Help with some translation please

[jeffreymgibson]

Every few months I take a shot at translating Sakuranbo Syndrome but it's still over my head. Can someone help me out with one section. The link is below and it's the top left corner. I posted the link just in case in the first sentence I messed up and mixed up the tsu in the 1st sentence and the small U used for doubling letters. I have a hard time with these sometimes. In the first sentence I can't find any meaning for kitsu ku that makes sense. You can use the link below to see the manga page for reference and context.

後藤さんはキツく
目をつぶ ったままで



http://junkieeeee.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

Jeffrey Gibson

 

[~dreamer~]

目をつぶ った is the past form of 目をつぶる　which means to close one's eyes.
キツく is the conjugated form of きつい　written in katakana for emphasis

きつい have different meanings depending on the context, but in this case it probably means hard, as in
close one's eyes very hard, close one's eyes tightly
hope that made some sense...

 

[mildis]

後藤さんはキツく
目をつぶ ったままで

http://junkieeeee.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

What Dreamer explains is pretty correct.

I cannot explain systematically, and cannot show the natural English expressions, but try to explain.

Kitsui, Kitsuku -- This is the important Regular conjugation of Japanese adjective. KU conjugation of adjective. (形容詞ク活用)

There is similar Regular conjugation of Japanese adjective. That is, SHIKU conjugation. (形容詞シク活用)

Ku conjugation and Shiku conjugation are two important regular conjugations of adjective. You had better to memorize them.

-----------
By the way, In classical Japanese, there were three conjugated forms. (Correctly saying, not 3, but 5, or 6, 7.)

In the case of Kitsuku,

Kitsuku, Kitsushi, Kitsuki

These three forms are connected with certain types of words (for modification).

Kitsuku- --> + adjective, adverb, verb
Kitsushi --> + [empty] (finished form)
Kitsuki- --> + noun

The sound mutation took place in the course of time. The above three forms changed to: Kitsuku, Kitsui, Kitsui
Therefore:

Kitsuku- --> + adjective, adverb, verb
Kitsui --> + [empty] (finished form)
Kitsui- --> + noun

Kitsuku ( -ku ) has similar function of English /adverb/
Kitsui ( -i ) has similar function of English /adjective/, or this is Japanese /adjective/.

Ku conjugation has two forms in present Japanese.

Atsui (hot), Samui (cold), Tsumetai (cold), Takai (high), Tsuyoi (strong), Kuroi (black), Kurai (dark), Kawaii (cute), Minikui (ugly) etc. There are many examples.

Shiku conjugation also has two forms in present Japanese. For example, Uruwashiki (beautiful) is Shiku conjugation adjective.

In classic Japanese, there were three forms:

Uruwashiku ( -shiku ) --> + adjective, adverb, verb // like English /beautifully/
Uruwashi ( -shi ) --> + [empty]
Uruwasiki ( -shiki ) --> + noun // like English /beautiful/

But in present Japanese, there are two forms.

Uruwashiku ( -shiku )
Uruwashii ( -shii )
Uruwashii ( -shii )

Utsukushii (beautiful), Kanashii (sad), Subarashii (wonderful), Osoroshii (terrible), Tanoshii (joyous), Yasashii (mild, tender), etc. There are many examples.

Conjugated forms of /-ku/ and /-shiku/ have similar function of English adverb.

In English, /adjective + -ly / is usually /adverb/. Thus:
usual --> usually
sad --> sadly
beautiful --> beautifully
happy --> happily

In Japanese,
takai ( -i ) --> takaku ( -ku ) | high --> highly
utukushii ( -shii ) --> utsukushiku ( -shiku ) | beautiful --> beautifully

These conjugations are regular conjugation.

-----------

Now, as to "後藤さんは、キツく目をつぶったままで...."

目をつぶる = close one's eyes
きつく = hard (adverb), tightly (adverb)

この服はきつい = This clothes is tight (for me)
少年をなわできつく縛る = bind a boy tightly with ropes [shota BDSM]

In Japanese language, there is no /past tense/.
つぶった (tsubutta) is /perfect tense/ of つぶる
/-ta/ is particle verb indicating /perfect/

まま is continuity of the certain conditions in this case.

Thus, 後藤さんは、キツく目をつぶったままで.... --->
Closing her eyes tightly, Gotou-san.... or
Keeping her eyes closed tightly, Gotou-san....
Gotou-san, with closing her eyes tightly, ......


mrd

 

[jeffreymgibson]

that helps...

I don't think Japanese is hard, it's just that there is so damn much to learn and remember.