なりけり

English translation: has become

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Japanese term or phrase:なりけり
English translation:has become
Entered by: Shannon Morales

15:02 Aug 15, 2007
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Religion / Zen
Japanese term or phrase: なりけり
What does "narikeri" mean in the following?
引き寄せて 結べば芝の庵なり 解けばただの野原なりけり
(quoted from a book on "Zen and Culture")
Shannon Morales
United States
Local time: 02:43
has become
Explanation:
I studied all this once! I think keri is a particle indicating completion, and nari is like aru.

By the way, here is a translation of the whole thing quoted in Junichiro Tanizaki's In Praise of Shadows, (translated by Harper and Seidensecker)

The brushwood we gather -
Stack it together, it makes a hut;
Pull it apart, a field once more.
Selected response from:

Steven Smith
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:43
Grading comment
Thanks so much for the published translation. That helps tons!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2has become
Steven Smith


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


22 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
has become


Explanation:
I studied all this once! I think keri is a particle indicating completion, and nari is like aru.

By the way, here is a translation of the whole thing quoted in Junichiro Tanizaki's In Praise of Shadows, (translated by Harper and Seidensecker)

The brushwood we gather -
Stack it together, it makes a hut;
Pull it apart, a field once more.

Steven Smith
United Kingdom
Local time: 07:43
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thanks so much for the published translation. That helps tons!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Nobuo Kameyama: I believe that Edward G. Seidensticker is one of the best Japanese-English translators and also an excellent Japanologist, however, I know the best Japanologist we ever had was Herbert Norman.
3 hrs
  -> Thanks for correcting my Seidensecker!

agree  Ruth Sato
1 day 22 hrs
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)



Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.


See also:
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search