This is a continuation of my diary from my RTW tripo from November 2003.
I have been learning some Japanese.
Japanese reminds me a little of Welsh actually. The Welsh language is not able very easily to cope with new ideas and words. For example Computer is spelled compwter. Japanese similarly is adopting a lot of western words for things and ideas that are new to Japan and the language so bits are quite easy. If in doubt put the letter ‘u’ at the end of every word.
For example, British mobiles don’t work in Japan. When I was investigating getting a pay as you go phone for my three weeks here, I was told to get a ‘mober-u phon-u’ and top it up with a ‘pre-u paid-u card-u’!
Thirsty? Ask for a minerar-u wota.
Or you can put a ‘u’ in the middle of a word. For example: at a bar? Would you like a ‘wisuki on za rokku’?
The rest of the language, is fairly easy. People here understand what I say if I read things from my phrasebook as there are no tricky tones, and the pronunciation is straightforward.
The final trick to Japanese is to employ Yoda’s sense of word order and you’re there. Example. Eigo-no menyu-ga arimsu-ka means English menu have you?
I have been learning some Japanese.
Japanese reminds me a little of Welsh actually. The Welsh language is not able very easily to cope with new ideas and words. For example Computer is spelled compwter. Japanese similarly is adopting a lot of western words for things and ideas that are new to Japan and the language so bits are quite easy. If in doubt put the letter ‘u’ at the end of every word.
For example, British mobiles don’t work in Japan. When I was investigating getting a pay as you go phone for my three weeks here, I was told to get a ‘mober-u phon-u’ and top it up with a ‘pre-u paid-u card-u’!
Thirsty? Ask for a minerar-u wota.
Or you can put a ‘u’ in the middle of a word. For example: at a bar? Would you like a ‘wisuki on za rokku’?
The rest of the language, is fairly easy. People here understand what I say if I read things from my phrasebook as there are no tricky tones, and the pronunciation is straightforward.
The final trick to Japanese is to employ Yoda’s sense of word order and you’re there. Example. Eigo-no menyu-ga arimsu-ka means English menu have you?
You couldn't be more wrong about the lack of modernity in the Welsh language; whereas English has to borrow to survive, Welsh doesn't and therefore paradoxically, being older it is a much more modern language. Welsh is a parallel language to latin, so it doesn't have to borrow from it, the formations exist already, and the Welsh word for computer is Cyfrifiadur!
ReplyDeleteI think Japanese is typical to learn, comparison to english. What you say...
ReplyDeleteDim problem Bynbrynman! (That's no problem for Non-Welsh speakers)
ReplyDeleteAs a half Welsh bloke who went to Aberystwyth University, my comments about Welsh may have been tongue in cheek.
Have to dash though... I have to catch a bws home. :)
The Welsh for 'problem' is 'dyrysbwnc': English doesn't have a word for 'problem', it has to use a Greek word: As for 'bws', shouldn't the bias of the humour lean the other way considering that all English words are borrowed, and borrowings such as this in Welsh, although simple to pick out are very few in comparison.
ReplyDelete