Please help me to read this English sentence:

[Koir]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

...and most women’s salary is lower than men’s even if the men are good at nothing.
Children’s Day is a symbol of male chauvinism.
Thank you!

Freel4ncer has provided a good revision for this entry. I just have to chuckle at the above section and its honest expression of annoyance at guys.

Good work, Yuri!

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by Koir

I just have to chuckle at the above section and its honest expression of annoyance at guys.

Good work, Yuri!

Hi, Koir. Thanks!
I might have met too many men who were good for nothing when I was a pharmacist.
It might be because we didn’t have any opportunities to have great success or promotion.
On the other hand, female pharmacists were almost always diligent and they didn’t wish to promote.
Of course there are many capable men in the world, you know!

[YuriTokoro]

Hi!
Would you correct my English, please?


"Which is?"

My American friend said that he managed the family budget. He has a wife and no children.
He also said that women were careless about money and often bought on impulse. “Men have to keep the purse strings.”
This was surprising to me because the situation is opposite in Japan.
So I asked many friends that who controller of the purse strings was.
Almost all the people I asked said that women bear the bag. Only one exceptional case was her husband was a banker.
One married woman said, “If I let him have much money, he goes to drink and spends all the money!”
Two married man said, “I don’t want to go to banks. It’s a pain.”
I told them about the American friend, and then most of the women said, “No kidding! No way!”
Is my American friend an exceptional case in America too?
Which is sensible in your country?
Thank you!

[Koir]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

Hi!
Would you correct my English, please?


"Which is?"

My American friend said that he managed the family budget. He has a wife and no children.
He also said that women were careless about money and often bought on impulse. “Men have to keep the purse strings.”
This was surprising to me because the situation is opposite in Japan.
So I asked many friends who controlled their purse strings.
Almost all the people I asked said that the woman controls the money. All except for one woman whose husband was a banker.
One married woman said, “If I let him have much money, he goes drinking and spends it all!”
Two married men said, “I don’t want to go to banks. It’s a pain.”
I told them about the American friend, and then most of the women said, “No kidding! No way!”
Is my American friend a unique case in America too?
Which is sensible in your country?
Thank you!

Not very many revisions, Yuri. As for who controls the money, I would think it has to be the person who knows the most about finances. It's not restricted to specific genders. Still, it's fairly rare for me to see the man of the family handling finances. I'm probably old-fashioned.

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by Koir

Not very many revisions, Yuri. As for who controls the money, I would think it has to be the person who knows the most about finances. It's not restricted to specific genders. Still, it's fairly rare for me to see the man of the family handling finances. I'm probably old-fashioned.

Koir, hi. Thanks as always!
I don’t understand why you said you were old-fashioned.
Until about 50 years ago, women didn’t control the money in Japan. Isn’t it the same in your country? Controlling the money of women is new.
Or, you meant you will control the money because you are studying accounting?

Many Japanese don’t know about finances and some of them hate to know it because they believe that having or thinking much money is bad, somehow.
They believe that rich people must have done some evil.
Japanese schools never taught about money except in economics schools, while I’ve heard that western schools teach basic finances to their students. Is this right?


“So I asked many friends who controlled their purse strings.”
My original sentence was wrong. I wanted to say “I asked them, “Who control the purse string in your family?” What should I have said? I don’t know what to say.
So I’d like to change this sentence to “So I asked many friends.” Because some of them were men and they didn’t control their purse strings.

[Koir]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

Koir, hi. Thanks as always!
I don’t understand why you said you were old-fashioned.
Until about 50 years ago, women didn’t control the money in Japan. Isn’t it the same in your country? Controlling the money of women is new.
Or, you meant you will control the money because you are studying accounting?

*involuntary twitch at the mention of "accounting"*

Ahem.

I was basing my statements on how my parents handled money and finances. My mother was (and is) the person who controls the money in the family. As I grew older, I helped her with the finances and monthly bill payments which is what eventually convinced me to study accounting in college.

Of course, when I get into my career, it will be only me to start with controlling my own finances. It's more due to personal experiences and not training that taught me exactly how I manage money.

Many Japanese don’t know about finances and some of them hate to know it because they believe that having or thinking much money is bad, somehow. They believe that rich people must have done some evil.

That could have come out of the belief that for one person to have so much money, it had to come from somewhere. That 'somewhere' being a large amount of other people paying their hard-earned money. That could be considered 'evil'.

Japanese schools never taught about money except in economics schools, while I’ve heard that western schools teach basic finances to their students. Is this right?

Pretty much. When I was in high school (compulsory education for children between 14-16 years old) Accounting was taught. Compared to the advanced training I just finished, it was *very* basic.

“So I asked many friends who controlled their purse strings.”
My original sentence was wrong. I wanted to say “I asked them, “Who control the purse string in your family?” What should I have said? I don’t know what to say.
So I’d like to change this sentence to “So I asked many friends.” Because some of them were men and they didn’t control their purse strings.

In that case, some of your friends would consider it a purely intellectual question. The most natural way to express that (in my opinion) would be:

"So I asked many friends who should control the purse strings in a family. Some of them do not handle money matters in their family, so the question was more theoretical. The others had a more experienced, practical view."

The bolded sentences are an additional explanation of the individuals that were questioned, and clarify that not all of them are in the same situation, so they would have different opinions.

Most of the confusion comes from using the colloquilism (or saying) of "purse strings". It would be more natural to use the accurate description of "handling money" (specific) or "handling finances" (general). Less writing, and it gets the central idea across more efficiently.

[YuriTokoro]

Originally Posted by Koir

Of course, when I get into my career, it will be only me to start with controlling my own finances. It's more due to personal experiences and not training that taught me exactly how I manage money.

You sound like you can’t imagine when you get married or have your children.

Pretty much. When I was in high school (compulsory education for children between 14-16 years old) accounting was taught. Compared to the advanced training I just finished, it was *very* basic.

What did they teach you about accounting in high school?
I had the subject of “Basic politics and economics” in high school, but it wasn’t accounting at all. I mean, they didn’t teach about spending habits.

In that case, some of your friends would consider it a purely intellectual question. The most natural way to express that (in my opinion) would be:

"So I asked many friends who should control the purse strings in a family. Some of them do not handle money matters in their family, so the question was more theoretical. The others had a more experienced, practical view."

The bolded sentences are an additional explanation of the individuals that were questioned, and clarify that not all of them are in the same situation, so they would have different opinions.

Most of the confusion comes from using the colloquialism (or saying) of "purse strings". It would be more natural to use the accurate description of "handling money" (specific) or "handling finances" (general). Less writing, and it gets the central idea across more efficiently.

I need time to understand what you wrote above… (There are too many words I don't know.) I will try, but sorry, I can’t answer now.

[Koir]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

What did they teach you about accounting in high school?
I had the subject of “Basic politics and economics” in high school, but it wasn’t accounting at all. I mean, they didn’t teach about spending habits.

The very basics. Debits, credits, assets, liabilities, capital, revenue, expenses. This was back when having IBM PCs in the school was a new thing along with computerized Accounting programs. In my experience, it was notable for two things: one, the more complicated things got, the lower my mark fell, and two, a group effort to not do homework made the teacher entertainingly angry.

I need time to understand what you wrote above… (There are too many words I don't know.) I will try, but sorry, I can’t answer now.

Quite alright, Yuri. Understanding concepts isn't a race, but a marathon.

[YuriTokoro]

Koir, hi!

Originally Posted by Koir

The bolded sentences are an additional explanation of the individuals that were questioned, and clarify that not all of them are in the same situation, so they would have different opinions.

There was only one woman who said her husband ( the banker) handles the finances. The other people had same opinion that women should handle finances. I seem to have failed telling you my intensions.

Less writing, and it gets the central idea across more efficiently.

I don’t understand this sentence.
1. I don’t know what “Less writing” means.
2. Does “get the idea” mean “misunderstand”?
3. I don’t understand why this sentence has “across” in it.

The very basics. Debits, credits, assets, liabilities, capital, revenue, expenses.

It must help students a lot! Japanese schools should learn from yours.

This was back when having IBM PCs in the school was a new thing along with computerized Accounting programs.

I don’t know what “This was back” means.

In my experience, it was notable for two things: one, the more complicated things got, the lower my mark fell, and two, a group effort to not do homework made the teacher entertainingly angry.

What I should say here!? “Chuckle”??? “BS”????

Quite alright, Yuri. Understanding concepts isn't a race, but a marathon.

Thanks a lot! I don’t have any words to thank you enough.

[ozkai]

Originally Posted by YuriTokoro

Hi, I'm Yuri from Japan.
I cant't understand this sentence:
"How does a belief in luck change the way a person reacts to good or bad fortune?"

What does "a belief in luck" mean?
Does it mean like "to believe that I'm happy" or "to believe that there are lucky people and unlucky people" ???
Anybody, help me, please.
Thank you!

Re-Phrase:

How does believing in luck change the way a person reacts to good fortunes?
Believing in luck basically means that you believe in good and/or bad luck.

Similar to Buddhism.. Many Prey to Buddha for good luck, ne