Uhh, No Mandarin and Cantonese are two different things. no understandy.
Within mandarin there are different ways of writing the characters, Traditional (old and complicated) and Simplified (new and simple-ified.)
As far as I understand it, they mostly use simplified on the mainland, with traditional being used in taiwan.
I speak English, but badly enough that my English teachers just sort of looked at me the way you'd stare down a puppy that peed on the sofa. Can speak a few words of Spanish, and would love to learn more of it, but I can't roll my 'r's and could never remember which words are masculine or feminine.
Before I went to southern China a few months ago I learned a few basic phrases. The way people looked at me when they were thanked with shei shei/do jei (that spelling will be so mangled), you'd think most tourists just yelled at them to speak American. Also amazing how fast you can pick up some of the basic hanzi - sure, the giant-square-of-squiggles ones were too hard, but basic shapes like the ones for entrance, exit, AM, PM, day month year etc. were easy enough.
It's amazing how quickly you can pick up basic, everyday things like that so long as your willing to immerse yourself and you have a decent head.
I spent about a week and a half in Romania with and English-speaking group, and I managed to figure out how to find a bathroom, order a meal, and exchange pleasentries. Some people in my group were the "English louder and slower" types. I pointed at the appropriate bits in my phrasebook. I had a much easier time.
FUCK WHY CANT YOU UNDERSTAND ME IM PRACTIALLY YELLING
Exactly. Why do people think that's going to work?
It's not just English-speaking people who do it, either. I've had people do it to me in Spanish a couple times.
Started out because I saw screenshots of games I was interested in but they had Japanese all over them so a little eleven/twelve year old me was all "Man I want to know that weird scribbly language"
Now a nineteen year old me wants to translate video games and learn about the medieval history/mythology of Japan.
By the way, anybody here speak French? I have some music with titles that were originally French, but have been mangled quite badly. Most of them are related to classical music ("Quatuor à cordes", "Pavane pour une infante défunte") but there are two titles that are too broken for this non-speaker to figure out entirely.
First is "Pieces d'argent commes des etoile". I think that's supposed to be "Pieces d'argent comme des étoile", but it still doesn't make much sense.
Second is "Poisopedie". All the results are in Moon, and I can't think of any similar French words. Any ideas?
Because they don't want to watch anime with subtitles or something? Beats me. All I know is there's very little picking up of Japanese and a whole lot more of letting it crush your spirit and your GPA till you graduate.
I speak English, but badly enough that my English teachers just sort of looked at me the way you'd stare down a puppy that peed on the sofa. Can speak a few words of Spanish, and would love to learn more of it, but I can't roll my 'r's and could never remember which words are masculine or feminine.
Before I went to southern China a few months ago I learned a few basic phrases. The way people looked at me when they were thanked with shei shei/do jei (that spelling will be so mangled), you'd think most tourists just yelled at them to speak American. Also amazing how fast you can pick up some of the basic hanzi - sure, the giant-square-of-squiggles ones were too hard, but basic shapes like the ones for entrance, exit, AM, PM, day month year etc. were easy enough.
It's amazing how quickly you can pick up basic, everyday things like that so long as your willing to immerse yourself and you have a decent head.
I spent about a week and a half in Romania with and English-speaking group, and I managed to figure out how to find a bathroom, order a meal, and exchange pleasentries. Some people in my group were the "English louder and slower" types. I pointed at the appropriate bits in my phrasebook. I had a much easier time.
FUCK WHY CANT YOU UNDERSTAND ME IM PRACTIALLY YELLING
Exactly. Why do people think that's going to work?
It's not just English-speaking people who do it, either. I've had people do it to me in Spanish a couple times.
They've never thought about languages in general and it's their gut reaction, i guess. When someone cant understand you over a walkie talkie you speak more loudly and clearly. Also, it only happens when the person only speaks one language, doesn't it?
what's the difference between cantonese and mandarin
it's all jap to me
Haha.
Yeah as far as I know, tones don't actually dictate meaning in Japanese (people will still probably understand what you mean if you mangle the word, unless you don't know what tenten or maru are).
Killjoy: my school teaches French and Japanese, and we had to do 1 language for some amount of time, and I heartily dislike genders in my languages. Funny thing is that I'm completely non-weeaboo and don't really like manga/anime, or any of the culture of Japan.
[tiny] teehee viv said dong[/tiny]
I think we can agree that southeast asian languages sound terrible though, all phoi doc huang noi wak ngu vho and such.
Started out because I saw screenshots of games I was interested in but they had Japanese all over them so a little eleven/twelve year old me was all "Man I want to know that weird scribbly language"
Now a nineteen year old me wants to translate video games and learn about the medieval history/mythology of Japan.
Fuck anime.
Dude fuck you in the anus I know you watch that shit. We watch it all the time and love it. I will destroy you with rape.
VivixenneRemember your training, and we'll get through this just fine.Registered Userregular
edited February 2008
It is also supposed to be easier to learn than Chinese but from what I can tell Korean is about ten times easier than Japanese since Korean is a purely phonetic language.
Another thing that was weird is tourists that didn't pick up on the "two hands = respect" thing. Natives would hand something over with two hands, the tourist would grab it with one. Not the best way to make an impression.
Janin on
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ArtreusI'm a wizardAnd that looks fucked upRegistered Userregular
I was going to take Japanese when I was still majoring in Foreign Language and International Trade because it's useful in foreign trade. I hate economics, though, so that was out. Now I don't really have a reason to learn it, so I'm not.
Started out because I saw screenshots of games I was interested in but they had Japanese all over them so a little eleven/twelve year old me was all "Man I want to know that weird scribbly language"
Now a nineteen year old me wants to translate video games and learn about the medieval history/mythology of Japan.
Fuck anime.
Dude fuck you in the anus I know you watch that shit. We watch it all the time and love it. I will destroy you with rape.
Do you know when the last time I willingly watched anime was?
I'll give you a hint, it was last year. When I stole Last Exile from you.
It is also supposed to be easier to learn than Chinese but from what I can tell Korean is about ten times easier than Japanese since Korean is a purely phonetic language.
I took Korean for a bit. Hangul is a little tricky to learn. But yes, it is far fucking easier to learn than kanji. Honestly though, aside from the kanji, Korean and Japanese are basically the same damn language. I mean they both use particles the same way and everything.
I speak English, but badly enough that my English teachers just sort of looked at me the way you'd stare down a puppy that peed on the sofa. Can speak a few words of Spanish, and would love to learn more of it, but I can't roll my 'r's and could never remember which words are masculine or feminine.
Before I went to southern China a few months ago I learned a few basic phrases. The way people looked at me when they were thanked with shei shei/do jei (that spelling will be so mangled), you'd think most tourists just yelled at them to speak American. Also amazing how fast you can pick up some of the basic hanzi - sure, the giant-square-of-squiggles ones were too hard, but basic shapes like the ones for entrance, exit, AM, PM, day month year etc. were easy enough.
It's amazing how quickly you can pick up basic, everyday things like that so long as your willing to immerse yourself and you have a decent head.
I spent about a week and a half in Romania with and English-speaking group, and I managed to figure out how to find a bathroom, order a meal, and exchange pleasentries. Some people in my group were the "English louder and slower" types. I pointed at the appropriate bits in my phrasebook. I had a much easier time.
FUCK WHY CANT YOU UNDERSTAND ME IM PRACTIALLY YELLING
Exactly. Why do people think that's going to work?
It's not just English-speaking people who do it, either. I've had people do it to me in Spanish a couple times.
They've never thought about languages in general and it's their gut reaction, i guess. When someone cant understand you over a walkie talkie you speak more loudly and clearly. Also, it only happens when the person only speaks one language, doesn't it?
As far as I've seen, but I only know a couple bilinguals. People don't generally bother with languages in the Midwest.
I can understand why they'd do it at first, but when you go on for five minutes without bothering o try anything else, you just look like an idiot.
I want to learn Thai but my Language Acquisition teacher said it was impossible to learn a language after puberty.
There's some shit going around about there being a critical period for learning foreign languages. Of course, it's not true. It may be more difficult, but it's not impossible.
It is also supposed to be easier to learn than Chinese but from what I can tell Korean is about ten times easier than Japanese since Korean is a purely phonetic language.
I took Korean for a bit. Hangul is a little tricky to learn. But yes, it is far fucking easier to learn than kanji. Honestly though, aside from the kanji, Korean and Japanese are basically the same damn language. I mean they both use particles the same way and everything.
I kind of wish I had stuck with Korean.
Every time I see Korean, it looks so clean and simple. But there are no classes to learn Korean around here.
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FalloutGIRL'S DAYWAS PRETTY GOOD WHILE THEY LASTEDRegistered Userregular
I want to learn Thai but my Language Acquisition teacher said it was impossible to learn a language after puberty.
There's some shit going around about there being a critical period for learning foreign languages. Of course, it's not true. It may be more difficult, but it's not impossible.
i thought your brain lost the language parts it didn't need for your primary language sometime after you're a baby?
makes sense
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Baroque And RollEvery spark of friendship and loveWill die without a homeRegistered Userregular
edited February 2008
My high school offers German, French, Latin, and Spanish. These are useless considering they are high school classes, but those are the only things offered in my city.
Korean characters look sorta complicated to me, but then I barely even bothered trying to learn Kanji, and I still forget hiragana that I don't use all the time fairly regularly. Fuck the kanji for 'to study' right in the ass, though.
My dad is fucking awesome with languages. He speaks close to ten languages fluently, most of them picked up in adulthood. I'm a bad son because I can only speak five.
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uhh, I did in the 8th grade and am still with it and majoring in the whole culture thing in college so uh.
We are all weeaboos I guess?
Uhh, No Mandarin and Cantonese are two different things. no understandy.
Within mandarin there are different ways of writing the characters, Traditional (old and complicated) and Simplified (new and simple-ified.)
As far as I understand it, they mostly use simplified on the mainland, with traditional being used in taiwan.
Exactly. Why do people think that's going to work?
It's not just English-speaking people who do it, either. I've had people do it to me in Spanish a couple times.
Started out because I saw screenshots of games I was interested in but they had Japanese all over them so a little eleven/twelve year old me was all "Man I want to know that weird scribbly language"
Now a nineteen year old me wants to translate video games and learn about the medieval history/mythology of Japan.
Fuck anime.
First is "Pieces d'argent commes des etoile". I think that's supposed to be "Pieces d'argent comme des étoile", but it still doesn't make much sense.
Second is "Poisopedie". All the results are in Moon, and I can't think of any similar French words. Any ideas?
Because they don't want to watch anime with subtitles or something? Beats me. All I know is there's very little picking up of Japanese and a whole lot more of letting it crush your spirit and your GPA till you graduate.
Haha.
Yeah as far as I know, tones don't actually dictate meaning in Japanese (people will still probably understand what you mean if you mangle the word, unless you don't know what tenten or maru are).
Killjoy: my school teaches French and Japanese, and we had to do 1 language for some amount of time, and I heartily dislike genders in my languages. Funny thing is that I'm completely non-weeaboo and don't really like manga/anime, or any of the culture of Japan.
[tiny] teehee viv said dong[/tiny]
I think we can agree that southeast asian languages sound terrible though, all phoi doc huang noi wak ngu vho and such.
kpop appreciation station i also like to tweet some
Dude fuck you in the anus I know you watch that shit. We watch it all the time and love it. I will destroy you with rape.
thank you
anime
when's the last time another asian country's put out anything worth importing
Coins like the stars?
Piece d'argent comme des étoiles Means pieces of silver like the stars.
Not sure about the other one.
GoFund The Portland Trans Pride March, or Show It To People, or Else!
Well I kind of like "chinese" food.
I just said that yes, yes they do.
How about China and every goddamn thing you own
Do you know when the last time I willingly watched anime was?
I'll give you a hint, it was last year. When I stole Last Exile from you.
I took Korean for a bit. Hangul is a little tricky to learn. But yes, it is far fucking easier to learn than kanji. Honestly though, aside from the kanji, Korean and Japanese are basically the same damn language. I mean they both use particles the same way and everything.
I kind of wish I had stuck with Korean.
that's because chinamen are cheaper than americans
As far as I've seen, but I only know a couple bilinguals. People don't generally bother with languages in the Midwest.
I can understand why they'd do it at first, but when you go on for five minutes without bothering o try anything else, you just look like an idiot.
http://www.cafepress.com/wittgenstein
10 for the price of one
(the american is heavier than 10 chinese!!)
Oh no, it's cool. Tofu and I used to live together. Kind of.
Your teacher lies. Maybe you won't speak like a native, but you can still learn if you're willing to put in extra effort.
GoFund The Portland Trans Pride March, or Show It To People, or Else!
okay you win this one
i fucking love chinese food
i'm sure americanized chinese food is better than the real thing
There's some shit going around about there being a critical period for learning foreign languages. Of course, it's not true. It may be more difficult, but it's not impossible.
SteamID: Baroque And Roll
:winky::winky:
GoFund The Portland Trans Pride March, or Show It To People, or Else!
The dude responsible for teaching you to learn languages told you not to bother learning languages?
Also, where are you going? I'm looking at Applied Linguistics schools.
Thanks, that makes more sense.
Every time I see Korean, it looks so clean and simple. But there are no classes to learn Korean around here.
i thought your brain lost the language parts it didn't need for your primary language sometime after you're a baby?
makes sense
And there are so many languages I want to learn.
SteamID: Baroque And Roll
It's an ESL elective; so I would be the one teaching languages, I guess.
I'm a Linguistics major at the bastion of knowledge that is UNR.
kpop appreciation station i also like to tweet some
Way to leave Fire Truck out you fucking dick.
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