Wednesday, September 7, 2011

guerrilla rain and pinpoint rain

(posted; Etymology page)
Oh...., we had tyhoon damage in eastern part of Japan!!!  Another natural disaster with many casualties in a same year (sigh).   Also we have been experiencing weird climatic phenomenon. Rainfalls seems to have changed in its style, maybe due to the "global warming".
Strangely enough, torrential downpour for a while and then dark clouds moves quickly bringing sunshine. We had really changeable weather like these several times this late summer, which I've never experienced before. I wonder if the weather in Japan is getting close to the one in tropical area.

guerrilla rain and pinpoint rain (ゲリラ豪雨・ピンポイント豪雨)
And there goes another new Japanese-English, "guerrilla rain" and "pinpoint rain". We have Japanese for localized torrential rain, but in these two Japanese-English, there seems to be slight differences.
       "guerrilla rain"  is unforeseeable
       "pinpoint rain"  is a bit foreseeable from the data.

(Here's the example conversation related with this new term in PC-site)
あなた(you):Do you know two people were killed due to a guerrilla rain yesterday?
                          (昨日ゲリラ豪雨で2人亡くなったの知ってる?)
友達(friend):Guerrilla rain? Oh, does it mean a "localized torrential rain"?
                          (ゲリラ豪雨?あー、"局地的豪雨"のことね?)
あなた(you):Yes, that's right. We call it "guerrilla rain" in Japanese.
                           (そうそう、日本語では「ゲリラ豪雨」って呼んでるんだよ)
友達(friend):I see, it's because it hits many areas in a short time like a guerrilla attack.
                           (なるほど。ゲリラ攻撃みたいに短時間でたくさんの地域に襲来するからだね)
(posted in Etymology page)

18 comments:

  1. I've never heard the expression guerrilla rain but I think it sounds forceful. Pinpoint rain sounds like tiny sharp rain drops. I know that is not what these types of rain really are just the thought that comes to mind when I read the words. It does seem like the weather is changing from year to year. I never paid much attention to such things in the past but am paying it more attention as more is being said and written about it. I hope you're having a wonderful week. Hugs

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  2. Hi Orchid..I'm sorry I have not been on much but your comments on my blog have been much appreciated. I was worried about you when I heard about the storms in Japan. I didn't know if you were being affected. It's such a shame to see so much happen to your beautiful country in a relatively short time. I'm glad you are safe. Hugs, Barb

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  3. So sorry to hear of the additional hardships for your country and people. It seems the weather has become more bizarre globally within the last 5 to 10 years. :((

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  4. Hello sweetheart,
    It has been raining quite a bit here in New York,
    Love,
    Lorraine

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  5. Orchid, it seems Mother Nature is still not done with us....it has been torrential rains here too, and no clearing til Sunday, so they say. ((hugs)) xo

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  6. Hallo my dear friend. Like Barb, I am so happy that you and your hubby are safe. I feel so sorry for your poor country, which has suffered more than enough already this year. Please take care. Hugs to you.

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  7. Mother nature cam be scary. I have never heard of these two types of rain. I love coming to your blog cos I learn something new all the time.

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  8. Happy that you are safe and sound, but sad for your country because of what you have experienced this past year. The weather here seems to be changing a bit also. A much hotter than normal summer, but now we're experiencing a beautiful 1st week of September - which is rare because it's usually blazing hot here in September. Blessing to you and your country!

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  9. Orchid...Mother Nature has not been nice to many areas of the globe! Every time I hear about a major weather problem,I worry about my friends..worry until I see a blog post or can contact them. I am so glad that you are safe!! I haven't heard of either of those rain terms..I have learned something new today..and it's only 2 pm here!! I always say i learn something new everyday!! xo

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  10. I heard there was a lot of damage around Wakayama prefecture. I hope Yamaguchi area was not affected. I am so sorry for those who were affected...I hope mother nature will be less violent...
    Please stay safe, Miyako san.

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  11. Dearest Orchid,

    Sorry for not having visited you regularly but we are on the other side of the Ocean...
    Global Warming is a kind of an escape word for lots of things but statistically things are happening 'mormal'. Mother Nature is OLD and we humans always tend to relate to things that live within our own memory...
    Sad for any victims but those things do happen on and off.
    Hope that our state will soon get its rain, so much needed as many plants have perished, as well as trees.
    Love to you,

    Mariette

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  12. I learned something new today! Thank you for explaining guerrilla rain. I'm sad to hear that more lives are lost due to violent weather. I say this little prayer "angel wings over my loves" and hope that you and your family stay safe.

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  13. Orchid, learning new things with you. I have never heard of guerrilla rain or pinpoint rain, know we know something we didn't know before. Did you get new background on the blog? I like it very much with the double hearts, I collect hearts. Think weather is changing everywhere, here it's very hot now 100 deg. Too hot for me. Hugs to you from me...Lu

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  14. The guerrilla & Pinpoint rain that is only express for Japanese people to understand though We tend to twist the words ha ha D=:-)
    I'm sorry to hear for at Wakayama people from the mother nature, hope not too much damage?
    In here our spring time back to winter weather cold rains with hail
    but be honest with you a very good for my hey fever:-)
    You take care of Miyako san,
    michiko

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  15. As soon as I heard of the weather conditions I hoped you & your family (actually hoped everyone) would be safe out of harms way. Mother Nature is pretty intense when she puts her mind to it!

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  16. I am so sorry about the damaging weather you are experiencing. It has been a strange year here as well. I have never heard of either of these terms for rain storms. Thank you so much for explaining. I love the Japanese characters that you use to write with. I think they are so beautiful. Have a great day, my sweet Orchid.

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  17. i'd never heard of these terms for rain either. i've been worried about how the rains and such were affecting Japan.

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  18. Hi Orchid, Guerrilla rain almost sounds like a hurricane. Does Japan have hurricanes? Actually I like that term, "guerrilla rain", makes me think of the tropical pattern here on the Gulf coast of FL during summer: very heavy fierce rain storms in specific areas. "Pinpoint" rain reminds me of "hail" which of course is frozen rain and not what you are referring to. However, "Pinpoint" just immediately reminded me of "hail". Such fun learning new phrases. Thank you for sharing.
    Lynn

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