile would creep onto my face'. literally 'my mouth would start to open' ^^.  I wonder what the others make of it? 

I was going to put "before I knew". But when I looked at these sentences, they ignored the word.

I didn't know ほころぶ meant to smile.　I thought it was ころぶ, and I was confused why there was a ほ after が.


一日の授業が終わると、クラスの中で一番早く学校から立ち去るのは、いつもわたしだった。
This days lessons are over. Out of my class, I'm always the first to leave the school.

Next: 歩くのが速いというわけではない。

[Jembru]

I think you can use poetic license when translating and leave things out or add bits in order to make it flow or capture the intended meaning. I only translated it (いつしか) because it's place in the word order and the ～てしまう at the end seemed to emphasise the kind of 'in spite of myself' feeling I felt the speaker was implying.  I thought translating it carries on that idea it was unintentional, but getting lost in the fantasy, she ends up cracking a little smile. If it seems awkward to leave it in, maybe you could word it a way that captures that and leave it out. Like how in the examples you listed, one say 'time crept up on us', or 'sleep stole over us', thus giving the reader that same feeling of it happening without their awareness (I guess this is a lot like the expression いつの間にか in that way). There's no right or wrong way so long as the meaning is still transferred, but some translations are more elegant than others, so you're always welcome to offer alternative wording where you see fit. I won't be offended!

I think ほころぶ something like is 'to crack open', or 'start to open'. Like a ladder on your tights! I only translated it as smiling because she paired it with 口許. It wasn't an expression I knew.

I'm on my phone so can't copy and paste, or even see the thread as I type this, but luckily I checked the next line before I wrote this. It was...

歩くのが速いというわけではない。
It's not that I walk particularly fast.

Will add Japanese when I get back from karaoke tonight! <- or next day, same difference ^^

Next Line: 部活には入っていないし、いっしょに遊ぶ友人もいない。