Have just been researching an article about Siri’s threat to Google for my main Grasp-The-Nettle.com site and came across this YouTube video, which was obviously made for visitors to the Tiger’s Cave to enjoy, in which the iPhone Siri assistant app and a Japanese speaker enjoy a pleasant chat about anything (including that other f-four-letter-word-thing-ending-in-k) except W-O-R-K…
While Japanese speakers of English struggle with Siri, Japan has provided Siri with difficulties of its own. A recent report shows that for Siri, Japan is proving to be a stumbling block. The Japanse version of Siri is way behind NTT Docomo‘s rival voice assistant app, Shabette Concier, and here’s a video to prove it!
The iPhone, on the left, dismally fails to provide any useful info while the Docomo on the right effortlessly handles every inquiry including the tongue twister nama mugi nama gome nama tamago (raw wheat, raw rice, raw egg)…
Okay, I guess most people already know this moving story, but I’ve only just discovered it while working online and think it’s well worth taking some time out of my work to post it here…
I came across this video of the Korean version of Britain’s Got Talent while researching web graphics.
It turns out that South Korea has an answer to Britain’s Susan Boyle. His name is Sung-bong Choi. This is the video of his “discovery” when he sings “Nella Fantasia” on his first appearance on Korea’s Got Talent.
Well worth watching if you are in need of some inspiration, or have been feeling sorry for yourself recently… This video shows us that if you are willing to “grasp the nettle,” develop your talent and pursue your dreams, it doesn’t matter how difficult your circumstances are…
“Nella Fantasia” is a popular song in South Korea. It was originally released in 1998 by Sarah Brightman and first appeared on her album Eden in 1998. A music video was released in 2006 and sold 2 million digital copies in South Korea alone.
The music is by Ennio Morricone and lyrics by Chiara Ferraù. Here are the lyrics in Italian, with an English translation:
Italian
English
Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo giusto,
Lì tutti vivono in pace e in onestà.
Io sogno d'anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano,
Pien' d'umanità in fondo all'anima.
Nella fantasia io vedo un mondo chiaro,
Lì anche la notte è meno oscura.
Io sogno d'anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano.
Nella fantasia esiste un vento caldo,
Che soffia sulle città, come amico.
Io sogno d'anime che sono sempre libere,
Come le nuvole che volano,
Pien' d'umanità in fondo all'anima.
In my imagination I see a fair world,
Everyone lives in peace and in honesty there.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like the clouds that fly,
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.
In my imagination I see a bright world,
Even the night is less dark there.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like clouds that fly.
In my imagination there exists a warm wind,
That breathes on the cities, like a friend.
I dream of souls that are always free,
Like clouds that fly,
Full of humanity in the depths of the soul.
