Japanese

[Jarx Xun]

I've started my Japanese class and am having a great time learning it. I just wanted to say somethings.

Banzai has 4 syllables. You have 4 kana there, BA N ZA I. N is pronounced ng like in King, and you give it the same amount of stress as the other syllables.

Ochanomizu = I am not sure but isn't Ocha tea? Mizu is water, so I guess it makes sense that they use Kanji to spell his name.. Just a guess.

So far I know the basic Hiragana kana, going to learn the variations next class. I find that the japanese sentence structure is quite easy to grasp. I just memorized like 40 adjectives I think my brain is gonna explode, Nihon-go wa muzukashi desu ga omoshiroi desu!

[DrFrag]

Originally posted by Jarx Xun@May 27 2004, 05:48 AM
Nihon-go wa muzukashi desu ga omoshiroi desu!

I'll give this one a shot. You find the Japanese language difficult but interesting.
(I have to admit I needed my dictionary for a few of those words)

By the way, I checked with my Japanese teacher today about syllables, and he said every kana is a separate syllable except when the vowels or n are used in conjunction with the other kana. Like BA is one syllable, but so is BAN even though it uses two kana. But ICHI is two syllables, so I figure it's because the I isn't proceded by another kana. So Banzai has two syllables.
I think it might be one of those language things that doesn't convey perfectly. Like the U in DESU is barely a whisper, it's really closer to DES in pronounciation and that's only one syllable. *sigh* I think I'm going to stop trying to impose my English rules on this whole syllable thing and just try to get it sounding as accurate as I can.

Kinou kerosin o nomimasen deshita!

[tinlunlau]

Ochanomizu = tea water

[Haruka-chan]

:wacko: i'm glad you didn't drink kerosene yesterday

ooo i've been away from here for awhile so much Uni work assignments

hmmmm maybe 'keroshiin' is better

[jeffbert]

Benkyo, Benkyo, Benkyo!

[dragon_child888]

Originally posted by jeffbert@Jun 8 2004, 02:29 AM
Benkyo, Benkyo, Benkyo!

Cool pic

[jeffbert]

Golden Boy was a really funny, although mature anime. Definately not for the kiddies. Hooray for Netflix!!

[Danny]

Ok, For those of you on the board who are more familliar with Japaneese than I am.. what does "Senpei" mean?

A few friends have started calling me that, and altho I have looked it up and have a rough idea of what it may mean I thought I would ask here anyway.

I have "baka" as silly or foolish.
I have "Gomen" as sorry.
I have "arigatu" as thanks.
I hope thats right.

some words are actually starting to find their way into my everyday vocab. I am not too sure if I should get used to "Sempai" or not tho.

[jeffbert]

I can only add this, from the context in which I have heard this word used, it seems either a word of respect or affection.

[Danny]

Yeah, I kinda got the feeling that it might have been 'playfully respective' turn of phrase, but the 'friends' who have been starting to use it like taking the piss. To be honest I thought they were having a go at me.

They call me baka all the time, for example.

If anyone is interested, I found This Glossary that seems really quite comprehensive in its coverage, if not in its definitions.