General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
more Japanese
Posted by:
kurt
()
Date: August 26, 2001 10:55PM
<HTML>I doubt anyone will see this as the thread is \'dead\' by now.
Walter:
My comments were about how the word Banzai! is used in everyday language, including ordinary folks cheering the emperor. All my comments were for how ordinary folks would use Japanese - kokugo as it is called.
There are many different words for different formality levels in Japanese, from rough and slang filled ganster talk, to the polite eliteness of keigo. The Japanese of the court is very specialized and the ordinary Joe on the street would not readily understand it. furthermore, during the war, there really was no \'ordinary\' spoken Japanese, but a horde of different and mutually incomprehensible dialects. The dialects are fast dissappearing today, but that is another story.
Yes, there was some communication gap present during the Emperor\'s address, but the point was made.
The two divisions of demodic and jeratic you use do not explain the continuum of different formality levels and dialects that complicate Japanese. I\'ve studied Japanese for years, and I\'ve never heard those terms used before. They sound like a foriegner trying to apply a formal/informal bi-level linguistic vocabulary onto a much more complex system.
The Emperor is always referred to by Japanese as Tennoheika, or Emperoro. His name (the current one is Akihito) is never used. The correct prnuciation of Hirohito is \'Hirohito\'.
Japan is either Nihon or Nippon in Japanese. Either pronunciation is correct, and the usage Nippon does not come from foreigners.
Adding a slight mark in Japanese can change Nihon to Nippon, so the actual pronuciation is very closely related in Japanese, and either usage is allowed.
Yamato is a traditional name for Japan. It was used in ancient times, and refers to the region around Nara in Central Japan, the anceint capital (before Kyoto or Tokyo became capitals). It combines the kanji for harmony and foundation, but uses an ancient pronounciation. It died out many hundreds of years ago.
</HTML>
Walter:
My comments were about how the word Banzai! is used in everyday language, including ordinary folks cheering the emperor. All my comments were for how ordinary folks would use Japanese - kokugo as it is called.
There are many different words for different formality levels in Japanese, from rough and slang filled ganster talk, to the polite eliteness of keigo. The Japanese of the court is very specialized and the ordinary Joe on the street would not readily understand it. furthermore, during the war, there really was no \'ordinary\' spoken Japanese, but a horde of different and mutually incomprehensible dialects. The dialects are fast dissappearing today, but that is another story.
Yes, there was some communication gap present during the Emperor\'s address, but the point was made.
The two divisions of demodic and jeratic you use do not explain the continuum of different formality levels and dialects that complicate Japanese. I\'ve studied Japanese for years, and I\'ve never heard those terms used before. They sound like a foriegner trying to apply a formal/informal bi-level linguistic vocabulary onto a much more complex system.
The Emperor is always referred to by Japanese as Tennoheika, or Emperoro. His name (the current one is Akihito) is never used. The correct prnuciation of Hirohito is \'Hirohito\'.
Japan is either Nihon or Nippon in Japanese. Either pronunciation is correct, and the usage Nippon does not come from foreigners.
Adding a slight mark in Japanese can change Nihon to Nippon, so the actual pronuciation is very closely related in Japanese, and either usage is allowed.
Yamato is a traditional name for Japan. It was used in ancient times, and refers to the region around Nara in Central Japan, the anceint capital (before Kyoto or Tokyo became capitals). It combines the kanji for harmony and foundation, but uses an ancient pronounciation. It died out many hundreds of years ago.
</HTML>
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
|---|---|---|
i heard this joke
|
tony | 08/16/2001 08:15AM |
|
RE: i heard this joke
|
? | 08/16/2001 01:03PM |
|
RE: i heard this joke
|
Paul | 08/16/2001 02:58PM |
|
a little japanese lesson
|
kurt | 08/16/2001 03:34PM |
|
RE: a little japanese lesson
|
walter M | 08/16/2001 04:46PM |
|
RE: a little japanese lesson
|
Oliver | 08/17/2001 06:26PM |
|
RE: a little japanese lesson
|
Saskia | 08/17/2001 07:54PM |
|
RE: a little japanese lesson
|
oliver | 08/17/2001 09:50PM |
|
RE: a little japanese lesson
|
J.T. McDaniel | 08/17/2001 11:16PM |
|
RE: a little japanese lesson
|
Dave McQueen | 08/18/2001 07:32PM |
|
more Japanese
|
kurt | 08/26/2001 10:55PM |