“Mom and Pop” electronic stores are struggling in Japan
These sentences were taken from “ガイアの夜明け”. It’s a television program that offers some interesting insights about business and market trends in Japan. I don’t always have time to watch every show so while reading about recent past programs I came across these sentences.
Apparently, the “Wal-Mart Effect” is alive and well in Japan.
Real Japanese
家電量販店の圧倒的な量と価格攻勢に、「町の電器屋さん」が皆、なぎ倒されている。地域に根ざしたサービスを提供し続けてきたが、今や風前の灯だ。
English Translation
The highly aggressive volume and pricing tactics of large-scale electronic stores are devastating local electronic shops. Stores that have been providing long-standing services to local communities are now threatened.
Direct Translation
かでんりょうはんてん あっとうてき
/家電量販店 の 圧倒的な
/Large-scale electronic stores of highly aggressive
/The highly aggressive volume and pricing tactics of large-scale electronic stores/
りょう かかくこうせい
量 と 価格攻勢に、/
volume and pricing tactics/
まち でんきや みな なぎたされている
/「町の電器屋さん」 が 皆、 なぎ倒されている。/
/Local electronics stores (sub.) all devastating [passive]/
/are devastating local electronic shops/
ちいき ねざした ていきょう つづ
/地域 に 根ざしたサービス を 提供し続けてきた/
/local to long-standing services (obj.) have continued to supply/
/[stores] that have been providing long-standing services to local communities/
. いまや ふうぜん ともしび
/が、 今や風前の灯 だ。/
/but now a candle flickering in the wind is/
/are now threatened/
Japanese Language Points
町の電器屋さん- The literal translation is, “the local ‘Mom and Pop’ electronics store.”
なぎ倒されている- Means, “mow down, overwhelm, devastate.”
根ざしたサービス- 根ざした means, “rooted.” I translate this part literally as, “services rooted in the local communities.” Another way to put it is, “providing long-standing services.”
風前の灯- Means, “a candle flickering in the wind, a precarious situation, threatened.”
Posted: November 7th, 2008 under In the news.