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For Life
2005.04.11(Review of 2000.12.07 edition)

Bright and hopeful April greetings to you! We hope you are returning to us after having spent a perfect weekend. But if not, don't worry, because we're going to do our best to make this a perfect week for you!

If your idea of the perfect day is to spend it at a fashionable department store searching for the perfect outfit, then you're in luck, because that's our idea of the perfect theme for the week!

Today's LessonCATEGORY: 混同しやすい言葉CATEGORY: ジャパニーズイングリッシュ
DEPARTMENT STORE vs. (the ladies') DEPARTMENT
デパート、百貨店 vs. (婦人用品)売り場

Explanation

  • A department store is a large store with a number of separate areas (departments), each of which sells different kinds of goods.

    A department is an area (in a department store) where particular kinds of goods are sold. For example, in the “ladies' department” they sell clothes and accessories for women, and in the “toy department” they sell toys (of course!).

    Be careful: We do NOT use the word “department” alone, like the Japanese デパート, to mean department store. For example, Berlitzデパート would be “Berlitz Department Store”, NOT “Berlitz Department”.
  • department store は、大きな店で、いろいろな売り場 (department) があり、売り場ごとに扱っている商品の種類が異なります。つまり、百貨店、デパートのことです。

    department は、department store の中で、特定の商品を売っている場所です。例えば、ladies' department(婦人用品売り場)では、婦人用の洋服や、アクセサリーなどを売っています。toy department(おもちゃ売り場)では、当然のことながら、おもちゃを売っています。

    注意:日本語では百貨店のことを「デパート」と言いますが、英語ではdepartment という言葉を単独で使っても百貨店という意味にはなりません。例えばBerlitzデパートは、英語では Berlitz Department ではなく、Berlitz Department Store になります。

examples

  1. I'm going to Berlitz Department Store to look for a wedding gift. Would you like to come with me?
  2. A five-story department store is being built near my station. Shopping is going to be so convenient when it opens!
  3. (at a department store information desk)
    a: Excuse me. Where's the men's department?
    b: It's on the third floor.
  4. I could spend the whole day shopping in the housewares department. I love looking at all the beautiful dishes and cooking tools!

英会話レッスンWe've enjoyed your company!