【日々の英語】Easter Sunday
On the 9th of April 2023, a breezy sunny day, it is Easter Sunday. Despite being in the midst of spring, it still feels chilly, and I even wear a puffer jacket at home. I enjoy soaking up the sun and admiring the flowers on the street to embrace the spring feeling.
Speaking of Easter, yesterday I visited a British pastry/deli shop called Swan and Lion, owned by a British proprietor. They serve classic British savoury treats and staples, such as handmade pies and preserves. As it was Holy Week, they had hot cross buns, which are traditional Easter treats not only in the UK but also in many other countries. When I entered the shop, the owner was at the counter, and this led to us striking up a conversation. I said a few words in English, and he immediately noticed my accent and asked if I had lived in England. It meant a lot to me. We had small talk about how American accents can be difficult to understand for someone familiar with British accents.
Afterwards, I decided to go to an Irish pub called The Hole in The Wall for some tea and cake. I had always wanted to try their cake, and finally, I got around to it. I looked through the menu and saw that they offered a cake of the day. It was a toss-up between carrot cake and Guinness chocolate cake, but I ultimately went for a slice of carrot cake and a cup of tea, which only cost about 5 quid in total. As soon as my meal arrived at my table and I took a bite, I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle sweetness of the carrot cake, which wasn't overly sweet at all. The background music in the pub created a cosy atmosphere, and listening to customers' conversations in the background was quite satisfying. To be frank, the owner of the pub, who is from Northern Ireland, seemed unapproachable and acted in haste, but it wasn't a big deal.
Today is Easter Sunday, and I was curious about the meaning of Easter, so I looked it up. I found out that Easter traditionally falls during Holy Week, a week before Easter Sunday, and people practice observances leading up to it. One thing that surprised me is that Good Friday is traditionally a day of fasting. Different countries have unique Easter traditions. For fans of crime fiction, Norway is the place to be during Easter, as it has become traditional to read crime novels and solve mysteries. For children, Easter egg hunts are the most popular event.
Regardless of the holiday, the main point is to be with someone you like or love and enjoy time together, appreciating each other's company.
Proofread and reviewed by ChatGPT
実はこちらの記事はChatGPTに英文を校正・レビューをしてもらうという試みでした。
元の英文では、日記のようなカジュアルな口調であったり現在系で書いていたため、その部分がことごとく校正されてしまい少し味気なくなってしまいましたが、そのあたりのニュアンスも指示の出し方次第です。
Google Chromeの拡張機能『editGPT』を使うと、上の画像のように変更箇所が一目でわかるのでとても便利です。ぜひ遊び感覚でお試しださい。