c/196 · by bootleg@sh.itjust.works · 151d

rule

387 points · 37 comments · view on lemmy.world

37 Comments

callyral@pawb.social · 39 pts · 151d (10 replies)

well, if i was born as a japanese girl, i would be very confused there because i can't speak or read japanese.

HertzDentalBar@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 25 pts · 151d

That's the best part about being born, unlike just quantum leaping into a situation people forgive your lack of understanding and gladly teach you. However, should you be born a Japanese girl with full knowledge of your past life one should avoid speaking their own language as questions WILL be asked... These are all just hypotheticals of course...

mossy_@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 151d (1 reply)

you know, I never hear about the japanese struggling with their language. granted, I don't speak japanese either so I wouldn't know if they were.

Waraugh@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 150d

It has been a long time so I’m not going to even try to remember the details but I lived in Japan for a while and had a steady Japanese girlfriend there for almost three years. Just context to say I at one time knew a lot more than I do now and was pretty immersed in the local culture. Regarding language a few things that stuck out, most Japanese people anymore have learned English in primary school and while many can’t speak it well or conversationally they are surprisingly good at writing in English. I had a lot of initial conversations passing notes until I picked up the language a bit. There were several, I think three, different written languages or styles and most of the Japanese folks around my age had functionally lost the ability to write in Japanese, at least in enough of a capacity that it was talked about. Finally, the regional and age of the speaker differences in spoken Japanese was wild. At times my girlfriend would translate Japanese to me in Japanese and I could understand her perfectly while having absolutely no clue what was said beforehand.

Edit: I should say this was decades ago so I can’t speak with any direct experience to how things are now and I never really kept up with things after moving back home.

echodot@feddit.uk · -4 pts · 150d (6 replies)

I refuse to believe anyone can actually read Japanese. I can speak a very little bit of Japanese but I have no idea about the language at all. I don't know how to approach a language that lacks the concept of an alphabet.

How to Japanese people know how to write a particular word? In most languages you can hear the word and at least get a good idea of how it's written, even if it's a made-up word. In manga there are a lot of made up, in universe words, and I do not understand how they decide how to write to write to them down or how anyone who reads those words knows how to pronounce the word.

gandalf_der_12te@discuss.tchncs.de · 7 pts · 150d

I refuse to believe anyone can actually read Japanese.

that in itself is an insanely funny sentence.

Sonotsugipaa@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 7 pts · 150d

Mangoholic@lemmy.ml · 4 pts · 150d (1 reply)

They have syllables just like we do. The 3 (alphabets) as you would call them are one for the basics, one for foreign words and kanji which is like 500+ signs for different things. But every kanji can be written with the basic syllables as well.

BurnoutDV@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 150d

If only it would be only 500 :/ Its 2000 for basic reading unfortunately

Soulg@ani.social · 4 pts · 150d

They have a syllabary instead of an alphabet. It's really not that hard to learn.

shani66@ani.social · 2 pts · 150d

There are multiple Japanese alphabets, using kana on your phone will even turn it into kanji. Kanji sucks and is insane as a writing system.

blockheadjt@sh.itjust.works · 38 pts · 151d (7 replies)

Being born a drug dealer sounds pretty wild

OldChicoAle@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 151d

The life chooses you

echodot@feddit.uk · 11 pts · 150d

Well excuse me for following the proud and noble family trade.