That Ohtani, he’s a big shot now, ain’t he? Playin’ for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Big baseball star. Everybody’s talkin’ ’bout him. But can that boy speak any English? That’s what I wanna know. Can Shohei Ohtani speak English, for cryin’ out loud?
Well, I hear tell he can speak a little. Just a little, mind you. He’s got one of them, whatchamacallits, a translator. Helps him talk to folks. That Mizuhara fella, always beside him, like a shadow. I reckon he’s a good help. That Mizuhara, he was born in Japan, but raised right here in California. Went to some fancy college, University of California, Riverside I heard. Smart fella, I guess. Gets paid good money too, that translator, like $300,000, maybe even $500,000. Big bucks!
I saw him on the TV, Ohtani, holdin’ up that shiny trophy thing. He said somethin’ like, “This is so special,” all loud and clear. And then somethin’ ’bout “honored to be here.” So he knows a few words, that’s for sure. “Congratulations, Los Angeles,” he hollered. Then somethin’ about thankin’ the fans. That’s nice of him. He seems like a good kid. He’s learnin’, I reckon.
Now, that Ohtani, he ain’t the only one. Remember that Tanaka gal? She plays basketball. Started playin’ when she was just a little sprout, in junior high. Then she played in college, too. They say she’s pretty good. Maybe she can speak English better than Ohtani, who knows?
Speakin’ English, it ain’t easy, I tell ya. Lots of funny words and such. But that Ohtani, he’s tryin’. I hear he wants to get better at it. Wants to talk to people without that translator fella all the time. Good for him, I say. It’s good to learn new things, even if you’re a big shot baseball star.
- Shohei Ohtani plays for the Dodgers.
- He uses a translator, that Mizuhara fella.
- Mizuhara makes a lot of money.
- Ohtani said some words in English on TV.
- That Tanaka gal plays basketball.
- Speakin’ English is hard.
- Ohtani is tryin’ to learn.
I reckon Shohei Ohtani wants to communicate with everyone, you know? Not just his teammates, but the fans and all them reporters. It’s tough, learnin’ a new language. But he’s a hard worker, that Ohtani. You can tell he’s puttin’ in the effort. He probably spends a lot of time studyin’ those English words and phrases. I bet he practices sayin’ them in front of the mirror.
That translator, Mizuhara, he’s probably a big help. But I bet Ohtani wants to be able to talk on his own, without relyin’ on someone else all the time. It’s like, you know when you’re tryin’ to bake a pie, and you gotta keep askin’ your neighbor for the recipe? It’s easier if you just know it by heart. I think Ohtani, he wants to know English by heart.
He came all the way from Japan, that Ohtani, he did. That’s a long way. And he’s playin’ baseball here in America, in Los Angeles. That’s gotta be tough, bein’ so far from home. Maybe learnin’ English helps him feel a little more connected, a little more at home here. I imagine he misses his family and friends back in Japan. Speak about Can Shohei Ohtani speak English? He must learn it fast!
I remember when my cousin, bless her heart, she moved to the city. She didn’t know nobody. It was hard for her at first. But she learned the ropes, made some friends, and now she’s doin’ just fine. I bet it’s the same for Ohtani. He’s learnin’ the ropes, learnin’ English, and he’ll be just fine. He’s a good ballplayer, that Shohei Ohtani, and a good boy. He’ll figure it all out. He’s got that translator for now, but one day, he’ll be speakin’ English like a pro, just you wait and see. Maybe not perfect, but good enough. Good enough to talk to anybody he wants.
Shohei Ohtani, he is a big star, and seems like he has a good heart, maybe one day, he will speak English real good, you know? People like him, they all say that. He just needs a little more time, I reckon. Just a little more time.
