日本語会話: The Japanese Conversation Thread

[GoktimusPrime]

日本語会話を練習するためにこのスレッドを作りました。日本語が分かる者はどうぞこのスレッドに日本語を使 ってください。こちらからよろしくお願いします。ｍ（＿＿）ｍ

I've made this thread for online Japanese conversation practice. Non-Japanese speakers are also welcome to post any Japanese language related questions/comments. :)

[liegeprime]

sigh, unfortunately my computer doesnt show the katakana or something symbols:(:(:(

[yukitora]

yay! now i can continue with my anime work! i don't know where my dictionary is so, what is 'uki uki' and 'biko' as in 'biko-neko'. sorry, there words relating to my work, and they sometimes are from memory.

[GoktimusPrime]

ウキウキ(uki-uki) is an onomatopoeia for joy or happiness.

"bikoneko" might be 美子猫 which means "pretty kitty."
美 (bi) = pretty, beauty
子猫 (koneko) = kitten

[yukitora]

ウキウキ(uki-uki) is an onomatopoeia for joy or happiness.

"bikoneko" might be 美子猫 which means "pretty kitty."
美 (bi) = pretty, beauty
子猫 (koneko) = kitten


yep... that brings back memories. thanks for the grammer i forgot that 'bi' was seperate. as for 'uki uki' it rhymes with 'yuki' so, 'uki uki Yuki'. my icon pic doesn't show an 'uki uki yuki'(tora) just a blanked faced 'Yuki'(tora)!


Also, what is 'Kirameku'. I've lost my notes and arn't sure on what it means exactly. (got it out of a kanji book) is it 'shining, sparkling or glittering?'

many thanks

[GoktimusPrime]

Yes, きらめく (kirameku) means shining, sparkling, glittering, twinkling etc.

[GoktimusPrime]

From this thread (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=7602):
Heh... the Romanisation on that "Granzort" box made me smile. While "Madō" (魔動) means "demon motion", due to a lack of accent mark on the "o" it says "mado" (窓) which means "window" ;) :D

[Firestorm]

I've decided I want to start practicing my Japanese as much as possible, so this thread would be a great way for me to do so ... but I don’t know how to make my computer type in Japanese, could someone tell me how to type in Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji?

Also when someone says to you "Hisashiburidesne" what do you answer with?

[GoktimusPrime]

but I don’t know how to make my computer type in Japanese,
You need get a computer from Japan.

Just kidding. It depends on what operating system you're running.
Here are some links:
For Microsoft Windows PC (https://www.msu.edu/~bellbri2/ime.html)
Fedora 12 (Linux) (http://www.voom.net/japanese-input-method-on-fedora-12)
Mac OS X (http://library.wcc.hawaii.edu/computers/tips_japanese_input.pdf)
Unix (http://h30097.www3.hp.com/unix/i18n.htm#Japanese)


could someone tell me how to type in Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji?
May vary depending on Operating System, but on Windows once you've enabled the language bar you should see it on the bottom right of your monitor, near the clock. It should be a small blue square with "EN" (English) written in it. Right click and maximise it and the language toolbar should be on the top of your screen. You can then use your mouse and click on it which will produce a drop down menu with the available languages you've installed (e.g. English (Australia) / Japanese). Choose Japanese. Alternatively you can just hit ALT + SHIFT to toggle between languages (which is very useful when switching between languages in the middle of typing!).

Once you've selected Japanese it's default in Roomaji, which means you can still type like in English. The third option from the left should be "Input Method". Select this and choose either "Hiragana" or "Full-width Katakana."

Let's start with typing in Hiragana and Kanji first. Once you've selected "Hiragana" just type in Japanese Roomaji. But remember that ん is typed as "NN" (double-N). Also remember to type particles as they are in Roomaji, so for example the particle-wa is "HA" and particle-e is "HE".

So if you want to type "Konnichi wa" you neet to change the input method to Hiragana and type "K O N N I C H I H A" then hit enter to confirm.
So you will get this:
KO = こ
NN = ん
NI = に
CHI = ち
HA = は
Result----------> こんにちは

To type in Kanji you do the same thing but hit SPACE to see options for Kanji. So again, for "Konnichi wa" I would type KONNICHIHA and get こんにちは, but before hitting enter I hit SPACE. At first the computer will simply highlight こんにちは in blue, so hit space again and a drop down menu will appear. Select the first option and hit enter and こんにちは will instantly convert to 今日は.

In some cases there may be multiple Kanji options. For example if I type "SEI"　(せい) and hit SPACE, I will see pages and pages of options! You simply scroll down and select which one you want. Usually the most commonly used Kanji are listed first. The list gets shorter if you can type in more syllables, e.g. if I type GAKUSEI (がくせい) and hit enter, there's only 3 options. Sometimes none of the options are what you want in which case you'll have to do each part separately and scroll through the pages until you find the Kanji you want. You can also just hit the number next to the kanji you want instead of using your mouse (I usually find hot keys faster than mousing).

Some useful short cuts:
CHI can be inputted as "TI"
TSU can be inputted as "TU"
SHI can be inputted as "SI"

Also:
For this JI (ぢ) you must type "DI"
For particle O (を) you must type "WO"
For this ZU (づ) you must type "DU"
To make anything half size type "X" in front of it. e.g. A = あ, but XA =　ぁ

Typing in Katakana works the same way as typing in Kanji, but it won't usually convert words to Kanji since Katakana is principally used for writing foreign words. So if I want to write "Optimus Prime" I would type "O-PU-TE-XI-MA-SU PU-RA-I-MU" which gives me this: オプティマス プライム


Also when someone says to you "Hisashiburidesne" what do you answer with?
That's like "Long time no see," so you'd just reply with something appropriate... like maybe, 「ええ、そうですね。おひさしぶりですね」

[Firestorm]

(Text about how to type in japanes)

cool, now i just need to find the disc so i can start typing in japanese



That's like "Long time no see," so you'd just reply with something appropriate... like maybe, 「ええ、そうですね。おひさしぶりですね」

Thanks, i knew it meant something like "long time no see" I just wasnt sure how to reply, every class when i arrive i go through the same conversation with my teacher,
Sensei: oo [name]san, konnichiwa
Me: Konnichiwa
Sensei: Genki desuka?
Me: Hai, Genki desu
Sensei: Hisashiburidesune
Me: ..... :confused: (i havnt been sure what to answer with)

[GoktimusPrime]

Perhaps you could answer with 「へええ、そんなにおひさしぶりじゃないとおもいますよ。」... cos don't you see your teacher on a regular basis? "ひさしぶり" is something you usually say if you haven't seen someone in ages.

Also, if you're ever stuck on how to reply to someone in Japanese, this will help:
How to speak fluent Japanese without saying a word (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuFe5lqBAYE)
Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_RM8To5mjU)

:)

[GoktimusPrime]

I found the Japanese word for "Blobfish" -- it's ニュウドウカジカ Nyuudoukajika

...now I know the Japanese word for what is probably nature's f'ugliest animal (http://www.google.co.jp/images?hl=ja&lr=lang_ja&q=blobfish&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=jm1qTKzeKMWrcY7i_eoB&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CDEQsAQwAA&biw=1904&bih=844). :p

[GoktimusPrime]

Yesterday one of my senior students pointed out something rather enlightening that I'd never noticed before -- we were talking about the cinematic technique used in anime, and about how anime, especially Shojo Anime, focuses on the eyes to transmit emotions to the audience. Anyway, this student points out that in her observation, Japanese culture tends to look at the eyes for emotion whereas Western culture looks at the mouth. I looked at her in a perplexed way, and she pointed out the differences between Western and Japanese emoticons -- Western emoticons often alter the mouth whereas Japanese emoticons tend to change the eyes. Holy cow, she's right!!

Western emoticons: :-) :-D :-S :-( >:-( :-O :-/ :-P etc.

Japanese emoticons: (^_^) (O_o) (x_X) (の_の) (「_「) (T_T) (>_>) (>_<) (V_V) (@_@) etc.

...obviously there are exceptions, but generally speaking I think it's a fair observation. :)

[Bartrim]

A customer of mine owns a sushi bar (claims he is going to be the McDonalds of sushi bars:rolleyes:) The business is spelt Mia-Suma. How would you pronounce this Gok?

[gekisou]

A customer of mine owns a sushi bar (claims he is going to be the McDonalds of sushi bars:rolleyes:) The business is spelt Mia-Suma. How would you pronounce this Gok?

I'll answer? That ok?

Its Me ah su(as in sushi) ma (as in mother). And really? The Maccers of Sushi?

[Bartrim]

I'll answer? That ok?

Its Me ah su(as in sushi) ma (as in mother). And really? The Maccers of Sushi?

Thats what I thought. This clown always "corrects" me telling me it's pronounced "My-ah Summer"

[GoktimusPrime]

My twisted mind just thought of something...

Transformers United Soundwave's number is UN-05...

ウンゴ　→　ウンコ (poop)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/qroboconvoy_unchi.jpg

*immature.giggle* Yeah, small things amuse small minds. :p

[GoktimusPrime]

can anyone tell me the correct characters/translation for:
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Cultural Studies
and
Graduate Diploma of Education (Adult and Tertiary)?

Offhand I'd say that BA Philosophy & Cultural Studies might be 哲学と文化学文学士号 and Diploma in Education might be 教育専門士; please give me some time to double check these translations.

Otherwise, you could just say 哲学学部・文学学科, cos that would be similar to what was written on my student ID when I did my undergraduate study in Japan (mine was 外国語学部・日本語学科). I did my post grad study in Australia and not Japan -- so I'm not entirely sure about the names of post graduate courses in Japanese... so I'll have to check on that.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Cheers Goki, having checked those off against the wonders of Google Translate the BA is spot on, while the Grad Dip Ed is coming up as 成人教育の卒業証書

For anyone who's interested the site is here http://translate.google.com/ but it's only up 'til November for reasons of purported abuse. Pity 'cos it puts Babelfish to shame so far.

[Firestorm]

Well, I'm off to Japan agian tomorrow to visit a friend who's studying abroad

so i need to figure out how to get to where he lives

could someone tell me how to ask "how do i get to shin-yokohama station" or "which train line takes me to shin-yokohama station"

I've missed my last few weeks of Japanese class and now my mind has gone blank on how to ask for directions

[Firestorm]

Goki Sempai ... (or someone else who is good at Japanese) I have another japanese question

could someone explain the term "Aniki" for me

I've heard it means big brother, but I've also heard it is a term only/mainly used by the Yakuza

[liegeprime]

As far as i know it is to denote big brother or a superior man much like prolly Senpai but less formal.... Hence the term is used to call the wrestler (also a pornstar) Billy Herrington in Japan. Prolly because of his excellent physique and wrestling prowess (? - open to debate:p) and not for being a pornstar :D:D hehehe. As for the Yakuza aspect... well I have no idea one must prolly be well immersed in the culture/life in Japan to fully grasp why.

[GoktimusPrime]

It's an archaic word for older brother. It originated as an honorific term of older brother, kinda like 兄上 (あにうえ； in Transformers Car Robot Speedbreaker addresses Mach Alert and Wild Ride as 兄上, likewise Mach Alert addresses Wild Ride as 兄上). These days it's used as a slang reference for any older brother figure and is commonly used in 'street slang' (including yakuza slang).

A lot of slang words in Modern Japanese come from archaic honorific terms. For example 貴様（きさま）is considered offensive today, but it was originally an honorific second person address (similar to 貴方(あなた); it even uses the same first Kanji); ditto お前（おまえ; although it's often slurred as おめぇ in gutter street talk).

I really don't recommend you start using these words in your 毎日会話 ... unless you want to sound like a chav. I don't recommend it though.

うっす！

P.S.: 兄上 is pretty safe if you want to use that. Although thou speech shalt verily forsooth soundeth of yon Oldendays. ;) Asgaaaaaaaaard! *spins Mjölnir*

[Skullcruncher]

Hi, was wondering if anyone can tranlate these Q & A Ultra Magnus has for us?
http://thumbnails57.imagebam.com/14712/52afdb147110362.jpg (http://www.imagebam.com/image/52afdb147110362)

From what I have been told so far it could be something along the lines of how big is trypticon? .... bigger than a mountain!?! :confused:

[GoktimusPrime]

Q1: How big is Metroflex (Metroplex)?

Q2: How powerful is Dinozaurer (Trypticon)?

Answers:

A1: Total length 1km with arms about as long as Sunshine 60 (a skyscraper in Ikebukuro Tokyo, 239.7m tall).

A2: According to my investigation I understand that he has enough power to destroy Mount Fuji with one strike of his claws.

[Skullcruncher]

Q1: How big is Metroflex (Metroplex)?

Q2: How powerful is Dinozaurer (Trypticon)?

Answers:
**Snip**



Heh well who would have guessed! Many thanks Goktimus

[Firestorm]

explanation.


explanation


Thanks Liege, Thanks Goki-Senpai

(re-reads post)

wait so "Omae" is rude? i didnt know that, thankfully i never say it

[GoktimusPrime]

It's not rude, but it's not polite either. You wouldn't use it with a person of senior social rank or someone you don't know well. You could use it with good friends - guys often use it with girls, as well as kids. It's colloquial but not offensive... unless you pronounce it as おめぇ then that starts sounding nasty. ;)

A variant of おまえ is 手前　（てまえ）, which is certainly not polite and is considered offensive when the pronunciation is slurred as てめぇ！

[Firestorm]

that makes more sense, since when i watch J-dramas i hear guys hitting on girls by saying "Omae" and that made me confused :o

"Temee" i have heard a few times in anime and dramas and pretty much gathered that it was rude (since it was always punk characters and really angry people that said it)

next word I'm unsure on "Umai" since i hear it for food, talet, and other things

(sorry to keep asking questions, but I really want to improve my Japanese Vocab / Fluency)

[GoktimusPrime]

next word I'm unsure on "Umai" since i hear it for food, talet, and other things
It can be used to describe anything that's good or awesome - either something well done or tasty. :)

I suppose it has a broader meaning than お上手 or おいしい because お上手 refers to proficiency and おいしい just refers to flavour - whereas うまい covers both. :) So you can use うまい as a synonym for either じょうず or おいしい.

e.g.
アーシーさんのサンスクリット古語はじょうずですね
"Arcee's Classical Sanskrit is good, isn't it?"
アーシーさんのサンスクリット古語はうまいですね
"Arcee's Classical Sanskrit is good, isn't it?"
アーシーさんの料理はおいしいですね！
"Arcee's cooking is delicious, isn't it?"
アーシーさんの料理はうまいですね！
"Arcee's cooking is delicious, isn't it?"

Btw, the best way to improve your Japanese fluency is to just go hang out with Japanese speakers. The best kind are the ones who speak NO English. :D And if they try to speak to you in English, keep answering back in Japanese... I find in most cases they'll give up and switch over to Japanese. :) Although it's funny when they don't... some older members here may remember Tiger Convoy - the Japanese Transfan who lived in Australia for a while. At first he and I spoke to each other in Japanese, and sometimes at meets I would help translate for him -- but as his English got gooderer, he would start talking back to me in English (how dare he take my advice and turn it back on me! :p) -- so we would end up having these weird bilingual conversations where I would talk to him in Japanese and he'd keep talking to me in English! :p Heh.

[Firestorm]

Thank you Goki-Senpai :D
maybe i should be calling you Goki-Sensei instead lol

I really need someone i can talk to in Japanese for longer than just 1 hour a week, (japanese class)

[liegeprime]

heh , just use oishi for good/delicious with food related wise eheheh.

[GoktimusPrime]

Thank you Goki-Senpai :D
maybe i should be calling you Goki-Sensei instead lol

Goki-sama

:p ;) :D :) :p

[GoktimusPrime]

Continued from here (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?p=279480#post279480)

Why drink Australian beer in Japan? (you can do that when you get back) -- might as well try Japanese beers while you're there. Where else can you purchase alcohol from vending machines?! :D Enjoy your time in Japan and just immerse yourself in the culture and language - for better or worse (every culture/society has its good and bad elements). Worry about experiencing Aussie things for when you're in Australia. ;) When I was in Japan I made a conscious effort to distance myself from the English language and Anglo-culture and tried as much as possible to immerse myself in Japanese language and culture.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Truth be told I'm not too fussed on the beer count, the beer here isn't too bad and I'm rather fond of Kirin. Couple it with it being cheaper than Oz, and a certain weakness for sake and umeshu and I'm quite content booze-wise.
Sadly vending machines require an ID card now, so I just use supermarkets and combinis.:(
Pity you can't get decent wine here, but again sake and umeshu are nice enough to make up for it

Food-wise I really miss affordable cheese, and Vegemite on toast for breakfast is pretty much a staple. I'm not a morning person and am a slow eater to boot so having something I can make easily and quickly and eat while doing the morning prep routine is pretty important.

Ultimately though, I'm not looking to 'go native' even though I do love it here in Osaka. A lot of gaijin and especially JETs do and all power to them, but there are aspects of being both Australian and internationally minded that I like and want to keep, just as there's a lot of valuable traits in the Japanese way I'd like to take (and am taking) on board. My house has a fold-out couch for a bed because it's more comfortable for me than a futon, and because having my home be effectively the pseudo-uni-student setup I'm used to makes me feel at home and reduces culture shock. I'll still happily sit on the floor with guests and when the girlfriend is around we usually do, but I also have the option of a couch. I loved going to the Sports Day at my chugakko, but found the tea ceremony one of my shogakko did was less enjoyable, albeit still quite interesting on a cultural level.
Similarly while I like a lot of Japanese foods I also like pizza and hamburgers. Language-wise I try to use Japanese where I can, but at my very very basic level I still have to resort to English more often than not. Most of the TV (well, computer files) I watch is Japanese anime and movies with subtitles and the occasional English movie, while most of my news comes from the ABC and international sites like the BBC and Al Jazeera.

Besides the fact that my job as a JET ALT is as much about exposing the students to gaijin and our gaijin-y ways as it is about teaching English (ergo 'going native' would be a bit counterproductive), IMO the best approach to living overseas is to try and combine useful/positive aspects of your own culture and the cultures you live with, with the end goal of being the most well-rounded person you can be.:)

Sorry if that was a bit rambling, I'm pretty wiped out atm.:o

[Slag]

[QUOTE=Ode to a Grasshopper;279504]Truth be told I'm not too fussed on the beer count, the beer here isn't too bad and I'm rather fond of Kirin.

Drinking a Kirin as we speak. I heard fosters was different/better overseas but I wouldn't drink it here or there.
I agree with Goktimus about immersing yourself. I'd love to go one day:rolleyes:(dreaming) .. Maybe take some cheese.. live out my life on the fat profits of being a cheese dealer.. buy all those Japanese only releases.
one day....
one day..:rolleyes:

[GoktimusPrime]

I'll show you rambly!! :p


Food-wise I really miss affordable cheese, and Vegemite on toast for breakfast is pretty much a staple. I'm not a morning person and am a slow eater to boot so having something I can make easily and quickly and eat while doing the morning prep routine is pretty important.

Yeah, I'm not a massive fan of Japanese bread. Much prefer the taste of Aussie bread. Mind you, Aussie bread probably has WAY more kilojoules in it. :p


I'll still happily sit on the floor with guests and when the girlfriend is around we usually do, but I also have the option of a couch.
To this day I still prefer sitting on the floor. ;) (as anyone here who's been in my Transformer room will know :p)

Also, please understand by saying "immerse" oneself into a culture, it doesn't mean you have to like everything. I think it's impossible to find any one culture where you can like everything. There are things about Japan that I like and dislike and things about Australia that I like and dislike too... and I'm sure you have your own likes and dislikes when it comes to JP and AU.


Similarly while I like a lot of Japanese foods I also like pizza and hamburgers.
Yeah... not a fan of Japanese pizza (blecch). I do like Japanese burgers though... especially Mos Burger! :D But one thing I cannot deny is the health benefits of living a Japanese lifestyle. I may be a podgy fatso now, but when I was in Japan I was thin and tanked. I was at the peak of my physical health... and damn I wish I could get back to that! :(

Pics for comparison...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/th_daitomangaken.jpg (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/daitomangaken.jpg)http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/th_gok_makeover.jpg (http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/gok_makeover.jpg)
L: me living in Japan, R: me living in Australia


Language-wise I try to use Japanese where I can, but at my very very basic level I still have to resort to English more often than not.
I personally avoided using English, and this included not seeking out Japanese people who can speak English... because as you know, the vast majority of people in Japan don't speak English! (so it's really easy!) But I know a lot of Gaijin who do seek out or allow themselves to be drawn toward English speaking Japanese people -- and they are attracted to Gaijin like moths to a flame as they're keen to practise their English.


Most of the TV (well, computer files) I watch is Japanese anime and movies with subtitles and the occasional English movie, while most of my news comes from the ABC and international sites like the BBC and Al Jazeera.
I didn't have home internet when I was in Japan. :p


Besides the fact that my job as a JET ALT is as much about exposing the students to gaijin and our gaijin-y ways as it is about teaching English (ergo 'going native' would be a bit counterproductive),
I was there as a university student, so I wasn't required to speak English to anyone really -- but all English speaking students make extra pocket money by coaching/tutoring English at jukus or kateikyou (home tutoring) etc... and that's what I did. So when I was "on the job," okay, I would use some English -- even then, Japanese was the language of instruction. There's no way my students would have understood the subtleties of dental fricatives or egalitarianism if I explained them in English! :)

But anyway, the only time I used English would be:
+ With other English speaking foreigners - even then, it was sometimes. As our Japanese improved, we actually started speaking Japanese amongst ourselves. So we'd only use English (which increasingly became a hybrid Japanese-English, e.g. "Nee, ashita you wanna meet at the eki?" ;)) with more recently arrived foreigners - but for any Gaijin who'd been in Japan for 3 months or more, we often just exclusively spoke Japanese to each other.
+ During tutoring/coaching.

So basically, the only time I used English with Japanese people was if they were paying me! Once the lesson was over - that's it, I'd be switching back to Japanese. Wanna speak more English? It'll cost you. ;)

Admittedly as a full time student (on a student visa - which restricts working hours), I only had limited amounts of tutoring/coaching time... as a full time ALT I guess you're pretty much on-call to use English for hours a day. But if I were a JET, I wouldn't use English outside of when I had to in my job. e.g. during explicit classroom tasks/activities. We have German ALTs at our school and they only speak German to our kids when they need to. Outside of class they speak English (e.g. socialising in the staffroom or outside of school etc. :)). With the younger kids they speak more English and with the senior HSC students they'll speak more German.

I don't know about you, but when I used to coach/tutor English in Japan, I would actively correct all their text books from American English to Standard English! And I'd also correct their pronunciation too, e.g. insist on the use of Received Pronunciation etc. :D If anyone questioned it I'd tell them that I speak/teach 英語 (えいご), not　米語 (べいご)! ;)

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Fosters is crap, and I say this as a trained bartender. Most export beer from most countries is pretty bad.

As far as immersion goes, it's less about how much you like a place than about how much you get into it. For me I fond if I go out on nights before work then I don't do so well at my job the next day, so I try to focus on work first and play/immersion second.
I've got five years here, I'll be plenty immersed and more so as my Japanese improves. Right now I'm one of those recently arrived foreigners, and one whose job is largely pandering to those English speaking Japanese.
On which topic I have to go now and see one in particular...gomen.:o

[GoktimusPrime]

For me I fond if I go out on nights before work then I don't do so well at my job the next day, so I try to focus on work first and play/immersion second.
Yeah, that's fair enough. I was there as a uni student and... I don't know if you're aware of this yet, but Japanese undergraduate university is a complete bludge. Nobody studies - they just party a LOT. It's like in compensation for their senior high school years where they have no social lives and study their butts off to get into university, but once they're in, they need to learn how to socially interact (i.e. get drunk :p). So JP university is less about べんきょう and more about のみかい! :D Which was great for me, because basically partying was the main way that I learnt Japanese! :) It was far more efficient and fun than learning out of books. ;)

Having said that, I've heard that post-grad study in Japan is really hard though (I did my post-grad in AU; only ever did undergrad in JP so I can't comment first hand about JP post grad study - but JP post grad students all tell me it's heaps hard).


I've got five years here, I'll be plenty immersed and more so as my Japanese improves. Right now I'm one of those recently arrived foreigners, and one whose job is largely pandering to those English speaking Japanese.
Five years! :eek: That's freakin' awesome! :D I'm sure you'll be more fluent than me before you can say りゅうぐうのおとひめのもとゆいのきりはずし! (that's a real word btw ;p)

[1AZRAEL1]

Fosters is crap, and I say this as a trained bartender. Most export beer from most countries is pretty bad.

I have to say that Fosters sucks as well. I love alot of the aussie beer myself, that one not lol. Tooheys Old or any other dark beers are my fav. I would say I'm a bit of a coniseur of beers. I tend to go to Dan Murphys and go in the international beer isle and buy whatever looks good, or the name appeals to me lol.

As for vegimite, yes that does rule, and does kinda suck that you can't get it cheaply over there. Why not ask some aussies over here to send you some? gotta be cheaper that way than buying it there.

[GoktimusPrime]

Do they sell Vegemite in Japan? (I've never seen it sold there)

When I was studying in Japan, there was this another Australian student whose parents sent him a jar of Vegemite. He brought it to uni one day and to let some of the other international students (and our Japanese teachers) have a taste. Most people (other than Aussies and Kiwis) thought it was either weird or just yuck... I think one Chinese or Korean guy thought it tasted okay... but this one American dude had the best reaction - he took a huge scoop and shoved in his mouth, then he wanted to spit it out but of course couldn't so he forced himself to swallow and said, "MWWOAR! I THOUGHT IT WOULD TASTE LIKE CHOCOLATE!" :D

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

A friend found an import place that sells the small jars at inflated cost. Think I'll just hassle my mother to send some over instead.

On a more topic-related topic, if it's not too blurry could I get a translation on this please?:)
I just made what may be the most crazy good value Japan acquisition yet, but it seems a little too good to be true so I'd like to know what the sticker says.

[GoktimusPrime]

Picture's rather blurry... The printed text above the hand written one says "damaged box" (lit. "hurt box"), and the large hand written text says "shaded colours," which I'm guessing might refer to discolouration. The rest is particularly blurry (that second Kanji is illegible) and kinda confusing, but I think it says that they're not sure if all the paperwork's there.

Here's a typed version if anyone else wants to have a go:
Printed sticker says:
箱イタミ（箱痛み：はこいたみ）
Large hand written text says:
色ぬり有（色塗り有：いろぬりゆう）
折本(?)有（せつほん(?)ゆう）

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Cheers Goki, and sorry for the pic quality - I did the best I could with the camera.
Shaded colours might be the fact that my 1050 Yen 'hurt box' BW Metals x-9 has a black tail...guess I'll have to open him and see.:D

[GoktimusPrime]

That is indeed incredibly cheap! :) The paper work should be the instructions which has the catalogue printed on the other side - and this sticker sheet (http://snakas.web.infoseek.co.jp/misc_item/img/jaga_sticker.jpg). Oh, and the lenticular tech specs card which is evidently present, and a self-addressed survey/feedback card, although the postage-paid would be expired by now. :p

[GoktimusPrime]

Hey wow... so I got some Japanese Yen today... and it's been a while since I've handled JPY, but I can't find the small "Braille" circles on the bottom of the notes that help blind people tell which note is what denomination! I've got several different denominations of notes and none of them have it!

Looking at some different sample scans on wikipedia, it does appear that they've stopped embossing these circles into notes from those minted from 2004.

Images for comparison:
1984-series 10,000JPY note (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Series_D_10K_Yen_Bank_of_Japan_note_-_back.jpg) <--look carefully at the bottom right corner, you can see a small circular indent with a raised smaller circle in the middle.
1984-series 5000JPY note (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Series_D_5K_Yen_bank_of_japan_note_-_back.jpg) <-- there are two "Braille" circles on the bottom right hand corner (one on top of the other).

Now compare this with the 2004-series notes, which are the ones in current circulation:
10,000JPY (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bd/Series_E_10K_Yen_Bank_of_Japan_note_-_back.jpg) <---nothing on any corners
5000JPY (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/Series_E_5K_Yen_Bank_of_japan_note_-_back.jpg) <---nothing on any corners
...I cannot see or feel anything on these notes. I've held them up to the light and can't see them either.

So... this must suck for the blind. :(

[GoktimusPrime]

日本旅行写真集です！
Japan trip photos!

第1巻：大阪 / PART 1: OSAKA

私たちのホテルの前（動物園前駅の近く）。ホテルの近くに怪しい教会がありました。
Outside our hotel.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_osaka008.jpg

難波：
Namba:
「ゲゲゲの鬼太郎」の壁画
"Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro" mural
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_osaka015.jpg

大阪の一番大切の地点：トイザらス!
Osaka's most important site: Toys R Us!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka010.jpg

トラフォ！TFs! :D
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka011.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka012.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka014.jpg

プロールはうどんに水泳
Prowl swimming in Udon noodles
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka016.jpg

でかいリラックマ
massive Rilakkuma
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka017.jpg

リラックマいっぱい!
Lots of Rilakkumas!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka033.jpg

かに汁！ (http://brittonmitchell.webs.com/FinallCrabJuice2.jpg)
Crab juice! (http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ldi4lyt7jT1qfyqgno1_400.jpg)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka009.jpg

ファーストキッチン
First Kitchen ;)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka019.jpg

犬の服：ワンコスって？！
Doggie clothes (look at the text under the inverted Maccas logo...<cough>)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka034.jpg

パチンコ＆スロットって？！
Pachinko & Slot?!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka037.jpg

ビックカメラのトラフォ
TFs @ Bic Camera
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka038.jpg

忍者屋
Ninja shop
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_osaka053.jpg

パワードラッグワンズ！
Power Drug Ones!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka039.jpg

「やあ、鉄人28号！」
"Hey Gigantor!"
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka040.jpg

海遊館
Osaka's Kaiyukan aquarium
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka041.jpg

馬鹿でかいネズミだ！ ＜気持ち悪い＞
This is a giant RAT! XO
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka046.jpg

巨大ペンギンから生まれちゃった
Being born from a giant penguin
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka048.jpg

海遊館の外
Outside Kaiyukan
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka049.jpg

天保山大観覧車
Tenpouzan Ferris Wheel
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka050.jpg

忍者の後ろから忍んで俺・・・
Sneaking up on a ninja...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka052.jpg

弁天町
Ben 10 cho!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka061.jpg

美しい侍ね
What a pretty samurai
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka105.jpg

大阪城の堀
Osaka Castle moat
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_osaka076.jpg

豊國神社
Hōkoku Shrine
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_osaka079.jpg

大阪城
Osaka Castle
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_osaka097.jpg

梅田
Umeda
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_osaka170.jpg

ミニアチュアの戦
Battle in Miniature
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka118.jpg

ホログラム! （めっちゃかっこいいぞ）
Holograms! (so kewl!)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka124.jpg

大阪城からの見晴らし
View from Osaka Castle
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka128.jpg

孫コンボイ将軍
Shogun Goki!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka138.jpghttp://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka140.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka143.jpg

ひと声かけて（公共責任を心配で、豪州にこういう広告は絶対無理だろう）
A poster encouraging members of the public to assist the disabled... (that'd never happen here cos of public liability concerns)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka144.jpg

第6回FIFA女子ワールドカップドイツ2011年：なでしこ日本
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka178.jpg

------------------------------------
大阪のトラフォファン集会の写真はこっち (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=283292&postcount=15)です。
Pics of the Osaka Transfan meet can be found here (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=283292&postcount=15).
-------------------------------------

次回・・・　第2巻：京都！
Coming up... Part 2: Kyoto!

[Firestorm]

Great pics Goki-Senpai, really making me miss Japan

[kurdt_the_goat]

Hey wow... so I got some Japanese Yen today... and it's been a while since I've handled JPY, but I can't find the small "Braille" circles on the bottom of the notes that help blind people tell which note is what denomination! I've got several different denominations of notes and none of them have it!

....

So... this must suck for the blind. :(

Wouldn't be surprised if the blind pay for stuff using their mobile phones these days!

[GoktimusPrime]

True. I noticed a lot of people are using that "tap and go" mobile phone payment system over there! :D

[GoktimusPrime]

第2巻：京都 / PART 2: KYOTO

京都の街 / Streets of Kyoto
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto009.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto012.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto234.jpg

京料理かじ / At a Kyoto cuisine restaurant
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto014.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto016.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto021.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto042.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto051.jpg

忍者レストラン！ / Ninja restaurant!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto072.jpg

電子王座 / The electronic throne
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto058.jpg

この宅配車のマスコットはちょっとカンタスカンガルーみたいだけど、変わったところはスピードラインとジョ ーイも加えられた!
This deliver truck mascot looks like the Qantas Kangaroo, but they added speed lines and a joey!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto077.jpg

清水寺に行こう！ / Let's go to Kiyomizudera Temple!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto079.jpg

この高い坂を登って / Walking up this steep slope
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_kyoto080.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_kyoto088.jpg

人力車 / Rickshaw
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_kyoto085.jpg

ハロー・キティーの店 / Hello Kitty shop
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_kyoto091.jpg

神道の神々の彫像 / Statues of Shinto Gods
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto107.jpg

清水寺から見えるの景色 / The view from Kiyomizudera
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto133.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto144.jpg

音羽の滝 / Otowa waterfall
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto149.jpg

おむつを変える時間だ！ / time for nappy change!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto150.jpg

このアイスクリーム食べたい？ / Want some ice cream?
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto154.jpg

祇園の八坂神社 / Yasaka Shrine in Gion
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto157.jpg

お酒 / Saké
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto160.jpg

でかいオバケの兎！ / Big monster bunny
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_kyoto166.jpg

超ベリー綺麗な電車！（豪州の汚い電車と全然違うね！） / Japanese trains are so clean!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto183.jpg

クリフジャンパー / Cliffjumper
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto189.jpg

嵐山のサルにえさを与えて / feeding the monkeys at Mt. Arashiyama
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto214.jpg

またクリフ / Cliffjumper again
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto238.jpg

東映映画村 / Toei Movie Village
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto236.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_kyoto245.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto262.jpg

ニンジャになった！/ We became NINJA!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto278.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto281.jpg

侍に殺されちゃった! / Killed by a samurai!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto274.jpg

忍者ショー / the Ninja Show
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto270.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto268.jpg

第四の壁を突破する / Breaking the fourth wall
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto269.jpg

第四の壁を突撃する！/ Attacking the fourth wall!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_kyoto271.jpg

トラフォプライムのビーコンを持っている芸者さん / a geisha holding a TF Prime Vehicon
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/japan2012_kyoto260.jpg

無銀の銀閣寺 / The Silverless Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto333.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto332.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto329.jpg

新幹線N700系 / N700 Bullet Train
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Kyoto/japan2012_kyoto340.jpg

------------------------------------------
次回・・・　第3巻：埼玉県 (我の故郷よ！)
Coming up... Part 3: Saitama (my old home!)

[Shirokaze]

Loving all the pics! I've only spent a single day in Kyoto, and didn't venture more than a kilometer or 2 from the station, so those shots are especially awesome :)

[Darthprimus]

yeah, awesome pics man.

[GoktimusPrime]

埼玉県東松山市 / SAITAMA (Higashimatsuyama)

みんなたぶん高坂というのところが聞いたことないだと思いますが、昔々遥かの銀河でここに大学生でここに住 んでいたから、拙者にとっては懐かしいですよ！
Most of you have probably never heard of this place, but I used to live here as a student a long time ago in a galaxy far away, so it holds a lot of nostalgia for me!

高坂駅 / Takasaka Station
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama04.jpg

高坂駅の前にあるのバス停 / The bus bay outside Takasaka station
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama02.jpg

拙者はこの店から雑誌をよく買いました / I used to buy magazines from this shop
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama03.jpg

高坂駅の自転車駐車場 / Takasaka station bike parking
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama05.jpg

このカメラ屋で写真のフィルムを現像されちゃった！/ I used to get my film processed at this camera store! :eek:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama06.jpg

安い食べ物：ガスト！/ Cheap eats: Gusto!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama10.jpg

大東文化大学 / Daito Bunka University
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama12.jpg

この広場は平日の昼間にバンドの演奏が聞くことができますよ。/On weekday afternoons you can listen to bands performing here.
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama40.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama41.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama42.jpg

友達の伝統的な和式の家 / A friend's traditional Japanese home
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama15_PB.jpg

あったかい炬燵に座って / sitting at a warm Kotatsu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotatsu)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama14.jpg

すばらしい家庭料理！ / incredible home-cooked meal!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama17.jpg

他の子供たちを遊んで / playing with other kids
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama19_PB.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama20_PB.jpg

茶道 / Tea Ceremony
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama22.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama23.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama25.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama34.jpg

雛人形 / Hina-ningyo dolls
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama35.jpg

床の間 / The Tokonoma
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama34.jpg

拙者が住んでいたアパート / my old flat

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama49.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama52.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/Takasaka/japan2012_saitama51.jpg

----------------------------------------

次回：　東京！
Next: TOKYO!

[Firestorm]

SENPAAIIIIIII...... you're really making me miss Japan :(

awesome pics by the way :D, is that ninja resturant one of those places where the staff all dress like ninja and do "ninja magic" for you while you eat?

you went to the Toei Movie Village, jealous :mad:

your pictures are giving me ideas of places to go for my next trip :)

[GoktimusPrime]

ありがとうさ :)


SENPAAIIIIIII...... you're really making me miss Japan :(
Dude, I've been missing Japan for the last 15 years!! :eek: So much has changed since the time I was living there. Stuff like...
+ Security everywhere is way more tight/paranoid; like the fingerprint scans at the airport and CCTV in public places... even signs saying that surveillance is there to counter terrorism and crime etc.! So this is what post Sept 11 Japan is like...
+ People aren't smoking as much in public places. In the old days No Smoking signs were purely decorative, now people actually obey them!
+ So many "portable hikikomori" - especially on trains where lots of people are just insulated in their own tiny worlds of their mobile phones. No eye contact or anything! The Japanese have always been recluse, but I think mobile phones kinda make it worse because it means they have an "excuse" not to interact with people sitting next to them (too busy interacting with people online!). Makes them bigger targets for attack too... just as well Japan has such low crime (could you imagine people being so damn inattentive to their surroundings in Australia or countries with much higher rates of assault/robbery?!?).
+ A lot more train stations have lifts now! :D When I was there last most stations only had stairs. Having lifts makes travelling so much easier when you're pushing a baby stroller around. However since lifts have only been a relatively recent addition to most stations, they can be placed in really inconvenient locations (i.e. the bum-end of stations where you have to circumnavigate half the area just of freakin' get there! Half the time we just went "Ah bugger it" and carried baby & stroller up and down flights of stairs!). But still, a significant improvement over last time where stations with lifts was more of a rarity. :)

At the Osaka meet when we found some Beast Wars toys at collectable stores like Hero Gangu, I told Odie that when I was living in Japan these toys were current... now that he's living there it's DOTM and TF Prime! (and OTCA^Austran was only about a year old and had less than 50 members!) Sign of the times. ;)

Oh, and this is what I looked like when I was there last (black shirt):
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/daitomangaken.jpg
...yeah, before I got all fat and stuff. <sigh> :p


is that ninja resturant one of those places where the staff all dress like ninja and do "ninja magic" for you while you eat?
I believe so. We didn't actually go inside any of them. :(


you went to the Toei Movie Village, jealous :mad:
Yeah, unfortunately it started raining while we were there, so we had to leave prematurely and didn't see everything (downside of touring with a baby). :( But I enjoyed what we did see though. They had this little anime museum which is only about the history of Toei anime :p No images of Transformers, but they had a historical timeline of Toei anime which mentioned the Japanese G1 TF series (Headmasters et al.). Our camera battery died by this stage, but I took photos with my phone... just gotta find the USB cable for my phone. ;)

[Firestorm]

ありがとうさ :)


Dude, I've been missing Japan for the last 15 years!! :eek: So much has changed since the time I was living there. Stuff like...
+ Security everywhere is way more tight/paranoid; like the fingerprint scans at the airport and CCTV in public places... even signs saying that surveillance is there to counter terrorism and crime etc.! So this is what post Sept 11 Japan is like...
+ People aren't smoking as much in public places. In the old days No Smoking signs were purely decorative, now people actually obey them!
+ So many "portable hikikomori" - especially on trains where lots of people are just insulated in their own tiny worlds of their mobile phones. No eye contact or anything! The Japanese have always been recluse, but I think mobile phones kinda make it worse because it means they have an "excuse" not to interact with people sitting next to them (too busy interacting with people online!). Makes them bigger targets for attack too... just as well Japan has such low crime (could you imagine people being so damn inattentive to their surroundings in Australia or countries with much higher rates of assault/robbery?!?).
+ A lot more train stations have lifts now! :D When I was there last most stations only had stairs. Having lifts makes travelling so much easier when you're pushing a baby stroller around. However since lifts have only been a relatively recent addition to most stations, they can be placed in really inconvenient locations (i.e. the bum-end of stations where you have to circumnavigate half the area just of freakin' get there! Half the time we just went "Ah bugger it" and carried baby & stroller up and down flights of stairs!). But still, a significant improvement over last time where stations with lifts was more of a rarity. :)

At the Osaka meet when we found some Beast Wars toys at collectable stores like Hero Gangu, I told Odie that when I was living in Japan these toys were current... now that he's living there it's DOTM and TF Prime! (and OTCA^Austran was only about a year old and had less than 50 members!) Sign of the times. ;)

Oh, and this is what I looked like when I was there last (black shirt):
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/daitomangaken.jpg
...yeah, before I got all fat and stuff. <sigh> :p ;)

ごめんな じいちゃん :-P
clearly you've watied way longer than me so I'll stop complaining now
thanks for the history lesson though :-P



I believe so. We didn't actually go inside any of them. :(


Yeah, unfortunately it started raining while we were there, so we had to leave prematurely and didn't see everything (downside of touring with a baby). :( But I enjoyed what we did see though. They had this little anime museum which is only about the history of Toei anime :p No images of Transformers, but they had a historical timeline of Toei anime which mentioned the Japanese G1 TF series (Headmasters et al.). Our camera battery died by this stage, but I took photos with my phone... just gotta find the USB cable for my phone. ;)

I'm putting Ninja Resturant and Toei Movie Vilage onto my list of things to do (toei does 仮面ライダー don't they?)

[GoktimusPrime]

ごめんな じいちゃん :-P
"Turbo-revvin' young punk!" :p ;)


(toei does 仮面ライダー don't they?)
Yup! :)

-------------------------------------------

最終巻：東京 / FINAL CHAPTER: TOKYO

新幹線に乗っていてサウンドウェーブ / Soundwave on a bullet train
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo03.jpg

ファンタグレープ！ / Fanta Grape!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo05.jpg

富士山 / Mt. Fuji
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo07.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo08.jpg

東京の電車の中に・・・ / inside a Tokyo train
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo15.jpg

食券機 / Ticket vending machine for food at a small restaurant
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo19.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo18.jpg

なります駅。日本に住んでいた時代、自分の誕生日に友達たちと一緒に新宿のシズラーズでメシを食べて、その あと拙者は映画を見に行きたかった、友達たちは「でも日本の電車は１２時に止まるぞ」と言って、拙者と映画 館に行かなかったので自分で映画を見に行っちゃったんです。映画が終わった後すぐ拙者は１１時５０分ごろ埼 玉県の高坂駅までの電車乗車券を買って電車に乗りました。その時、１２時あと誰も電車に乗られないんだけど 、もう走っている電車は最終乗り場まで必ず行くんだと思ったのに、自分は大丈夫だと思ってたんです。拙者は 必ず間違いました！乗った電車は１２時に「なります」と言う駅に止まりました！！:eek:　ぐぇええ！み んなはこの駅に電車を降りれなきゃ！電車はまた午前６時に走るって！:eek:　しょうがないから拙者はホ ームレスな貧乏のように駅に泊まったんだ！現金もなかったし・・・（その時代にクレジットカードが使われる ところが現在より少なかったんです）；６時間ぐらいそばにいる同じようにどうすることできなかった銀行労働 者と喋って、彼はご親切に電車乗車券の買うために金を貸してくれました。午前７時ごろ自宅に帰ってもう寝た かったんですが、豪州にいる家族と友達たちは何回も電話かけて「ハッピーバースデー」と言いたかったんです 。１０時ごろ関西から来た友達は他の友達をアパートに来て、その友達は拙者を電話かけて「速く来なさい」と 言うったんだぁ。だから自転車に乗って駅の反対側にある友達のアパートに行っちゃたんだ。ギャアア！:ro lleyes:
Narimasu station. (I'll explain the story about this in English later ;))
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo23.jpg

御茶ノ水駅 / Ochanomizu Station (Astroboy fans should hopefully get this reference ;))
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo24.jpg

猫ガール / Cat Girl
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo25.jpg

東京タワー / Tokyo Tower
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo26.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo27.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo28.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo33.jpg

建設者の名前はちょっとヤバイなあ / an unfortunately named construction vehicle ;)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo37.jpg

「賞金稼ぎどもめ。クズどもの助けなどいらん。」 / "Bounty hunters. We don't need their scum."
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo38.jpg

ジブリ美術館のバス / Studio Ghibli Museum bus
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo40.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo41.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo42.jpg

ジブリ美術館 / Studio Ghibli Museum
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo43.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo44.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo45.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo46.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo47.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo54.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo56.jpg

新宿 / Shinjuku
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo57.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo58.jpg

うるさい人種差別主義日本人の前にポーズした白人さん / A white dude posing in front of a racist Japanese guy ;)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo60.jpg

紀伊国屋書店 / Books Kinokuniya
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo60.jpg

漫画フロア / manga floor
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo62.jpg

新橋駅 / Shimbashi Station
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo64.jpg

秋葉原 / Akihabara
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo65.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo68.jpg

Cure Peach!
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Tokyo%20Saitama/japan2012_tokyo69.jpg

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

<snip>+ So many "portable hikikomori" - especially on trains where lots of people are just insulated in their own tiny worlds of their mobile phones. No eye contact or anything! The Japanese have always been recluse, but I think mobile phones kinda make it worse because it means they have an "excuse" not to interact with people sitting next to them (too busy interacting with people online!).<snip>Yeah, there really are a lot of them aren't there?:( It makes me kinda sad, for all the good technology has done for Japan it's done quite a bit of harm too.

On a less of a downer note, I had a nomikai with the first-year teachers for my area on Friday, and managed to sort of hold a (really basic) conversation for ages, including teaching one of the other ALTs how to do a basic jikou shoukai (however it's Romanised) and doing the same for the new Japanese teachers in English. Benkyou Suru pays off!

[GoktimusPrime]

Just realised that exactly 15 years ago from yesterday was when I first went to live/study in Japan! :eek: Although I arrived at night and all I did was go from the airport to my apartment, unpacked a bit - switched on the TV (Crocodile Dundee dubbed in Japanese, I kid you not!), then went to sleep. So really 15 years go today was my first real full day in Japan... wandering around barely speaking a word of the language. I remember poking my head into one small restaurant and the woman working there said 「いらっしゃいませ」 and something else... I don't remember since I couldn't understand her at the time. I freaked out and ran away! :D

[GoktimusPrime]

Fist of the North Star (北斗の拳) LOL (http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzcswogkIO1qcxrbdo1_400.jpg)

[GoktimusPrime]

My Japanese word for this week: 水疱瘡 「みずぼうそう」 CHICKEN POX!

My daughter has it. :(
(and yes, she's up to date with her vaccines but she still got it anyway)

[Firestorm]

My Japanese word for this week: 水疱瘡 「みずぼうそう」 CHICKEN POX!

My daughter has it. :(
(and yes, she's up to date with her vaccines but she still got it anyway)

Mizubousou = chicken pox? weird

sorry to hear that Goki-senpai, but it's better she gets it as a kid rather than an adult right?

[GoktimusPrime]

It's okay, she got over it a few days ago. ;) Currently her favourite word is もっと！

e.g.
Having a bath...
「お風呂終わった？」
「もっと！」
On Saturday we had lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant, she finished her tea and showed us her empty cup...
「もっと！」
So I said 「母ちゃんきいて」 so she asked her mother. ;)

My wife told me that today she saw an oak tree on TV and pointed at it and said 「どんぐり！」 :eek: Someone's been watching waaay too much Totoro. :p She now calls the big Totoro 「大きいトトロ」 and the little white one either 「Baby　トトロ」 or 「小さいトトロ」

[jena]

I really want to learn Japanese but nowhere where I live has any courses etc.

[kristofferrer]

waaaah i miss japan!

[jena]

I am starting to teach myself Japanese using my friend's Genki textbooks. Any advice for a beginner?

[GoktimusPrime]

Avoid Romaji. Learn all Furigana (Hiragana and Katakana) before doing anything else if you haven't already. The problem with Romaji is that students often become too dependent on it and it's ultimately NOT a very good way to learn Japanese. It's handy for people who may only want to know a few phrases for travelling, but if you actually want to learn the language, then forget it. Learning Japanese without Furigana is like trying to learn English without learning the alphabet.

I strongly advise using flashcards for learning Furigana (and Kanji). Some people like learning languages by putting labels all over their homes with words in their target language.

[jena]

Avoid Romaji. Learn all Furigana (Hiragana and Katakana) before doing anything else if you haven't already. The problem with Romaji is that students often become too dependent on it and it's ultimately NOT a very good way to learn Japanese. It's handy for people who may only want to know a few phrases for travelling, but if you actually want to learn the language, then forget it. Learning Japanese without Furigana is like trying to learn English without learning the alphabet.

I strongly advise using flashcards for learning Furigana (and Kanji). Some people like learning languages by putting labels all over their homes with words in their target language.

I am ignoring romanji because I want to actually learn the language properly, like you said.

I have a couple of digital flashcard programs already but I need to do more learning before they become useful.

Oh boy, my house is going to become covered labels now, that's such a good idea. The people I live with are going to hate it :p

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Oh God yes, the bloody JET Japanese Beginner course is all romaji and it drives me crazy. Couple that with the weird grammar points and it's just not worth doing - I just study with Genki (my JTEs help with the Osaka-ben) and just muddle through the JET tests.
Seriously, how can a Japanese course for people who are guaranteed to be in Japan not use furigana, and/or the occasional kanji? It starts three or four months into the job fer crying out loud!:rolleyes:
Seriously, if you get over here don't bother signing up for the CLAIR language course, it's a major waste of time.:mad:

A note or two on Genki - it's really good as far as texts go, but it does sometimes teach textbook Japanese. Generally people here don't use some of the words in the book (i.e. 話す hanasu for 'to speak (a language)' - people on the ground actually use しゃべる shaberu 'to chatter'), and it's all Standard Japanese so if you make it over here on JET there'll almost definitely be some regional differences in your hometown. People will still understand and be able to use Standard Japanese just fine (it's the official national language, and is used for keigo or polite/formal speech), but most places here have their own regional dialects which can be a bit or even quite different. I came here with no Japanese whatsoever besides the usual 'konnichiwa, sushi, etc' words everyone knows, and now I'm learning both Standard and Osakan Japanese. As Goki can attest, the two can be pretty different.
Osaka-ben is better, obviously.:p

[GoktimusPrime]

I am ignoring romanji because I want to actually learn the language properly, like you said.

I have a couple of digital flashcard programs already but I need to do more learning before they become useful.
I taught myself Hiragana and Katakana just by cutting up two sheets of paper into palm sized squares as flash cards. Took me 30 min to memorise all the Hiragana and 60 min for Katakana. I was reading super-slowly, but at least I could recall each character and more importantly, not allowing myself to ever become used to reading Romaji.

When I was living in Japan I knew an American dude (a staff member in charge of looking after international students) who learnt Japanese in Romaji. At the time I met him he'd be living there for some 8 years or so... his spoken Japanese was fluent... but he could NOT read any Japanese text at all (not even Hiragana). He told me that he'd become too dependent on Romaji and just couldn't ween himself off it no matter how he tried. And as fluent as his Japanese was, I later realised that it wasn't as fluent as it should be for someone who'd been living in Japan for so long... and of course it was his Japanese illiteracy that was holding back the development of his spoken Japanese.


Oh boy, my house is going to become covered labels now, that's such a good idea. The people I live with are going to hate it :p
Hmm... if you're in a shared accommodation situation you might wanna check with your sharemates first. Maybe just start with your own room - use small discreet labels. You don't need to be able to read them from afar, just whenever you're near them or using them. For example a former colleague of mine (who's a Japanese native) was learning Italian and he'd labelled everything in his home with stickers in Italian - each label with size 12 font Times New Roman in upper case. Just before he finished working with us (he was a casual) our staffroom's microwave died, so he gave us a spare from his home. While the sticker has long fallen off the door, the Italian word for Microwave has become the adopted name for our microwave oven. :) Whenever we get a new teacher in our faculty (e.g. casual, praccie, intern) I say, "This is our microwave, Microonde." ;)


Seriously, how can a Japanese course for people who are guaranteed to be in Japan not use furigana, and/or the occasional kanji? It starts three or four months into the job fer crying out loud!:rolleyes:
Seriously, if you get over here don't bother signing up for the CLAIR language course, it's a major waste of time.:mad:
IMHO the best way to learn Japanese if you're in Japan is to just hang out/party with locals. :D I learnt way more Japanese from 飲み会 than any book! ;)


and it's all Standard Japanese so if you make it over here on JET there'll almost definitely be some regional differences in your hometown.
Unless your hometown is in Kanto (as mine was). :p ;)


People will still understand and be able to use Standard Japanese just fine (it's the official national language, and is used for keigo or polite/formal speech), but most places here have their own regional dialects which can be a bit or even quite different.
Everyone understands 標準語 (ひょうじゅんご), but a few people don't (won't) speak it. When we were in Osaka there was a Chinese restaurant across the road from our hotel. The manager was an immigrant from Shanghai who's been living in Osaka for 22 years; she married a local man and they have kids etc. -- now she speaks 大阪弁 just fine, but because she learnt the language as an adult and wasn't schooled in Japan, I don't think she learnt 標準語... cos I kept speaking to her in 標準語 and she kept speaking back to me in 大阪弁! :eek: (my daughter was even more confused as she'd never had someone speak to her in 大阪弁 before!)

Then when we were in Kyoto my daughter spoke some Japanese to this one store attendant, who "corrected" her 標準語 into 京都弁! Mind you, it's widely known that Kyoto people are rather proud of their dialect which they consider to be the old traditional/imperial language of Japan (as Kyoto was the former capitol of Japan until the Edo Period).

So yeah, sometimes you get people who don't/won't speak 標準語 for one reason or another... but they are admittedly quite rare. 99.9% of the population can/will speak 標準語 if you can't speak their local dialect (although they may do so with a local accent). ;) And sometimes people just accidentally slide into their hometown dialects (force of habit). I had a friend in uni who was from Osaka and while the rest of the people in our circle of friends would speak 標準語, she'd often slip back into 大阪弁. e.g. one time we'd just finished eating at a restaurant and the plan was to head off to Karaoke afterward, so she turned to me and said, 「カラオケに行かへん？」 - I just automatically replied in 標準語, but a second later realised that we just had a bi-dialect conversation! :D


Osaka-ben is better, obviously.:p
お前何言ってんだよ、ウィリス？
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/whatchootalkinbout.jpg :p

[jena]

30 minutes!? I spent an hour with my nose in a hiragana chart today and I literally only remember a and n.

The people I live with are used to my crazy antics, they won't care if I label everything. They know me well.

[GoktimusPrime]

30 minutes!? I spent an hour with my nose in a hiragana chart today and I literally only remember a and n.
Well with those two Hiragana alone you can now read/write in Hiragana the Japanese word for red bean paste (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_bean_paste)! Congrats! :D ;)

Flashcards work a lot better than staring at a chart. :)
What I did was to go through each card in order from beginning to end, then end to beginning; each time I'd look at the hiragana character and challenge myself to remember it without looking at the back for the answer. I'd say what it was out loud to myself, then turned the card around to check my answer. Then I turned the cards around and looked at the Romaji and traced the Hiragana in the air, then turned the card to check my answer. Then I shuffled the cards and did it all over again in random order, then reshuffled and did it again and again and again.

The problem with just looking at the chart is that all the Hiragana is in order and of course you have the Romaji for each character sitting right next to them (or if not you can guess what they are because of the order). The beauty of flashcards is that they hide the answers from you, and you can randomise it. :)

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Unless your hometown is in Kanto (as mine was). :p ;)JET tends not to send ALTs to many places in Kanto and/or big cities, it's usually pretty 田舎 (inaka/countryside). I really got lucky getting the outskirts of Osaka.

30 minutes!? I spent an hour with my nose in a hiragana chart today and I literally only remember a and n.

The people I live with are used to my crazy antics, they won't care if I label everything. They know me well.It took me about a month-odd to memorise all the hiragana/katakana, though I was working full time and getting settled in as well and I'm often a really lazy student who gets distracted easily:o. My advice (the way I did it) is just work on sets of 5 at a time, and do both hiragana and katakana.
i.e. get あ/ア い/イ う/ウ え/エ お/オ down pat, then move onto か/カ き/キ く/ク け/ケ こ/コ etc. etc.
Note also that the font/style of the text can really change how the characters look, especially for characters like ko and ri in my experience.

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

From here (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?p=299963#post299963)...
I'm sure your Japanese will be totally ぺらぺら long before next year. :)The Japanese is going slowly but surely. I'm further along than I thought I'd be (I can hold simple conversations in mostly Japanese, with a fair bit of dictionary hunting), but juggling study with full-time teaching work and trying to live a life as well is tricky - especially since I've taken on a heap of extra work at my shogakko. Couple that with being a terrible procrastinator as a student and it's very much slow and steady. I give it another year before I'm pera-pera-ing away with any noteworthy degree of competency, and maybe another year after that before I'm what you could stretch to call 'good'.
On the upside, my kids' English is getting really good. My 6nensei shogakko kids from last year have started at my chugakku this year and their English is leaps and bounds ahead of the 2nensei kids, and a few of the 3nensei students as well. So, you know...not great for my Japanese study, but by all indications doing damn well at my actual job.:D

[GoktimusPrime]

Glad to hear your students have done well. :) But dude... put down the dictionary and books. Get out there, hang out with Japanese people who speak bugger all English and socialise! :) Seriously, that's how I learnt most of my Japanese. Learning a language is like learning how to swim or ride a bicycle... sure, you can study theory from books and stuff (yawn), but nothing beats just doing it! More fun too. :)

You'll be amazed at how quickly and efficiently you can learn just from regular spontaneous conversations with native speakers. And try to find Japanese speakers who don't speak English -- which is really easy in Japan! :) If anyone asks to practice English with you, just politely decline -- simply tell them that you only speak English in class, but otherwise you didn't travel thousands of kilometres to live in Japan just to speak a language that you could be speaking back home! :) Another tactic is - if someone keeps speaking to you in English. And it doesn't have to only be with Japanese people -- you can also speak Japanese with other Westerners too. When I was living in Japan I frequently had contact with other Australian students -- and at one stage, most of us agreed that we would just stop speaking English with each other and just speak exclusively in Japanese. It was weird at first, but we got used to it. One person didn't want to do it -- we tried to talk to her in Japanese, but she kept replying in English. Result: her Japanese improved the least amongst all of us.

I know that it's hard when you're required to speak English at work -- but when you're outside of work, just treat the English language like plague and try to avoid it as much as you can. Surely most of your work colleagues don't speak English. Even if they do, just speak to them in Japanese.

Another difficulty for you too is the "hidden linguistic racism"... by this I mean, Japanese people often speak slower and more clearly to Gaijin like you than they do with Gaikokujin like me. I'm sure that they don't know that they do this, but I find that they do (have you noticed this?). I think it actually comes from them being too polite... they see a white person and think, "Aww look, he's trying to speak Japanese... I'll be nice and speak slowly and clearly to help him understand." -- which may feel really useful at first, but in the long term it actually delays your learning of the language because, let's face it, native speakers don't speak methodically slowly or clearly! They speak fast and slur lots! :D But as your Japanese improves, and once Japanese people realise that you are fluent and capable of understanding what they're saying, they'll soon stop patronising you with slow and overenunciated speech and just talk to you normally. ;) And to be fair, not every Japanese person does this... but some of them do.

I sometimes encounter the reverse of this in Australia where I meet some white people who try talking to me slowly, overenunciated pronunciation and worse of all, loudly! :rolleyes: Even if my English was no good, why shout?? I do find that at least Japanese people are good in that they don't think speaking louder and louder is going to make themselves more intelligible. It's a language deficit, not a hearing impairment! :p

Have faith in yourself dude. :) I have faith in you, and I'm serious when I said that you'll be ぺらぺら by next year! You can do eet!!

[Skript]

You were right Gok, it's pretty active here =)

Flash cards are always nice.. But i really only used them for the ones I really couldnt remember.
I used to write down on two pieces of paper, one for Katakana and one for Hiragana and have all the A, I U, E, O, KA, KI.. etc written in English.
I'd look at a book for 10 minutes, then go. For the ones I constantly failed on, I'd go to the flash cards. Easier to remember the silly little pictures/ expressions.
Katakana was fun though. I remember I used to go into Toys R Us when the Beast Machines Return line was out, and i'd spend literally an hour trying to say the name of characters (who i knew) but just trying to pronounce them, then ask the staff what the name was.

Best learning: Drinking with friends (or even strangers). Verbal learning + drinks = fun!

[GoktimusPrime]

飲み会 FTW! :D

[jena]

My Japanese learning is coming along quite well, slowly but surely and I don't get to spend much time studying which makes the progress slower. I've memorized the hiragana by just practicing writing over and over and saying them aloud. The flashcards I made haven't even been used. But that's okay, I want to learn to read, write and speak Japanese so this way has been the best way for me. I also have a few Japanese learning games on my phone which I use to test myself or to just play during breaks at work. I'm currently working on the greetings and learning the first vocabulary list in Genki. I can introduce myself in Japanese which is fun! I love little things like that, it feels good. I'm seeing one of my friends who studies Japanese at uni at the end of the month so maybe by then I can have a brief conversation with him.

[Skript]

I love Genki, great book =)
Workbooks pretty good too!

[jena]

I'm borrowing a friend's books at the moment but I'm buying my own next week!

[GoktimusPrime]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/arigatoo.jpg

[Bidoofdude]

こんいちは。ぼくはライアンです。すきなツランスウフォマアはガルバツロンです。どぞよろしく。　ロヂムス コウンヴォイはうるさいですね。すきなツランスウフォオマアはなんですか。:)　ゴクチムスコンヴォイはお いしいですね。ロル。(lol)

こんにちは。これはシツピイスです。
さようなら。

[GoktimusPrime]

:confused:　あああっ・・・ビッドオブドゥードの日本語はちょっと分かり難いですよ。悪いですが 、ちょっとなおしてもいい？しつれいします・・・


こんいちは
もしかして「こんにちは」ってこと？


ツランスウフォマア
もしかして「トランスフォーマー」ってこと？


ガルバツロン
ガルバツロンは誰？もしかして「ガルバトロン」ということ？


どぞよろしく
もしかして「どうぞよろしく」？


ロヂムスコウンヴォイはうるさいですね
:confused::confused:　もしかして「ロディマスコンボイ」と書きたかったんですか？


ゴクチムスコンヴォイはおいしいですね
:confused:　へええ～、実は拙者の日本語のハンドルは「孫コンボイ」と申します。


。ロル。(lol)
「大声で笑う」；簡単に「大笑」と書いてもいいですよ。

また今度日本語の正しい書き方を注意してください。よろしくお願いいたします。ｍ（＿＿）ｍ

[Bidoofdude]

:confused:　あああっ・・・ビッドオブドゥードの日本語はちょっと分かり難いですよ。悪いですが 、ちょっとなおしてもいい？しつれいします・・・


もしかして「こんにちは」ってこと？


もしかして「トランスフォーマー」ってこと？


ガルバツロンは誰？もしかして「ガルバトロン」ということ？


もしかして「どうぞよろしく」？


:confused::confused:　もしかして「ロディマスコンボイ」と書きたかったんですか？


:confused:　へええ～、実は拙者の日本語のハンドルは「孫コンボイ」と申します。


「大声で笑う」；簡単に「大笑」と書いてもいいですよ。

また今度日本語の正しい書き方を注意してください。よろしくお願いいたします。ｍ（＿＿）ｍ
Yeah.. It's a little broken up and I'm kind of rusty, so yeah. You should be confused dude, it's cool.
by the way, why did you ask what everything means if you speak Japanese yourself?

[Bidoofdude]

:confused:　あああっ・・・ビッドオブドゥードの日本語はちょっと分かり難いですよ。悪いですが 、ちょっとなおしてもいい？しつれいします・・・


もしかして「こんにちは」ってこと？Hello


もしかして「トランスフォーマー」ってこと？transformer (i think thta's how you spell it in Jap)


ガルバツロンは誰？もしかして「ガルバトロン」ということ？Galvatron


もしかして「どうぞよろしく」？Pleased to meet you


:confused::confused:　もしかして「ロディマスコンボイ」と書きたかったんですか？ Goktimus Convoy (Prime)


:confused:　へええ～、実は拙者の日本語のハンドルは「孫コンボイ」と申します。


「大声で笑う」；簡単に「大笑」と書いてもいいですよ。

また今度日本語の正しい書き方を注意してください。よろしくお願いいたします。ｍ（＿＿）ｍ
It's a bit bad spelling isn't it (only been doing for 5 years now)

[GoktimusPrime]

Yeah.. It's a little broken up and I'm kind of rusty, so yeah. You should be confused dude, it's cool.
では、もっと練習して頑張ってください。


by the way, why did you ask what everything means if you speak Japanese yourself?
:confused:　「もしかして～ってこと」と「～の意味は何？」は全然違いますよ。拙者はビドオブド ゥード氏のポストよく分からなかったので明確をしたかったんです。


It's a bit bad spelling isn't it
お主が先書いたのポストの日本語は約六四パーセントが書き間違いました。拙者の個人意見によって、そんな半 分以上のは”少し”だと言うことができないだと思います。


(only been doing for 5 years now)
拙者は約三年間で日本語を習いました。自分の中学生たちはそのように文章を書けば、必ずあの生徒に文句を言 いますね。

[Bidoofdude]

では、もっと練習して頑張ってください。


:confused:　「もしかして～ってこと」と「～の意味は何？」は全然違いますよ。拙者はビドオブド ゥード氏のポストよく分からなかったので明確をしたかったんです。


お主が先書いたのポストの日本語は約六四パーセントが書き間違いました。拙者の個人意見によって、そんな半 分以上のは”少し”だと言うことができないだと思います。


拙者は約三年間で日本語を習いました。自分の中学生たちはそのように文章を書けば、必ずあの生徒に文句を言 いますね。
You're really starting to peeve me with the japanese. I'm only in seventh grade dude! although I'm in accelerated Japanese (we do year 8 jp in year 7) which is alright. It's slow but we're well into katakana now so I'm good. Just need to do Kanji now. Sorry i cant understand most of your kanji, sometimes hard. You like asking questions, don't you?

[Firestorm]

been a few months since I last studied Japanese, but I'll be getting back into it soon. I also want to look into studying abroad as well

so to get me back up to speed on my Japanese before I return to taking lessons I'm gonna start posting here again

minnasan 4649 :3

[GoktimusPrime]

minnasan 4649 :3
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/avatars/iseewhatyoudidthere.jpg

[tron07]

Can you correct my attempt at Japanese. Only know hiragana and a little bit of katakana so not using katakana.


にほんご　わ　さむかった　です。　
ふゆ　と　ゆき　です　。

Japan was very cold because it was winter and snowing.


ほてる　の　ちかく　に　まけと　が　あります。
わたし　わ　まけと　で　ばん　ごはん　お　たべました　。

The market is very close to the hotel.
I went to the hotel for dinner.


わたし　わ　かふぇ　に　いきました　。
かふぇ　に　とても　おおきい　と　ちいさい　いぬ　が　いました　。　
I went to the cafe.
There is are a lot of big and small dogs in the cafe.

[GoktimusPrime]

(Corrections/notes in red, additional comments/explanations in blue...)

にほんご　わは　さむかった　です。　<---Remember that わ is not a particle. You have to write は when using it as particle "wa" (it is pronounced as "wa" even though it's written as "ha", it's one of only 2 times a Furigana will change its pronunciation when used as a particle, the other is へ which is pronounced "e" when used as a particle)
ふゆ　とだったから、　ゆき　ですがふりました　。

Japan was very cold because it was winter and snowing.

ほてる　の　ちかく　に　まーけっと　が　あります。<--this means "There is a market near the hotel", if you want to say "The market is very close to hotel" it would be まーけっと は ほてる の ちかく に あります

The market is very close to the hotel.

わたし　わは　まーけっと　で　ばん　ごはん　おを　たべました　。<---This means "I ate dinner at the market." If you want to say "I went to the hotel for dinner," it would be わたしはほてるにばんごはんをたべにいきました (lit. "I went to eat dinner at the hotel"); also keep in mind that お is not a particle, when you want to use "o" as a particle you must write を; e.g. おちゃ を のみます ("I drink tea"; note the 2 different uses of "o")

I went to the hotel for dinner.

わたし　わは　かふぇ　に　いきました　。
かふぇ　に　とても　おおきい　いぬ と　ちいさい　いぬ　がも たくさん　いました　。<---lit. "there are many big dogs and small dogs too."
I went to the cafe.
There is are a lot of big and small dogs in the cafe.

[tron07]

Thanks... yes, suppose to be は, but when I was typing it became わ
I did notice it looks funny cause it was not usually the way I write it.

I couldnt manage to type the を it keep coming out as お or some kanji looking character and I gave up after a while.

[GoktimusPrime]

Thanks... yes, suppose to be は, but when I was typing it became わ
I did notice it looks funny cause it was not usually the way I write it.
Yeah, you still need to type it as は (ha), even when used as a particle.


I couldnt manage to type the を it keep coming out as お or some kanji looking character and I gave up after a while.
Looks like you've figured it out now. :)

[tron07]

I just copy and paste yours. Still didnt manage to type it.

I use the language bar to type. Change it to Microsoft IME. In katakana, it will come out オ from the アイウエオ instead of the katakana particle -o

the market is near my hotel and I had dinner at the market, so I got that correct.

my weakness is the usage of particles like ni, ga, no, etc...

[Firestorm]

I'm not sure if this is right but I think to get "を" you type "wo"

[tron07]

Cool thanks it works
"wo" = を

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

So, um...what's the story with my latest Recycle Shop T-shirt?
As far as I can tell it either translates as "Liar" or as "s**t, hard/difficult times".

Also, WTF is with this T-shirt @Japan?

[GoktimusPrime]

The speech bubble says "You damn liar!" and the title on the bottom right says "planet of giants." Other than that I have no idea what it is.

[tron07]

きのう　は

Why is yesterday (kino wa) writen with a う　instead of　お

きのお　は

[GoktimusPrime]

Because it's pronounced きのう (/kɪ'noʊ/) and not きのお (/kɪ'nɔ;/). Pronunciations are similar, but not identical.

おう sounds similar to "o" as in "throw", "though", "go", "sow" etc., whereas おお sounds more similar to "o" as in "oar," "floor," "more" etc. So for example, Osaka is pronounced as おおさか and not おうさか. Although most English speakers do technically mispronounce it as the latter, it should correctly be pronounced as in the former. I do say similar, not the same. Japanese vowels are pronounced as monophthongs, unlike English vowels which are diphthongs. They don't glide like English vowels, and they're also slightly more nasal. They're more similar to the way vowels are pronounced in Romance languages (e.g. French, Spanish, Italian) rather than the way they're pronounced in Germanic languages like English.

[Bidoofdude]

I had a Japanese guy stay at my house the day after my b'day.(18th August) Also, got 100% on my last katakana test! YAY-UH! Anyway, speaking of Japan, are encore Omega Supremes still shelfwarming?

[GoktimusPrime]

They were when I was last there earlier this year. Found some in Tokyo (Akihabara).

[Bidoofdude]

Thanks Goki, I'll keep that in mind. I really hope we can go to Japan sometime this year or next, wanna get me some good tfs. ('coz we got no hope here)My brother might be going next year for school, might ask him to get me Omega and maybe Devy. (if he can get it right)
I think my Jap is doing pretty good well. You basically need to know speech particles and phrases, as well as a variety of words. I think I may be able to communicate with some Japanese guys.
ゴキチマスコンボイくん、トランスフォーム！ぼくのすきなトランスフォーマーはサウンドウェビ です。
グリムロクくんは素晴らしいですね！

[GoktimusPrime]

ゴキチマスコンボイくん、トランスフォーム！ぼくのすきなトランスフォーマーはサウンドウェビ です。
グリムロクくんは素晴らしいですね！
That's a lot better than what you were typing before! :)

Corrections:
孫コンボイ氏、トランスフォーム！ぼくのすきなトランスフォーマーはサウンドウェーブです。
グリムロックは素晴らしいですね！

[Bidoofdude]

That's a lot better than what you were typing before! :)

Corrections:
孫コンボイ氏、トランスフォーム！ぼくのすきなトランスフォーマーはサウンドウェーブです。
グリムロックは素晴らしいですね！

Oh yeah, forgot. *stupid, stupid stupid*
;)
In the jap G1, do the dinobots speak in third person, like this:
グリムロックくんのすきなたべものは金属デス。　or is it like normal:
ぼくのすきなたべものは金属です。

[GoktimusPrime]

More like: 「俺グリムロック、好きな食べ物は金属だ」
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qySK8wuzMvk#t=22s

[Bidoofdude]

More like: 「俺グリムロック、好きな食べ物は金属だ」
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=qySK8wuzMvk#t=22s
Really, really?

グリムロックくんはかわいいですか。:p

What madness is this?!

[GoktimusPrime]

It's called post Transformers The Movie where the Dinobots were portrayed as raging 'tard monkey comic relief caricatures. *sigh* It was just as bad in the English language version too. *sighs.again* ...this is why I prefer the Dinobots from Seasons 1-2 and the Marvel Comics.

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/grimlock_zps735a2099.jpg

[Bidoofdude]

It's called post Transformers The Movie where the Dinobots were portrayed as raging 'tard monkey comic relief caricatures. *sigh* It was just as bad in the English language version too. *sighs.again* ...this is why I prefer the Dinobots from Seasons 1-2 and the Marvel Comics.

*snip*
Exactly, as Grimlock's my fave character, (along with Soundwave) it really puts me off when he's not as lovable. Grim's new brain was alright, kind of went into Grimlock's troubles. It wasn't great, but IMHO, it was his best season 3 episode. The earlier comics featuring Grimlock were really good, IMO. I kinda didn't like what they were portrayed as in the movies, but the 'Me Grimlock kick butt' was... alright. Anyway, back to Japanese. ;) He was really badass in seasons 1-2 though.

[GoktimusPrime]

I was in Parramatta on Friday to pick up my Transformers comics, and drove past the streets where they were shooting for the upcoming Wolverine movie. :) One of the Japanese signs on a building was a billboard for some (presumably fictitious) digital printing company, and it was called 文雄 (Fumio) which is a Japanese male given name, but 文 ("Fumi" or "bun") means "literature" or "text" and 雄 ("o" or "yuu") is used in the word 英雄 ("eiyuu") which means "HERO"... literary hero! I see watchoo did thar, Wolverine! ;)

[GoktimusPrime]

ROFLMAO!!! :D
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/onarakusaikanehoshii.jpg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0zRBRUQils)

There's an English version here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4ag7LEG1w4), but it's not as extensive as the Japanese version -- and at least one of the jokes in the JP version isn't translatable in English. Aww man... best laugh in ages. *wipes.tear.from.eye* :)

[GoktimusPrime]

How to say "I don't speak Japanese, do you speak English?"

NIHONGO GA WAKARIMASEN. EIGO GA WAKARIMAS KA?
日本語が分かりません。英語が分かりますか。
(say "nee-hon-go gah wah-kah-ree-mah-sen. Ay-go gah wah-ree-mas-kah?")

[GoktimusPrime]

From the Martial Arts Discussion thread (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=129&page=60):

There is a Chinese saying regarding hiding one's true skills... "The real man never gives himself away". I am sure the Japanese have a similar saying.
実るほど頭のさがる稲穂かな ("Minoru hodo kobe no sagaru inahokana"= "The mature rice plant lowers its head."; i.e. at full ripeness/maturity, the top of the rice plant becomes so heavy that it pulls the top of the plant toward the ground like a person bowing - the idea being that the more wisdom one acquires, one's head is filled with humility, i.e. with maturity comes humility and respect for others. :)

Some translate it as "the boughs that bear the most hangs lowest." (http://www.tis-home.com/system/works/26176/tis-my-motto-illustrated-medium.jpg?1354318745)

[Bidoofdude]

Got 25/25 on my speaking test, 25/25 on writing and 21/22 on reading for Accelerated Year 8.(we do year 9 stuff)
Not bad IMHO. I'm yet to see my wrong answer.;)

[GoktimusPrime]

Today was the 2nd anniversary of the 2011 Earthquake/Tsunami. 頑張れ日本！

[Dkaris]

In year 7 and 8 I begun learning japanese, but never followed it up in the later years of my schooling. Are there any good books out there to learn from?

[Bidoofdude]

BTW, it's began or had begun, never begun on its own.;):p
Yeah. I'm in year 8 now and I'm doing this Year 9 Mainstream Jap. It's alright.
(I just hate getting vocab tests three days into the next unit.:p)

[GoktimusPrime]

Heh... our daughter was talking to herself in Japanese in her sleep last night. :p


In year 7 and 8 I begun learning japanese, but never followed it up in the later years of my schooling. Are there any good books out there to learn from?
http://www.kinokuniya.com/au/index.php/fbs003?common_param=9784906224500

Nothing beats just having conversations with people in Japanese (or whatever target language you're trying to learn) though. You learn tonnes more from speaking and listening than you would from reading piles of books. Speaking and listening are natural language skills -- when babies are born, they're instantly listening (some say they start listening while in utero; we were talking to our daughter and letting her listen to Mozart while she was in utero*) and later they will naturally try to talk. Simple utterances at first ("dada," "mama" etc.), then proper words, attempts to string sentences etc. But reading and writing are artificial skills. Less than 5% of civilisations invented writing. Literacy is a skill that must be instructed -- people will not naturally learn it (which is why you can have illiterate native speakers of languages. You need look no further than the internet to see grown adults who can't write properly in their native (and often only) tongue! :rolleyes:).

Having said that, literacy does massively improve one's ability to learn a language, so I wouldn't completely dismiss it either. :) When it comes to that, forget using Romaji -- just jump straight into Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji (in that order). I find learning Japanese with Romaji to be not as effective because learners often become too dependent on it, then they have to "ween" themselves off it when attempting to learn how to read/write Japanese script. I knew an American fella who lived in Japan for 8+ years -- spoke the language fluently, but was completely illiterate in it. Couldn't even read Hiragana... and all because he allowed himself to learn Japanese through Romaji first. I'm glad that I never allowed myself to become dependent on Romaji, and after meeting that guy, it convinced me that it certainly is a poor way to learn Japanese script.

----------------------------------------------------------
*While there's no definitive/conclusive evidence that this stuff actually works, we figured that it certainly wouldn't hurt. ;)

[Dkaris]

I'd recommend this for adult learning:
http://www.kinokuniya.com/au/index.php/fbs003?common_param=9784906224500

Gotta go in there this weekend, ill try pick it up, cheers!

[GoktimusPrime]

Okay! Here's a Japanese Transformers vocab test/exercise! NO cheating by using dictionaries or online translators etc.!! ;)

Activity 1
See how many of these TF related Japanese words you can translate!
a. へんけい
b. せいぎ
c. あく
d. ふくめんぱとかー
e. やくしょく
Answers (not in order) = evil, function, justice, transform, unmarked police car

Activity 2
Match the words from Activity 1 with the corresponding words written in Kanji/Katakana
i. 悪
ii. 役職
iii. 覆面パトカー
iv. 変形
v. 正義

Activity 3
Translate this caption:
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Transformers/dorifuto.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

So Tokyo's won the rights to host the 2020 Games... as predicted by Akira! :D
http://memebase.cheezburger.com/share/7787901952

[Shirokaze]

So Tokyo's won the rights to host the 2020 Games... as predicted by Akira! :D
http://memebase.cheezburger.com/share/7787901952

It's been so long since I saw Akira, I had to read the article to make the connection! :D Definitely time for a re-watch! Anyhow, I'm incredibly psyched for this, I usually don't pay much attention to the Olympics past the opening ceremony so this will change in 2020!

Also, I was hoping you could help me on something Gok, as I don't know any Japanese speakers to ask.

A page back you translated how to say "Do you speak English?" as:

"Eigo ga wakarimasu ka"

How does asking whether they understand English compare to:

"Eigo o hanashimasu ka" (What I was taught at uni)

"Eigo ga dekimasu ka" (What I read in a book)

Which way would you suggest or would be more commonly used?


My other problem is I always get tripped up when I'm being asked whether I want to eat in or take away. Could you suggest some appropriate responses? :)

[Firestorm]

sorry to revive an old thread but I have some questions regarding Japanese (mostly kanji)
I'm currently in Osaka and tried doing some hunting the last few days at places like Hero Gangu, and while it was absolutely amazing there, I couldn't tell what the stickers in on the boxes said (besides the price) I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to buy something that was missing pieces or something, I'm pretty sure I can tell that one sticker says the packaging has been opened, but I'm not sure about the rest, I can't read Kanji at all. so I have no idea what the stickers say. someone who has shopped at these sort of places before and with more Japanese skills than me (like Goki-sempai) please help me out

[GoktimusPrime]

I found that Mandarake were more likely to label stuff about the nature/condition of their toys than other places like Hero Gangu. Umm... unless you can post clear images of what the Kanji says, I can't do much to help you.

This might help...
開かれた means opened
海賊版 means bootleg (counterfeit)

[Firestorm]

I found that Mandarake were more likely to label stuff about the nature/condition of their toys than other places like Hero Gangu. Umm... unless you can post clear images of what the Kanji says, I can't do much to help you.

This might help...
開かれた means opened
海賊版 means bootleg (counterfeit)

I stupidly forgot to take pics of the stickers.
I'm just apprehensive because sometimes I saw 2 of the same transformer but one was like 1000 yen more expensive than the other and the only difference I could see was what the sticker said, I'm pretty sure that first Kanji from open was on one of them,
also, I didn't know that they may have counterfeits so thanks for the warning

[GoktimusPrime]

From here (http://otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=464830&postcount=223)...

Here's a question for you Goki, How is Subaru pronounced officially.

I been hearing Subaru as it is in Asian countries and In US/Aus Suburu is used? Which is right?
Simplistically put, it's "Soo-baa-roo."
If you want a more a more proper pronunciation, then consider this approximation guide for pronouncing Japanese vowels.
"a" as in father
"i" as in igloo
"u" as in full
"e" as in egg
"o" as in rock

P.S.: Listen to the way 'Subaru' is pronounced right at the very beginning of this Japanese Subaru Forester commercial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y73qbUcWdeo

[drifand]

From here (http://otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=464830&postcount=223)...

Simplistically put, it's "Soo-baa-roo."
If you want a more a more proper pronunciation, then consider this approximation guide for pronouncing Japanese vowels.
"a" as in father
"i" as in igloo
"u" as in full
"e" as in egg
"o" as in rock

P.S.: Listen to the way 'Subaru' is pronounced right at the very beginning of this Japanese Subaru Forester commercial:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y73qbUcWdeo

Should I forward this to Subaru australia? It kinds of bugs me when people don't know how to pronounce their own company name.

[GoktimusPrime]

Should I forward this to Subaru australia? It kinds of bugs me when people don't know how to pronounce their own company name.
:confused: Umm... that's entirely up to you? :confused:

But really, a LOT of people mispronounce words even if it's the name of their company or field of interest etc.
e.g.
* Karate <--- mispronounced as "Kah-rah-tee," but proper pronunciation is "Kah-Rah-Teh."
* Karaoke <--- mispronounced as "Carry-oh-kee," but proper pronunciation is "Kah-Rah-Oh-Keh."
* Juujutsu <--- mispronounced and misspelt as "Jiujitsu" ("Jew-Jit-soo") but proper pronunciation is "Joo-jee-tsoo."
* Mitsubishi <--- mispronounced as "Mit-soo-bi-shi," but proper pronunciation is "Mi-tsoo-bi-shi."
* Toyota <--- mispronounced as "Toh-yoh-tah," or "Toy-oh-tah," but proper pronunciation is "Toyo-tah."
* Nissan <--- mispronounced as "Nis-sən," ("Niss'n") but proper pronunciation is "Niss-Sun."
* Daihatsu <--- mispronounced as "Dye-hat-soo," but proper pronunciation is "Dye-hah-tsoo."
* Nunchaku <--- mispronounced and misspelt as "Nunchucks" but proper pronunciation is "Noon-chah-koo."
* Henkei <--- I've heard this mispronounced as "Hen-kee" and "Hen-kai," but the correct pronunciation is "Hen-KAY."

English speakers frequently mispronounce words from other languages too. Heck, there are people who speak English as their first and only language who mispronounce (http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/60752380.jpg) English (http://www.vh1.com/celebrity/bwe/images/2008/10/NUCULAR%20WEAPONS2.JPG) words (http://nucular.sourceforge.net/bush_Nuclear_Parrot.jpg)! :eek: :rolleyes:

[GoktimusPrime]

From here (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?p=469927#post469927)

ああ、いいね :) 岡山に住んでいました。
いいなぁ、岡山弁がしゃべられますか？自身は※埼玉弁しか分かりません。二千五年に日本に住んでいたので、 ギャラクシーフォースやバイナルテックアステリスクやロボットマスターズなどのトランスフォーマーシリーズ を集めましたか？

---------------------------------
※標準語と必ず同じです。:p

[Firestorm]

Goki-sensei, your assistance please.
I stupidly offered to translate this comic strip http://www.nintendo.co.jp/nintendo_news/150121/kirby_gougai/img/kirby/article04_list02.jpg without reading it assuming my Japanese skills would be enough to translate it.
turns out there are regional dialects and unfamiliar kanji in it so I can't translate it. :/
I'd hate to ask but since you're such a knowledge buff, if you know any Kagoshima-ben (that's what I am pretty sure it is after some research) do you think you could assist me? 頼む,先生!

what I've got so far.

Title: Thee Waddle Dee?

Panel 1
Text bubble: "These other Waddle Dee have been recolored allowing them to move" (or something like that)
SFX yellow: Uuun/Groan
Red's text: "Green and Yellow!?

Panel 2
Yellow Text bubble: "We're saved, we shall (SOMETHING) together (SOMETHING SOMETHING)
SFX green: uunnnnn
SFX Yellow: uumph/rise

Panel 3
I'm completely lost on this one

Panel 4
White text bubble: "The colored paint is making them act weirdly" (or something like that)
Yellow text bubble: something about curry for dinner
Green text bubble: no idea
text near the fairy: "sooory"

I'm appalled by how my Japanese skills have decreased compared to a few years ago. I plan on re-enrolling in a language school once I have the money to pay for it.

[GoktimusPrime]

I don't speak Kagoshima-ben at all, but I'll try... ;)

------------------------------

Title: The 3 Waddle-Dees

Your translation is fairly accurate, I would just add "also" to the first text bubble of Panel 1, i.e. "The other Waddle-dees were active after being painted."

I would translate panel 2's yellow text bubble as: "You have saved us. Would you like to travel with us? And yeah, the yellow dude is making a 'getting up' sound... I don't know how you would translate that to English. :p "Sshf"?

Panel 3:
Green speech bubble: "Tsk... we are indebted to you... we wish to repay our debt..."
Yellow SFX: "We beg/ask of you." <---??? :confused: not sure about this one
Green SFX: <the sound of abruptly standing up>

Panel 4
White text bubble: "Because I am painted in weird colours my character is kinda..."
Fairy SFX: "...sorry"
Yellow text bubble: "Would curry be okay for dinner?"
Green text bubble: "Tsk... I want Chazuke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chazuke)."

------------------------
I think that's right anyway -- I'm really not familiar with Kagoshima-ben... in fact, the only dialect of Japanese that I speak is standard Hyoujungo. :p

[Firestorm]

I'm starting to wonder if anyone really speaks Kagoshima-Ben :p
Glad to know my translations weren't ENTIRELY inaccurate.
Thanks a bunch for the help Gok.
Hopefully I'll be able to afford Japanese lessons again soon and won't need to ask for help. ... Hopefully I'll never have to worry about Kagoshima-Ben again though :p

[GoktimusPrime]

You think Kagoshima-ben is bad? The current Japanese Extension HSC prescribed text is largely set in Yamagata, with a lot of characters speaking in Yamagata-ben! :eek: Both my students and I sometimes have fun trying to decipher what some of these characters are trying to say! :p Transcribing the prescribed extracts to give to my students (so that they can read the script for study at home) was fun... I made quite a few mistakes during some of the Yamagata-ben lines, which my students had a good laugh at (my mistakes more than the Yamagataben :p). Off hand, I can't think of anyone I currently know who speaks Kagoshima-ben, but I might ask around at my daughter's Japanese school. It's interesting sometimes in class when kids start using their parents' own regional dialects in class and the teacher has to correct them in Hyoujungo... and parents are advised to be mindful to also explicitly teach their children Hyoujungo alongside their regional dialects to ensure consistency between home and class language. :o It's probably not as much of a problem for kids in Japan, but for Australian kids, their exposure to Japanese is much more limited and if the primary source of that exposure is a regional dialect, then obviously it will override their ability to learn Hyoujungo. It happens more with pre-school/Kindy aged kids -- most of them are used to switching to/using Hyoujungo by time they get to the K-1 class and above.

I actually met a lady who was originally from Shanghai but moved to Osaka over 20 years ago. Because she migrated to Japan as an adult, she learnt all of her Japanese as Osakaben and was utterly incapable of speaking Hyoujungo! :eek: She could understand it, but not speak it (Received Multilingualism). There would be a few times when I just couldn't understand what she was saying to me, and she would have to explain it to my wife in Chinese, who would then tell me in English, and I would then confirm it back in Hyoujungo! :eek: She actually ran this quaint little Ramen/Gyudon restaurant (http://ramenkozou.blog49.fc2.com/blog-entry-65.html) across the road from our hotel. ;)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka146_zpssph0gvfw.jpg

[Firestorm]

You think Kagoshima-ben is bad? The current Japanese Extension HSC prescribed text is largely set in Yamagata, with a lot of characters speaking in Yamagata-ben! :eek: Both my students and I sometimes have fun trying to decipher what some of these characters are trying to say! :p Transcribing the prescribed extracts to give to my students (so that they can read the script for study at home) was fun... I made quite a few mistakes during some of the Yamagata-ben lines, which my students had a good laugh at (my mistakes more than the Yamagataben :p). Off hand, I can't think of anyone I currently know who speaks Kagoshima-ben, but I might ask around at my daughter's Japanese school. It's interesting sometimes in class when kids start using their parents' own regional dialects in class and the teacher has to correct them in Hyoujungo... and parents are advised to be mindful to also explicitly teach their children Hyoujungo alongside their regional dialects to ensure consistency between home and class language. :o It's probably not as much of a problem for kids in Japan, but for Australian kids, their exposure to Japanese is much more limited and if the primary source of that exposure is a regional dialect, then obviously it will override their ability to learn Hyoujungo. It happens more with pre-school/Kindy aged kids -- most of them are used to switching to/using Hyoujungo by time they get to the K-1 class and above.

I actually met a lady who was originally from Shanghai but moved to Osaka over 20 years ago. Because she migrated to Japan as an adult, she learnt all of her Japanese as Osakaben and was utterly incapable of speaking Hyoujungo! :eek: She could understand it, but not speak it (Received Multilingualism). There would be a few times when I just couldn't understand what she was saying to me, and she would have to explain it to my wife in Chinese, who would then tell me in English, and I would then confirm it back in Hyoujungo! :eek: She actually ran this quaint little Ramen/Gyudon restaurant (http://ramenkozou.blog49.fc2.com/blog-entry-65.html) across the road from our hotel. ;)
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y227/goktimusprime/Japan/Japan%202012/Osaka/japan2012_osaka146_zpssph0gvfw.jpg

Wow that's a pain, but I guess you can't really blame he parents for talking the way they are used to. But yes it must make learning the proper language and also understanding your parents difficult haha.
Osakaben usually isn't that hard to understand, I picked up a little of it while I was staying with a family in Osaka and can pick it out when I hear it now. But that ha given me the problem of occasionally almost using Osakaben haha

[Firestorm]

Starting Japanese lessons again next week :)

[GoktimusPrime]

Good luck with those, Firestorm. :)

Okay, so I think I've worked out how to say Avogadro's number (アボガドロ定数 = 6.0221367 x 10^23) in Japanese:
六千二十二垓千三百六十七京
ろくせんにじゅうにがいせんさんびゃくろくじゅうななけい

And I think in English it might be...
Six hundred and two thousand, two hundred and thirteen trillion, six hundred and seventy thousand billion.

Or in American English it might be...
Six hundred and two sextillion, two hundred and thirteen quintillion, six hundred and seventy quadrillion.

[Raptormesh]

Just want to say I love this thread so much. :)

I'm currently using Memrise on my phone to learn - it uses memory devices to help with kanji and it's pretty effective so far.

[GoktimusPrime]

Just watched Mizuki Ichiro singing the Combattler V theme song on TV Tokyo! :eek: :D

[GoktimusPrime]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NNyp5iAssU
^This video shows Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" being played by 3 women with a shakuhachi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakuhachi) and two koto (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koto_(instrument)). :eek: :cool:

[GoktimusPrime]

Japanese Star Wars VII trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDvZ9UECfj8)
Interesting seeing some of the translations that they've come up with and comparing them with the original English dialogue.

e.g.
* "There are stories about what happened." → 「多くの噂を聞いたわ」 ("I've heard many rumours.")
* "It's true. All of it." → 「真実だ。すべては真実だ」("It's true. All of it is true.")
* "This Christmas" → 「目覚めよ」 ("Awaken!")

[GoktimusPrime]

SMAP are going to break up! (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35299532) :eek:

Strangely enough, I found out about this through a post by the voice actor for the original Lynn Minmay (Macross), and my daughter was watching Macross on TV at the time... during a scene where she's singing 「私の彼はパイロット」 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1nP2vYO24k) ("My Boyfriend's A Pilot"). And if that's too 80s for you, here's the Macross Frontier (Ranka Lee) version (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNdXuEWMnWo). :)

[Skript]

how did i just find this thread now??

[GoktimusPrime]

how did i just find this thread now??
<shrugs> :confused: I did mention it on your intro thread (http://otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=295155&postcount=3). :o

[Skript]

yeah I must say I saw it all and went OOOh, I got this.. i got.. I...
I'm outta my league

Really should have studied while I was over there instead of getting hammered.

Could have got a better job instead of coming back to IT =(

[GoktimusPrime]

Happy Hinamatsuri today for anyone with daughters. :)

[GoktimusPrime]

It amuses me whenever I hear or read about people accusing Japanese of "ripping off" words from Chinese and how the Sino-Japanese pronunciations are "corrupted" compared to Chinese, and people start comparing Sino-Japanese words with Chinese words.

It amuses me because people seem to fail to realise that Chinese words entered Japanese when Chinese people spoke Middle Chinese, which is very different and mutually unintelligible with Modern Chinese. So in fact, a lot of the way that Japanese pronounce some Chinese characters is closer to the way that Chinese people pronounced them during the Tang and Song Dynasties - i.e. when people spoke Middle Chinese! Others are different because of course, these Chinese words entered into Middle Japanese which is of course different from Modern Japanese. As with every language, words changed and evolved over time.

The same goes for Korean. Many of these words entered Korean via Middle Chinese and have since changed as the language evolved into Modern Korean. Also, Middle Chinese was never a unified language, so there was massive variation in the language so the way that the same word may be pronounced in Japanes, Korean or Sino-Vietnamese may vary depending not just on which period those words entered those languages, but also from which part of China. And this was the same in English too, English was also not a unified language until the reign of King James.
e.g. These late Middle English words all mean the same thing...
kirk
kyrk
kyrke
kirke
kerk
kerc
kerke
schyrche
chyrche
chyrch
cherge
cherche
cherch
chirche
churche
Modern English: church

Trying to argue that "Ki" (気) is a less 'pure' pronunciation of Chinese "Qi" is akin to saying that the Italian word "camino" is less accurate than English's "chimney," even though both words are descendant from the Latin word caminus (or "camino" in its dative and ablative singular tense).

[TAAUBlaster]

I ran into a bit of a hurdle this weekend trying to explain the word "cheesy" to a Japanese friend who couldn't understand the meaning of it.
Like many English words, there isn't a direct translation to Japanese (I don't think?) but I'm having a hard time trying to explain it. Originally I thought "ダサい" would be close, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that "uncool" doesn't really capture the meaning of "cheesy" and that its really not that close of a translation. And my Japanese level isn't good enough to try and describe a "cheesy" situation in Japanese for them to understand. :o

And I thought if anyone might be able to help, it would be Gok. ;)

[Bato]

It amuses me whenever I hear or read about people accusing Japanese of "ripping off" words from Chinese and how the Sino-Japanese pronunciations are "corrupted" compared to Chinese, and people start comparing Sino-Japanese words with Chinese words.

It amuses me because people seem to fail to realise that Chinese words entered Japanese when Chinese people spoke Middle Chinese, which is very different and mutually unintelligible with Modern Chinese. So in fact, a lot of the way that Japanese pronounce some Chinese characters is closer to the way that Chinese people pronounced them during the Tang and Song Dynasties - i.e. when people spoke Middle Chinese! Others are different because of course, these Chinese words entered into Middle Japanese which is of course different from Modern Japanese. As with every language, words changed and evolved over time.

The same goes for Korean. Many of these words entered Korean via Middle Chinese and have since changed as the language evolved into Modern Korean. Also, Middle Chinese was never a unified language, so there was massive variation in the language so the way that the same word may be pronounced in Japanes, Korean or Sino-Vietnamese may vary depending not just on which period those words entered those languages, but also from which part of China. And this was the same in English too, English was also not a unified language until the reign of King James.
e.g. These late Middle English words all mean the same thing...
kirk
kyrk
kyrke
kirke
kerk
kerc
kerke
schyrche
chyrche
chyrch
cherge
cherche
cherch
chirche
churche
Modern English: church

Trying to argue that "Ki" (気) is a less 'pure' pronunciation of Chinese "Qi" is akin to saying that the Italian word "camino" is less accurate than English's "chimney," even though both words are descendant from the Latin word caminus (or "camino" in its dative and ablative singular tense).

Quite possible some of them are based off the dutch word for church (kerk) or even the German one (Kirche)

[GoktimusPrime]

I ran into a bit of a hurdle this weekend trying to explain the word "cheesy" to a Japanese friend who couldn't understand the meaning of it.
Like many English words, there isn't a direct translation to Japanese (I don't think?) but I'm having a hard time trying to explain it. Originally I thought "ダサい" would be close, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that "uncool" doesn't really capture the meaning of "cheesy" and that its really not that close of a translation. And my Japanese level isn't good enough to try and describe a "cheesy" situation in Japanese for them to understand. :o

And I thought if anyone might be able to help, it would be Gok. ;)
ダサい is actually a pretty good translation, although it really depends on the context in which you're using the word "cheesy." Another translation might be わざとらしい, describing something that feels unnatural or forced (e.g. forced laughter). Another one is さむい which is often used to describe a comment so daggy that it makes you shudder; often used in response to 親父ギャグ ("dad jokes"). ;)

Quite possible some of them are based off the dutch word for church (kerk) or even the German one (Kirche)
More likely, kerk, kirche and church are all descendant from a common West Germanic ancestral source. :) Google's telling me that they all come from the Proto-Germanic word kirikǭ, which itself is derived from the Ancient Greek word kuriakón (κυριακόν). :o

[TAAUBlaster]

ダサい is actually a pretty good translation, although it really depends on the context in which you're using the word "cheesy." Another translation might be わざとらしい, describing something that feels unnatural or forced (e.g. forced laughter). Another one is さむい which is often used to describe a comment so daggy that it makes you shudder; often used in response to 親父ギャグ ("dad jokes"). ;)


I always thought ダサい was more like "daggy" uncool rather than "cheesy" uncool? I always have trouble with this type of Japanese that can be used in a few different situations :p

I've always only used さむい in the context of jokes or comments about someone that are a little cold.
I didn't realize it could be used for the more lighthearted "dad jokes" as well. I guess I still have a lot of learning to do. :o

Thanks a lot for the help Gok:D

[GoktimusPrime]

In certain context "cheesy" can be synonymous with "daggy" (in the sense of lameness).
e.g. "You know what would look good on you? Me! I love daggy/cheesy pick up lines like these."
So in that sense, you could also translate cheesy or daggy as カッコ悪い.　さむい is used to describe jokes that are so bad that you just want that person to "STAHP!" (http://www.deadicatedfans.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/2QZPqa5.jpg)

This is often the tricky thing with translating, you're not just directly converting what words mean in one language to another, but rather what the intended meaning is. You don't translate words, you translate concepts, because purely translating words can mistranslate concepts, and that's how things get lost in translation. This is why machine translators like Google Translate just don't work (beyond very basic words and phrases).

For example, I cannot directly translate "Adventure Time" to Latin, because there is no Latin word for "adventure" (the Romans had no concept of this), so I think the nearest approximation might be audacem temporalis ("Daring Time"). It's not a direct translation but attempts to convey the intended meaning of the original English title. I checked Wikipedia and they don't even have a page for Adventure Time in Latin! I was curious to see how they translated the title. :p And yes, there are Wikipedia pages in Latin. Here's the Latin Wikipedia page on Japanese (https://la.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lingua_Iaponica). ;)

[TAAUBlaster]

Ah, gottcha! That actually helps my understanding a lot. Thanks man :)

And here I was thinking my Japanese was improving. :p I would love to do a night or TAFE course because I really want to pick up my Japanese skill, but there's just nothing on offer here in my town unfortunately :(

[Megatran]

Destoroyah

How does one pronounce this?

[GoktimusPrime]

Follow this link (https://translate.google.com/#auto/ja/%E3%83%87%E3%82%B9%E3%83%88%E3%83%AD%E3%83%A4%E3%8 3%BC) and click on the "Listen" icon (looks like a speaker) to hear the pronunciation.

[DELTAprime]

Why are Japanese devs at games conferences referred to as last name followed by San, which as I understand is like saying Mr Spencer or Mr House. Kojima San or Inafune San for example. Do they think they are above the rest of the industry and should be refereed to like someone special or what?

[GoktimusPrime]

In Japanese culture it's generally considered rude to refer to people by their given names, thus in most typical contexts, it is considered more respectful and polite to refer to people by their surnames. In Australia we tend to reserve this level of deference for people in certain positions, such as clients, politicians, teachers, doctors etc., but in Japan this level of respect is affording to virtually everyone except for family members and close friends.

Japanese society is a vertical hierarchy and it is extremely important to show the correct level of respect, not only in the way that you address someone, but also in the way that you speak to someone. In English we have different registers that we use to increase or decrease our level of linguistic formality, but Japanese goes to a whole different level with different honorific forms of speech.
e.g.: Here are different ways of saying, "I eat sushi" in Japanese with varying levels of politeness.
* 寿司くう (sushi kuu) ←crude
* 寿司を食べる (sushi o taberu) ←casual
* 御寿司を食べる (osushi o taberu) ←honorific casual
* 御寿司を頂く (osushi o itadaku) ←casual humble
* 御寿司を召し上がる (osushi o meshiagaru) ←casual respectful
* 寿司を食べます (sushi o tabemasu) ←polite
* 御寿司を食べます (osushi o tabemasu) ←honorific polite
* 御寿司を食べられます (osushi o taberaremasu) ←formal
* 御寿司を頂きます (osushi o itadakimasu) ←formal humble
* 御寿司をお食べになります(osushi o otabeninarimasu) ←formal polite
* 御寿司を召し上がります (osushi o meshiagarimasu) ←polite respectful
* 御寿司を御召し上がりになります (osushi o omeshininarimasu) ←honorific polite respectful
* 御寿司を御召しになって頂きます (osushi o omeshininatte itadakimasu) ←honorific humble respectful

Placing "san" after someone's name can be used in both casual and polite forms, so it's actually not that honorific as some other name suffixes. Other honorific titles include:
+ ちゃん (chan) = used to address someone as a term of endearment. This is a variant of "san" only with the "s" replaced with "ch" to mimic Japanese baby talk. e.g. 赤ちゃん (akachan) = baby
+ 君 (kun) = used to address subordinates or to boys or to male friends. Colloquially used to address close female friends (it's less diminutive than "chan"). e.g. in Dragonball, Gokuu is often called 孫君 (Son-kun) by his friends.
+ 様 (sama) = Lord/lady. e.g. お客様 (okyaku-sama) = Lord/lady customer, 神様 (kami-sama) = Lord God etc.
+ 先輩 (senpai) = used to refer to or address a senior colleague or student (if you're a school student). Notice me.
+ 先生 (sensei) = master. Used to refer to or address authority figures such as teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, head chefs etc., as well as anyone who is accomplished in their field such as acclaimed writers, musicians, artists etc.
+ 博士 (hakase) = doctor, as in a professor and/or person who's been awarded a PhD. e.g. ホーキング博士 (hookingu-hakase) = Dr. Hawking
+ 氏 (shi) = used in very formal speech or when writing to someone you don't know very well, like when addressing people on the internet. e.g. Δプライム氏 (Δpuraimu-shi) = DELTAprime
+ 殿 (tono) = same meaning as "sama," although not quite as honorific. Similar to saying, "Milord" or "Milady." e.g. 薫殿 (Kaoru-dono) = "Milady Kaoru"
+ 閣下 (kakka) = Your Excellency (yes, I know that every Italian speaker is now rofling at this :p)
etc. etc. etc.

-------------------------------------------------------------
P.S.: It took me a couple of minutes to work out what the hell you meant by "devs." :eek: :confused:

[Bato]

(French people are rofling pretty hard at the last one too)

[DELTAprime]

In Japanese culture it's generally considered rude to refer to people by their given names, thus in most typical contexts, it is considered more respectful and polite to refer to people by their surnames. In Australia we tend to reserve this level of deference for people in certain positions, such as clients, politicians, teachers, doctors etc., but in Japan this level of respect is affording to virtually everyone except for family members and close friends.

Japanese society is a vertical hierarchy and it is extremely important to show the correct level of respect, not only in the way that you address someone, but also in the way that you speak to someone. In English we have different registers that we use to increase or decrease our level of linguistic formality, but Japanese goes to a whole different level with different honorific forms of speech.
e.g.: Here are different ways of saying, "I eat sushi" in Japanese with varying levels of politeness.
* 寿司くう (sushi kuu) ←crude
* 寿司を食べる (sushi o taberu) ←casual
* 御寿司を食べる (osushi o taberu) ←honorific casual
* 御寿司を頂く (osushi o itadaku) ←casual humble
* 御寿司を召し上がる (osushi o meshiagaru) ←casual respectful
* 寿司を食べます (sushi o tabemasu) ←polite
* 御寿司を食べます (osushi o tabemasu) ←honorific polite
* 御寿司を食べられます (osushi o taberaremasu) ←formal
* 御寿司を頂きます (osushi o itadakimasu) ←formal humble
* 御寿司をお食べになります(osushi o otabeninarimasu) ←formal polite
* 御寿司を召し上がります (osushi o meshiagarimasu) ←polite respectful
* 御寿司を御召し上がりになります (osushi o omeshininarimasu) ←honorific polite respectful
* 御寿司を御召しになって頂きます (osushi o omeshininatte itadakimasu) ←honorific humble respectful

Placing "san" after someone's name can be used in both casual and polite forms, so it's actually not that honorific as some other name suffixes. Other honorific titles include:
+ ちゃん (chan) = used to address someone as a term of endearment. This is a variant of "san" only with the "s" replaced with "ch" to mimic Japanese baby talk. e.g. 赤ちゃん (akachan) = baby
+ 君 (kun) = used to address subordinates or to boys or to male friends. Colloquially used to address close female friends (it's less diminutive than "chan"). e.g. in Dragonball, Gokuu is often called 孫君 (Son-kun) by his friends.
+ 様 (sama) = Lord/lady. e.g. お客様 (okyaku-sama) = Lord/lady customer, 神様 (kami-sama) = Lord God etc.
+ 先輩 (senpai) = used to refer to or address a senior colleague or student (if you're a school student). Notice me.
+ 先生 (sensei) = master. Used to refer to or address authority figures such as teachers, doctors, lawyers, politicians, head chefs etc., as well as anyone who is accomplished in their field such as acclaimed writers, musicians, artists etc.
+ 博士 (hakase) = doctor, as in a professor and/or person who's been awarded a PhD. e.g. ホーキング博士 (hookingu-hakase) = Dr. Hawking
+ 氏 (shi) = used in very formal speech or when writing to someone you don't know very well, like when addressing people on the internet. e.g. Δプライム氏 (Δpuraimu-shi) = DELTAprime
+ 殿 (tono) = same meaning as "sama," although not quite as honorific. Similar to saying, "Milord" or "Milady." e.g. 薫殿 (Kaoru-dono) = "Milady Kaoru"
+ 閣下 (kakka) = Your Excellency (yes, I know that every Italian speaker is now rofling at this :p)
etc. etc. etc.

-------------------------------------------------------------
P.S.: It took me a couple of minutes to work out what the hell you meant by "devs." :eek: :confused:

Thanks Gok. Maybe I should avoid taking a trip to Japan ever, I hate being called Mr Kearney and Kearney-san sounds even more formal to me.

[GoktimusPrime]

(French people are rofling pretty hard at the last one too)
Meerrr--credi! :eek:

Thanks Gok. Maybe I should avoid taking a trip to Japan ever, I hate being called Mr Kearney and Kearney-san sounds even more formal to me.
Or you could just learn to say 「デルタと呼んでください」("Please call me Delta.")
But yeah, by default they will address you buy surname unless you say otherwise, but that's the same with being in any foreign culture; people will go with the cultural default unless you say otherwise.

And at least Japan is reasonably consistent in that regard. In Australia we have some people who insist on being called by their surname while others prefer to be called by their given name, which is why people in customer care will often say, "Do you mind if I call you <given.name>?" before proceeding with the service. I've often heard Japanese people talk about how they find this lack of consistency confusing as they don't want to offend or upset anyone. I often just tell them to directly ask any new person that they meet as to how they prefer to be addressed, but Japanese people are generally uncomfortable with being so direct and forward (as it's considered rude), so it's not easy for them. Japanese people will always default to being too polite rather than not polite enough, as you're less likely to offend someone by being too polite.

e.g. If I walked into a doctor's office, and let's say his name is John Smith. If I addressed him as "Dr. Smith," he might say, "Please, just call me John," and then I'd just call him "John" from then on. But if I call him "John" straight off the cuff and he then goes, "That's Dr. Smith," then I've just offended him and there are awkward feelings all round.

This scene from Star Wars A New Hope demonstrates this kind of social faux pas:
"Well, if there's a bright centre to the universe, you're on the planet that it's farthest from."
"I see, sir."
"Uh, you can call me Luke."
"I see, sir Luke."
(laughing) "Just Luke."

[DELTAprime]

This scene from Star Wars A New Hope demonstrates this kind of social faux pas:
"Well, if there's a bright centre to the universe, you're on the planet that it's farthest from."
"I see, sir."
"Uh, you can call me Luke."
"I see, sir Luke."
(laughing) "Just Luke."

I need to watch A New Hope again, I was thinking that was an Alec Guinness line for a moment, or did he prefer Sir Alec Guinness?:p

[GoktimusPrime]

I don't know about knighthoods, but I know that when you get awarded your PhD then by law you have to be addressed as "Doctor" in any legal setting. At my previous school I had a colleague who has a PhD in Chemistry -- she's very humble about it and doesn't normally tell people about it and never asks anyone to call her "Dr.", but it just came up in conversation one day. She told me that all legal documents that are mailed to her such as bills, address her as "Dr." because that's a legal requirement. But that's pretty much the only time she gets called Doctor. Likewise in court when she was getting divorced -- the court had to address her as "Doctor [surname]." If anyone calls her "Doctor" in any normal situations, she'll tell you to shut up and stop calling her that. :p She only uses the title when she has to, by law, otherwise she never does. But I've also met another teacher with a PhD who insists on being addressed as "Doctor," especially by students. Incidentally the first teacher teaches at a disadvantaged public school while the latter teaches at a very privileged private school (where teachers actually wear academic gowns like at Hogwarts :rolleyes:).

On the opposite end of the scale, every Karate instructor I've met demand to be addressed as "Sensei," even though a lot of them are just downright incompetent as teachers. (-_-) When I did Karate I refused to address my instructors as "Sensei" because - especially as a teacher myself - I don't believe in just frivolously throwing this title around, especially if you can't bloody teach. I was never rude to them per se, but for example, if my instructor's name was John Smith, I just called him John, and not "Sensei-John." And even if I were to address him as Sensei, I would never address him as "Sensei-John" because that makes no sense. As an honorific title, Sensei can only be used with surnames, not given names. Also, Japanese honorific titles always come after the name, never before. This is why Mr. Miyagi always said, "Daniel-san" and never "San-Daniel." :rolleyes: Saying "Sensei John" is the equivalent of saying "John Mister" in English. It just looks stupid. :rolleyes: Either call him "Mr. Smith," or "Smith-Sensei" or just "John"! I went for the latter option. :o

[GoktimusPrime]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TofNjIjt0TQ
^Interesting social experiment where 3 non-Japanese people (1 Asian, 1 black, 1 white) walked around and spoke with Japanese people to see if they would treat them the same as anyone else in Japan and respond in Japanese, or if they would attempt to mix with English or use English. The majority of respondents treated them the same as anyone else and exclusively spoke to them in Japanese. :)

In my personal observation, I find that one of the challenges for Anglophones in learning Japanese (or any other foreign language) is that a lot of people in other countries want to learn and/or practise English, and in countries like Japan, people are often more than willing to try and speak English with you (or at least mix some English with Japanese) to try and be helpful. But of course, it's not helpful because it hinders your ability to learn Japanese! But this little social experiment demonstrates that if foreigners are willing to take the initiative and speak in Japanese to Japanese people, then they will respond in kind. Where respondents mixed or used English it was often because the foreigner (the black girl) is speaking Japanese with a notable accent or she outright admits that she doesn't fully understand what is being said or shown to her (in her defence the video does explain that she is still a learner of Japanese whereas the other two are already fluent speakers; and the way that she tells off one guy for touching her hair was actually really good :D).

So yeah, so long as you actually take the initiative to engage with Japanese people in Japanese, then Japanese people will respond in kind. And needless to say that your ability to learn Japanese will then increase exponentially. Anyone who is living in Japan (or has lived or will be going) will have the super added bonus advantage of being surrounded by native speakers and be able to do this on a daily basis. Those of us living outside of Japan obviously have more limited options, but we gotta take any opportunity where we can find it. :o And it's interesting what topics turn up... I managed to have a conversation with a Japanese friend recently and we talked about IVF in Japanese -- I learnt quite a lot of things about IVF (and fertility in general) that I never knew before. :o

P.S.: As I've probably mentioned before, whenever Japanese people speak to me in English, I just reply in Japanese. :p

[GoktimusPrime]

Tokyo 2020 promotion during the closing ceremony (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K4cvaJbSFQ)

[TAAUBlaster]

From this post in the Transformers Questions thread with the MP Cheetor translation request
http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=534301&postcount=8865

Recently I have been using scans like this to try and help me study kanji rather than selectable text (so I can't take the lazy way out and just copy/paste them into a translator :p ) I use a website to search for each kanji by their radicals which is also helping me to learn how each kanji is made up - and makes it a little easier for me to recognise them (I know - its a strange way to do it, but it works for me. :o )

Anyway my question is, What are the two kanji after ”ボディ”　at the start of the second line of text? I couldn't for the life of me find them the way I usually do (and I was probably mistaking the radicals when searching. :o )

[GoktimusPrime]

表面 = ひょうめん = surface :)

[TAAUBlaster]

Thanks Gok :)

I was mistaking the radicals as it turns out :o haha

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

What is this radicals site you're using Blaster?

Searching for a Kanji I've never come across is the bane of my JP study!

[TAAUBlaster]

What is this radicals site you're using Blaster?

Searching for a Kanji I've never come across is the bane of my JP study!

I use www.jisho.org They have a "radicals" search just to the left of the main search box. It's really handy because all you have to do is even just select one of the radicals, and it auto searches and shows all the kanji that include it. And you can choose multiple radicals, to narrow the results. :) It's made searching kanji so much easier for me personally.

[kup]

I may be going to Japan very soon so I wouldn't mind some Japanese Role playing. My Japanese has become rusted to crap as most of it was learned when I was a little kid and not in a 'fluent' environment where it was frequently spoken.

Let's start with typical tourist scenarios to see if I can bring it back to existence - Please keep in mind that this is more about the spoken language than written. I also would appreciate brief corrections to bad grammar or sentence structure.

*I walk into a store and notice a Transformers toy on the window that I am interested in. I point to it and ask*

Konishiwa, Kore wa Toransufoma desu ka?

[GoktimusPrime]

Konnichiwa.
Otherwise everything else in your sentence is correct. :)
And just to clarify, you are saying, "Good day, is this a Transformer?"

Now having said that, it's unnatural to start off with good day. You'd be better off saying:
「すみません、これはトランスフォーマーですか。」
sumimasen, kore wa Toransufōmā des ka?

[Bato]

I'm just finishing my first two weeks (ever) in Japan.

I had surprisingly good results by erring on the side of over-politeness and saying

"Sumimasen, Kore onegai shimasu" or "Sumimasen, doko Makurosu/toransufoma desu ka?"

Generally, i got by with a lot of "sumimasen"s and pointing at things... ^^;;;

[GoktimusPrime]

"Sumimasen, doko Makurosu/toransufoma desu ka?"
Correction on this sentence: it should be
「トランスフォーマーはどこですか」
"Toransufōmā wa doko desu ka?"

You basically omitted the topic marker particle "wa" and had adverb "doko" in the wrong position. Remember that adverbs and verbs come towards the end of sentences in Japanese, as opposed to English which typically places them towards the front.

トランスフォーマーはどこですか
Where are the Transformers?

[Bato]

Sorry, yes, I would actually say "XXXX wa doko desu ka?".

Thanks for correcting me :)

(that's what I get for posting late-ish at night)

[kup]

Thank you for your tips but i an looking for role play conversation to reinforce the ability to communicate. The sumimasen tip is very important and useful. Thank you

[Bato]

Be careful though.

The expression "Knowing just enough Japanese to be dangerous" is actually true.

Again, personal experience, but after I could manage a couple sentences in Japanese, they would fire off in Japanese super fast and point me to signs in Japanese. Once I told them I couldn't read/understand (spoken) Japanese, they would start explaining things in English and giving me the English sign instead :P

[GoktimusPrime]

I'm sure I've linked to this video before, but it's a social experiment to see how many "Western looking" (i.e. non East Asian) people in Tokyo speak Japanese.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8-YLAKW7DU

The problem with this experiment was that it was done in Shibuya, which is a popular tourist attraction, and I don't know how many of those people were just tourists or actual residents in Japan. Because naturally you wouldn't expect a tourist to speak the local language as they're just passing through. But a person living in Japan should absolutely be able to speak Japanese (to varying degrees of fluency, depending on how long they've been living there). I'm seriously thinking about doing this experiment myself when I'm in Japan, although we're also hitting a lot of tourist places. But I want to explicitly ask people if they're tourists or residents and just disregard all the tourists from my experiment; i.e. I only want to observe residents. Might get some of my senior students involved... hrmm... something we might discuss on the plane trip. ;)

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Shibuya is also likely to attract a lo of people who have studies Japanese, so you might be better off going somewhere else to start I guess.
Also if some guy and a kid came up to me with a mic speaking Japanese to me, I'd tell him I didn't speak Japanese to make him go away.

As a whitey, it's sometimes handy pretending to not understand. Like when I was in a shop looking at TFs and this fat angry dude was stomping around rambling on about the lack of selection. Wouldn't mind chatting to some local Tf fans, but not if they are stereotype looking otaku guys.

[GoktimusPrime]

Unleashed a Dad's Joke onto a girl working at Tokyo Disneyland, making her laugh. :D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EwZETnP1_4

They have a dessert called "Space Sundaes" which are just called スペースサンデー (Supeesu Sandee) in Japanese, but I literally (mis)translated it as 宇宙の日曜日 (Uchuu no Nichiyoubi; "Space Sunday") when I went to order one. ;)

[GoktimusPrime]

One topic that I was talking about with some of my friends in Japan are words used by Japanese people in Australia which are not used back in Japan. In other words, Japanese-Australian exclusive words. How many can we think of?

The most obvious ones are contractions for place names like エコポ (Echo Point), クロネ (Crow's Nest) etc., but let's exclude those for obvious reasons. So here are a few words Japanese-Australian words which I unleashed on some of my friends in Japan which actually stumped them!

スクホ
School Holidays (スクール・ホリデー)! In Japan it's 学校の休み .

ジャパレス
Japanese restaurant (ジャパニーズ・レストラン). The Japanese themselves don't often use the word for "Japanese restaurant," because Japanese restaurants there tend to be specialised, like a Ramenyasan or Sushiyasan, Ryoutei etc. But if they want to be specific then they would more likely use words like 和食店、和食レストラン、日本料理レストラン etc. - but it's often not necessary to specifically identify a restaurant as being Japanese when you're in Japan, as it's pretty much the social default setting. :p It's similar to how in Australia we don't often explicitly state that a restaurant serves Western food - it's just the default unless specified otherwise.

七年生～十二年生
Years 7-12. Obviously because it reflects the Australian school year system. Japan doesn't use this system, their junior high school is Middle School Forms 1-3 (中学１～３) and their senior high school is simply High School Forms 1~3 (高校１～3).

幼稚園 and キンディー生
Again, reflecting differences in education system. When my daughter was in her final year of day care, we simply called it 幼稚園 and I referred to her as a 幼稚園児. I would translate as "preschool" and "preschooler" respectively, but in Japan they translate it as "kindergarten." An ex student of mine is currently living and working in Japan as a 幼稚園の先生 and when she introduced herself to my non-Japanese speaking colleagues, she told them that she's a "Kindergarten teacher." キンディー生 obviously refers to what we would call Kindergarten or just Kindy - the first year of primary school. So when my daughter started school she was a キンディー生. When it comes to early childhood care before preschool, then I find both sides simply refer to it as 保育園 and 保育園児 respectively.

エイチ・エス・シー試験
Higher School Certificate Examinations. This obviously doesn't exist in Japan, their nearest equivalent would be 大学入試 (university entrance exams) - which isn't quite the same thing as the HSC though.

Heh, maybe we should refer to Australianised Japanese as 豪州弁. :p That's all I can think of for now. :)

[GoktimusPrime]

RE: This discussion about original vs loanwords in English (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?p=546643#post546643)

Japanese is also quite similar in this regard, with many native Japanese words continuing to co-exist with foreign loanwords, especially from Chinese. This is one thing that learners of Japanese can find perplexing is how there are synonyms, which are also represented by the various readings of the same Kanji. But this isn't too different from how English is also has different words meaning the same thing, often from different origins, as discussed in more detail in the link above. But for this thread I'd like to focus on Japanese.

Just as loanwords in English often evoke a greater air of sophistication, Chinese loanwords similarly tend to evoke more sophistication compared to native Japanese words. Not surprisingly this is because Japanese writing originated from Chinese writing, and initially the Japanese only wrote in Chinese but later developed their own forms of script to better suit their language (as Japanese isn't even in the same language family as Chinese, just as English isn't in the same family as Latin-descendant Romance languages).

Some examples. Native Japanese words are in Hiragana while Chinese loanwords are in Katakana.

YEAR: とし　ネン - e.g. ことし = "this year", キネンビ = "anniversary"
COW: うし　ギュウ - e.g. うしどし = "Year of the Cow, ワギュウ = "Japanese beef"
LOOK: みる　ハイケン - latter is more formal, similar to how "look" is English but "spectate" is Latin
MEDICINE: くすり　ヤク - e.g. ヤッキョク = "pharmacy"
FOOD: たべもの　ショクジ - the former means 'food,' whereas the latter is often translated as 'meal.' When I run both words through Google Images たべもの gives me this (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=%E9%A3%9F%E3%81%B9%E7%89%A9&biw=1024&bih=638&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiLn6Ss-qDRAhUGnZQKHXqHCNcQ_AUIBigB) whereas ショクジ gives me this (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=%E9%A3%9F%E4%BA%8B&biw=1024&bih=638&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_1vHu-qDRAhVKS7wKHaejDs4Q_AUIBigB)
WELCOME: いらっしゃい(ませ)　カンゲイ - again, when running both words through Google Images, the former gave me this (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=%E3%81%84%E3%82%89%E3%81%A3%E3%81%97%E3%8 2%83%E3%81%84%E3%81%BE%E3%81%9B&biw=1024&bih=638&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0ahUKEwjp0f-F-6DRAhWBEbwKHXoXDisQ_AUIBigB) while the latter gave me this (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=%E6%AD%93%E8%BF%8E&biw=1024&bih=638&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi76sq3-6DRAhUEbrwKHUNuBHgQ_AUIBigB). Welcome vs reception, same meaning, but different moods!
...and so on and so on... ;)

Also, I've made a video where I'm narrating a Chinese fairy tale in Japanese here (http://otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php?t=23818). The video contains my narration with Japanese subtitles and an English translation in the description, although the thread itself shows individual images with English translations beneath each one. :)

[GoktimusPrime]

Having a chat w/ our Japanese ALT in the staffroom, she showed me a photo of her cousin's son as 従兄弟の息子 ("My cousin's son"). I then said, 「従兄弟の子供は甥じゃないか？」("Wouldn't your cousin's son by your nephew?"), and she said no, it's not... but she didn't know what the correct kinship term for it is either. :o

I don't know for sure, but I think that it'd be 従甥(じゅうせい) for a boy and 従姪(じゅうてつ) for a girl. It then reminded me that I don't use the proper kinship terms either, because in English your cousin's child is your 'cousin once removed.' But I've always called them 'nephew' or 'niece' as that's my own family's tradition.

[DELTAprime]

There's an app called Duolingo that teaches you a foreign language, but it's limited to Roman and Greek alphabet languages. Anyone know of an app to learn the basics of Japanese?

Edit: never mind, apparently they have just added Japanese. I now know 1 = ichi and 2 = ni.

[GoktimusPrime]

This site has some good tips on learning Japanese, as well as links to some useful apps and resources. Also useful for anyone wanting to master native pronunciation, particularly the pitch accent. This guy has some useful videos on that which explains it in meticulous detail.
https://www.tofugu.com/japanese/japanese-learning-stack-dogen/

[FatalityPitt]

Thanks for sharing. I always wanted to learn Japanese, but couldn't find enough books in romaji or anyone patient enough to teach me.

I know it's the convention to learn to write and speak basic words and phrases when starting out. However, when learning languages, I seem to find it easier to learn to listen and speak first (common everyday phrases first), then start learning the alphabets and characters later. But that's just me. Maybe I learn differently compared to others. Although I think it makes sense because when I was a baby first learning to communicate, I listened and spoke first, then only started to learn to read and write when I was in pre-school... Foood for thought.

[GoktimusPrime]

Speaking and listening are natural language skills which the brain is has evolved to use. As you've accurately pointed out, all babies/infants begin with speaking and listening and often don't learn to read or write until they start school. Reading and writing are artificial language skills, which is why they must be taught (either by a teacher or self-instructed) and cannot simply be naturally picked up like speaking and listening can.

I strongly advise against using Romaji if you actually want to learn Japanese. It may seem easy at first, but it causes other problems, including:
Greater risk of phonemic interference. This is always a tell-tale sign as to which of my students have bothered to learn Hiragana and which ones haven't. Those who are still relying on Romaji are far more likely to transfer English phonemes over to Japanese. e.g. mispronouncing まえ (mae) as "may" instead of "mah-eh" -- students are misreading the "ae" as in "maelstrom." The fact is that the Japanese /ae/ vowel set does not exist in English phonology, and also, Japanese generally doesn't slur vowels as English does. Learning via Hiragana helps you to better master basic pronunciation better than Romaji does.
It is often difficult to wean off dependency on Romanisation and become competent in reading/writing Japanese script. I once met a guy who'd been living in Japan for over a decade but was utterly illiterate in Japanese because he'd learnt using Romaji and couldn't wean himself off it. He could speak the language fluently, but was useless at reading/writing - so even for simple things like reading signs, menus etc. -- forget it.
Imagine if a Japanese person tried learning English using purely Katakana-ised イングリッシュ (Ingurisshu). :o

[FatalityPitt]

I think when learning a language, it definitely helps to be surrounded by native speakers of that language (if the goal is to learn to listen and speak). I've lived in Malaysia and Australia; and I can speak English, Malay and Mandarin (actually, my Mandarin sucks, but I understand enough to know when I'm being laughed at. Lol). I was able to pick up basic English and Malay easily enough without formal lessons, because I was surrounded by people who spoke those languages. Not an hour went by without me over-hearing conversations in Malay, English or some other Chinese dialect. The nice thing about Malay and English is that they both use Roman letters, so I could easily look up new words I might hear or read, and find their meaning. With Mandarin, it's trickier because it's written and read in Chinese characters - which I found intimidating to look at when I was a kid. I needed to ask people what certain words meant when I heard them for the first time.

Yeah, if I decide to learn Japanese properly, it'd be good to learn Hiragana too. That way I'll be able to read texts, and reading helps build vocabulary. It's a shame they don't play more Japanese films on SBS. It always helps to be able to listen to and pick up common speech patterns and nuances. If you hear the word "hajimette" often enough, you soon realise that it means 'new' or 'first time' (or something along those lines).

[GoktimusPrime]

I recommend watching Japanese films/shows on DVD rather than on TV for the purposes of language learning. One thing that I recommend to my students is to alternate between watching the same episode with the subtitles on and off, preferably starting without subtitles on the first viewing. Because if you only ever watch shows with subtitles on, while your brain may pick up a few words or detect some patterns here and there, on the whole, your brain's actually NOT doing much work at all. But yeah, I recommend watching it in raw Japanese first, then watching it with subtitles on, then watch it again raw.

[GoktimusPrime]

Another interesting case of convergent evolution in language - how four has been rendered in Kanji and Roman numerals.

KANJI: 一 二 三 四 五 六 七 八 九 十
ROMAN: I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X

When first learning these numbers, the first thing that jumps to mind is why four bucks the trend. Why isn't "Quattuor" written as four vertical lines, and why isn't "yon" written as four horizontal lines? :confused:

Well, as it turns out, they used to be written as four lines!
Thus...
一二三亖
I II III IIII
But it's believed that 三/亖 and III/IIII became tricky to discern when written in small writing and/or when read at a distance. Thus bucking the trend and changing the characters just alleviated initial confusion between three and four.

Now the Roman numeral for Quattuor makes sense, it's 1 before 5: IV. And the trend continues with other numbers like 9 being 1 before 8 (IX) etc. But what about Kanji? As it turns out, the character 四 didn't originally mean "four." It originally meant "breath" and evolved from an image of a mouth (口) with teeth and tongue inside.

目目...目目
.鼻......鼻
.口......四 ...... Kanji: the ancient world's answer to Emoji

"So how did "breath" come to mean "four"?!"
Homophones. Apparently in Old or Middle Chinese and Japanese, the word for breath was pronounced in the exact same way as the word for four. Thus people just started writing "breath" as a written synonym for four, and it eventually replaced the word entirely, and a new Kanji had to be devised for "breath" (息).

#themoreyouknow

[Shirokaze]

Another interesting case of convergent evolution in language - how four has been rendered in Kanji and Roman numerals.

KANJI: 一 二 三 四 五 六 七 八 九 十
ROMAN: I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X

When first learning these numbers, the first thing that jumps to mind is why four bucks the trend. Why isn't "Quattuor" written as four vertical lines, and why isn't "yon" written as four horizontal lines? :confused:

Well, as it turns out, they used to be written as four lines!
Thus...
一二三亖
I II III IIII
But it's believed that 三/亖 and III/IIII became tricky to discern when written in small writing and/or when read at a distance. Thus bucking the trend and changing the characters just alleviated initial confusion between three and four.

Now the Roman numeral for Quattuor makes sense, it's 1 before 5: IV. And the trend continues with other numbers like 9 being 1 before 8 (IX) etc. But what about Kanji? As it turns out, the character 四 didn't originally mean "four." It originally meant "breath" and evolved from an image of a mouth (口) with teeth and tongue inside.

目目...目目
.鼻......鼻
.口......四 ...... Kanji: the ancient world's answer to Emoji

"So how did "breath" come to mean "four"?!"
Homophones. Apparently in Old or Middle Chinese and Japanese, the word for breath was pronounced in the exact same way as the word for four. Thus people just started writing "breath" as a written synonym for four, and it eventually replaced the word entirely, and a new Kanji had to be devised for "breath" (息).

#themoreyouknow

Very interesting read, love hearing about the origins of kanji. I'm about 8 months in to my formal Japanese studies, and I usually find that learning about the origin of a kanji helps my brain retain the information.

[FatalityPitt]

I recommend watching Japanese films/shows on DVD rather than on TV for the purposes of language learning. One thing that I recommend to my students is to alternate between watching the same episode with the subtitles on and off, preferably starting without subtitles on the first viewing. Because if you only ever watch shows with subtitles on, while your brain may pick up a few words or detect some patterns here and there, on the whole, your brain's actually NOT doing much work at all. But yeah, I recommend watching it in raw Japanese first, then watching it with subtitles on, then watch it again raw.

That's a good idea, I'll try it :)

[GoktimusPrime]

So I've been stuck at home all week with glandular fever :( and I made a video presentation so that I could remotely "teach" some new grammar structures without physically being in the class. Anyway, here's a copy of my video in case anyone else might find it useful. The password is 11JAC2017
https://vimeo.com/227228567

Topics covered are:
* Describing things with relative clauses
* The conditional たら
* Conditional hope (たらいい)
* Talking about past experiences
* Saying something is easy or hard to do
* Using と to say "if" or "when"
* Saying what you can see or hear (a very brief introduction to the potential form)
* Saying whether or not using かどうか

My voice isn't the greatest... I spent a lot of time editing out sounds of me sneezing and coughing. :rolleyes: And I know there's one part of the video where I made a grammatical mistake. Those of you who've had glandular fever will know how hard it is to think or speak straight.

Anyway, for those of you still learning Japanese please LMK what you thought of this video. Was it useful? Cos I'm wondering if I should make more. They might come in handy as a general teaching resource because I can just chuck the video on at the start of each new unit. Because in teaching we often just repeat the same thing over and over again, and these videos would save me from doing that. And instead I could focus on answering specific questions that students have. I know that other teachers in other subjects are already doing this.

[GoktimusPrime]

LOL :D
https://www.facebook.com/chonewsoku/videos/529564727378285/?hc_ref=ARTLvvthTLuNPK7lnArDONWMOMhTU7AqWy93BgAK0F VMBNpV4-tvjOr_Fz8I4sfAk6M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVZ9xk5A6l4

(certainly aren't overusing that bar from the soundtrack of Akira, are they? :D)

[GoktimusPrime]

Awww snap, I fell for this! :D
https://i.ibb.co/xS5k4Tk/temp.jpg

[GoktimusPrime]

There's going to be a proposed law that requires foreigners living in Japan to learn Japanese. I think this makes total sense. Living in Japan without speaking Japanese makes about as much sense as living in Australia without speaking English. It's just common sense (and general respect to the country that you're living in). It's sad that it should have to be a law, but I've encountered my fair share of people who never bothered to really learn the language of the country that they're living in.

And it's really of benefit to that immigrant. If you're living in Japan and you don't speak Japanese, then it mostly sucks for you. Although it can suck for others around you, like when government services need to spend public funds hiring interpreters (e.g. court interpreters; I've been told by someone who used to work in a court that trials take way longer when interpreters are required because everything has to be presented in multiple languages).
https://resources.realestate.co.jp/news/should-foreigners-learn-japanese-if-they-want-to-live-in-japan-proposed-law-to-require-promotion-of-japanese-language-education-for-foreigners/

[GoktimusPrime]

For those who may not have seen the news, with the Emperor soon abdicating his throne, from next month Japan will leave the Heisei Era (平成時代) and enter the Reiwa Era (令和時代).

[Raptormesh]

There's going to be a proposed law that requires foreigners living in Japan to learn Japanese. I think this makes total sense. Living in Japan without speaking Japanese makes about as much sense as living in Australia without speaking English. It's just common sense (and general respect to the country that you're living in). It's sad that it should have to be a law, but I've encountered my fair share of people who never bothered to really learn the language of the country that they're living in.

And it's really of benefit to that immigrant. If you're living in Japan and you don't speak Japanese, then it mostly sucks for you. Although it can suck for others around you, like when government services need to spend public funds hiring interpreters (e.g. court interpreters; I've been told by someone who used to work in a court that trials take way longer when interpreters are required because everything has to be presented in multiple languages).
https://resources.realestate.co.jp/news/should-foreigners-learn-japanese-if-they-want-to-live-in-japan-proposed-law-to-require-promotion-of-japanese-language-education-for-foreigners/

I totally agree. However there are children of foreign workers who are not getting sufficient social and learning support. I read that there are around 40k in this cohort and around 10k do not even attend school.

For adults planning to go there, yeah it is quite useful to learn though there are expats who cocoon themselves up.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I totally agree. However there are children of foreign workers who are not getting sufficient social and learning support.

For adults planning to go there, yeah it is quite useful to learn though there are expats who cocoon themselves up.
Neither of these　problems are exclusive to Japan though.

[Raptormesh]

Neither of these　problems are exclusive to Japan though.

Of course, never said otherwise. Still always good to adopt the language of your new habitat.

[GoktimusPrime]

lol, I see what you did there with your new avatar, Raptormesh. ;) #お尻探偵

[DELTAprime]

I got given a 1000 yen note the other day. Is that the emperor that's on the note?

[Raptormesh]

lol, I see what you did there with your new avatar, Raptormesh. ;) #お尻探偵

Haha :) it is one of my fav thing to read - the entire set is awesome.

[GoktimusPrime]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TheOkz8oF_I
A look at Katsushika Ward in Tokyo, which is also where TakaraTOMY is located (not shown in this video though, unfortunately). But yeah, for a glimpse into TakaraTOMY's neighbourhood...

[Raptormesh]

Just moved to inner Tokyo about a month ago! Still mentally exhausted from the shift, it's probably one of the more stressful things I've done especially in a pandemic.

Dealing with the town hall for all the documents basically levelled my nihongo 200%, at least spoken wise.

[GoktimusPrime]

If you're ever in Katsushika-ku... please take a selfie in front of the TakaraTOMY building while holding a Transformer toy! Let us live vicariously through you. :p :D

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Just moved to inner Tokyo about a month ago! Still mentally exhausted from the shift, it's probably one of the more stressful things I've done especially in a pandemic.

Dealing with the town hall for all the documents basically levelled my nihongo 200%, at least spoken wise.What are you doing over there? :)

I thought it was still closed to foreigners, if it's opening up I might look at trying to teach over there again.

[Raptormesh]

If you're ever in Katsushika-ku... please take a selfie in front of the TakaraTOMY building while holding a Transformer toy! Let us live vicariously through you. :p :D

If I ever get a reason to go there! I only have a single TF toy now after the purge and I brought him to Japan with me (scout Breacher).


What are you doing over there? :)

I thought it was still closed to foreigners, if it's opening up I might look at trying to teach over there again.

I'm on spouse visa, though I am still employed remotely for my company in Aus. In a sorely needed long break atm though, after the last two years.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

Dealing with the town hall for all the documents basically levelled my nihongo 200%, at least spoken wise.
I loathe the city hall aspect of Japan.

I've come to the conclusion that while I like Japan, I dislike Japanese society.

[GoktimusPrime]

写真漫画：スタスクの戴冠式

https://i.ibb.co/XLzYmmH/photocomic-coronation01.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/3Yq2xd6/photocomic-coronation02.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/t8TyhK0/photocomic-coronation03-J.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/L9mRmgd/photocomic-coronation04.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/ZJ0Ld7C/photocomic-coronation05.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/jfVY5Sk/photocomic-coronation06-J.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/MDg9j6g/photocomic-coronation07.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/s3XBc3k/photocomic-coronation08-J.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/vvjMryH/photocomic-coronation09-J.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/S6PV4Wg/photocomic-coronation10-J.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/hfCfvGs/photocomic-coronation11-J.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/XDT9RVr/photocomic-coronation12.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/Z1gdFgj/photocomic-coronation13.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/W6hYXZV/photocomic-coronation14.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/NCcmPGb/photocomic-coronation15-J.jpg

https://i.ibb.co/kDjcYWt/photocomic-coronation16-J.jpg

英語版 (https://www.otca.com.au/boards/showthread.php/29182-Photocomic-Starscream-s-Coronation?p=651358)もどうぞご覧ください。