A Story About Dictionaries2 -Murakami Asahi-do -Haruki Murakami-

Dictionaries often contain illustrations, and I really like those illustrations. Although they are called illustrations, they are not included just to entertain readers. They are primarily meant to accurately convey the meaning of words to the readers. For example, in Kenkyusha's "Shin Kanyaku Eiwa" dictionary, there is an entry for "pergola," which is translated as "tsurudana azumaya" in Japanese. However, this description alone may not provide a clear image. That's why there is an actual picture of a pergola next to it. When you look at this picture, you can see that the pillars are round, there is a bench under the pergola, and the floor is paved with stones. A young man and woman are sitting on the bench, holding hands. The man is somewhat assertive, and the woman doesn't seem to dislike it. They exchange glances with a certain understanding. There is an atmosphere of "Hey, let's lie down together without doing anything weird." I'm not sure if this atmosphere is specific to pergolas, but illustrations in dictionaries are fun in any case. Taking this idea further, there is the Oxford-Duden "Pictorial English-Japanese Dictionary" (published by Fukutake Shoten), which is entirely composed of illustrations. I bought it recently, and just flipping through the pages is quite enjoyable. It has some pretty trendy and contemporary elements, including illustrations for disco and nudist clubs. Isn't that amazing? Even more astonishing is the "Nightclub" section on page 318, and the illustration in that section is unmistakably in the style of Teruhiko Yumura. And the customer with a lecherous expression, gazing intently at a recently undressed stripper, definitely looks like Haruki Murakami. If you don't believe me, please check it out by browsing in a bookstore. By the way, the illustrator is a foreigner named JochenSchmidt, it seems.