In Japan, said one of the misses Y. on the train back to Yokohama, it is necessary to read the air. This is the name for the art of perceiving the atmosphere in any situation and of understanding the appropriate manner in which to speak as a result.
The problem is, she explained, a lot of people can’t do this very well, either by temperament, inexperience or lack of intuitive abilities. So the expression for them is “can’t read the air”.
In a country where people–especially the young–love to abbreviate things, the expression “can’t read the air” shrinks down further to its component romaji initials: KY. Therefore, someone who lacks the ability to intuitively interpret the communicative demands of a situation is KY.
Even a politician has used the phrase, said Miss Y., and you know it’s widespread when it gets to parliament.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
No doubt the ability to ‘read the air’ is an excellent conversational lubricant. (Sorry).
sas’s last post was the easter story
I too had thoughts along these lines, and, while my friends here have excellent English, I read the air and figured then was not the time to try and explain for them this resemblance.
I wanted to write “slippery resemblance” there, but I can only bring myself further to lower the tone indirectly.
I admire your restraint.
sas’s last post was the easter story
Restrain not the jellied air.
Enough or too much! William Blake.
merc’s last post was Easter surf road trippin’ 2001.
Out, vile jelly! Where is thy lustre now?
King Lear; III, vii
Paul Litterick’s last post was Wall
I wanted to write “slippery resemblance” there, but I can only bring myself further to lower the tone indirectly.
Presumably you wished to smooth the way for someone else to insert a more penetrating observation.
Stephen’s last post was Things we have been up to
My friends, you are as dirty as construction workers and thrice as lovable, even as we slide, gaspingly, into a world of inexcusable taste.
Vicarious ear trippin’ is the best way to fly.