“The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain.” (I don’t think so!!) The rain stays mainly in Japan. At least that’s what I think. You know, and it’s strange to think that just a short two years ago I was living in LA, and complaining rather regularly that there was never any “real” weather. I mean we kind of had what I consider just extremely mild seasons. In the summer it would get a little warm, most Los Angelinos would say it was hot, but compared to a Japanese humid summer an LA summer is extremely comfortable. Spring, well Spring felt like spring, and Fall, hum, if felt a bit like fall, but winter on the other hand was very mild. It never got very cold in LA in the winter, and you never needed a heavy coat, only a light jacket. I sometimes remember saying also, “I can’t remember the last time it rained.” I was always so excited when it rained in LA, because it was so rare. I guess compared to Japan or Osaka where I live it was very rare. Sometimes it seemed as if months would go by and no rain. Hum, but alas now I’m in Osaka, and it’s like I have my very own personal rain cloud that follows me everywhere I go. I truly thought that last week was the beginning of spring with the warm weather and clear blue skies but alas, here we are again.
Now, that’s my small observance. However while researching the origin of he line “The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain”, I discovered that it was a line from a movie called “My Fair Lady.” Although there is some contention that George Bernard Shaw may have coined the phrase, also there is just as much speculation that he in fact may have not.
However, and more importantly, is the fact that this sentence “The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain” has been used by many language teachers in “elocution” lessons to teach proper vocal control and gesture.
Here is a clip from “My Fair Lady” to show its usage.
Jerry
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