#133 桐野夏生『グロテスク』
わたしは男の人を見るたびに、この人とわたしが子供を作ったら、いったいどんな子供が生まれてくるのだろう、とつい想像してしまいます。それは、ほとんど習い性になっていて、男の人が美しかろうが醜かろうが、歳を取っていようがいまいが、常にわたしの頭の中に浮かんでくるのです。
Vocabulary:
桐野夏生 きりのなつお Kirino Natsuo (author, 1951-)
子供 こども child
生まれる うまれる to be born
想像する そうぞうする to imagine, to picture
習い性 ならいせい second nature
美しい うつくしい beautiful
醜い みにくい ugly
歳を取る としをとる to age, to become older
Translation:
Whenever I see a man, I unconsciously imagine: if I were to have a child with this person, what kind of child would it be. It has almost become second nature, and whether the other person is beautiful or ugly, old or young, the thought always pops into my head.
Link for the text I used:
Bunsukesan, as ever really enjoying reading your pieces. A picky point but what is the subtle difference between pronouncing 習い性
ならいせい and ならいしょう as you translate it? Also is it any different in meaning to 習性
しゅうせい? Best Wishes, Paul.
Thank you for your work! Whenever I open my mailbox and see a mail from you, I feel so much inspired and eager to learn