A simple question for native speakers

[blacknomi]

Did you see numbers at the right side of each post?

#6 in Deutsch, Zahlen sechs! I just picked my Moment mal! Lehrbuch 1.

ho ho ho ( Santa Clause is coming to town) I miss susie_smith now.

[twostep]

You are a card!!

[blacknomi]

Is the card in Deutsch a der or die? Das ist confusing.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by blacknomi

I'm a bit surprised at the tone you had ...

My tone was "Eee" (One says, "Eee" when they see a mouse or a cockroach). I was scared when I found out that I had to find a problem.

I use both, "Either you or I will go" and "Either you are going or I am going".

[blacknomi]

Eweeeee...I see.

A li ga do, Cassie sensie! @->--

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by blacknomi

Eweeeee...I see.

A li ga do, Cassie sensie! @->--

Dou-i-ta-shi-ma-shi-te (You're welcome).

Psst. Japanese doesn't have [li], Try, a-[ri]-ga-tou.

Also, try Dou-mo (i.e., Thanks). It's shorter and colloquial. It used to be considered Men's speech, but these days women use it, too. Things are a changin' in Japan.

[blacknomi]

Sensei, yen-ki-de-su-ga?!

Dou-mo! ( I'm a man!)

I wish I had time to learn Japanese. How long have you learned it?

One Japanese friend finds my name, Sabrina, difficult to pornounce. So she called me sha-ba-sha-bu.

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by blacknomi

Sensei, gen-ki-de-su-ga?!

genki desu ga... (Psst. The above question is asked when someone has (a) been in the hospital and is now out or (b) has or had a cold or an illness. So my response, genki desu ga... means, Yes, I'm feeling energetic/better/up to par, but....

Originally Posted by blacknomi

Dou-mo! ( I'm a man!)

You are, really? or are you just pretending to be by using Men's speech?

Originally Posted by blacknomi

I wish I had time to learn Japanese. How long have you learned it?

Going on 5 years, and it's a difficult language to acquire, for two reasons: xenophobia ('xeno' stranger, 'phobia' fear) and 'silence is golden' being a cultural norm! That is, you sort of have to be very good friends with someone before they feel comfortable enough to speak beyond the so-called niceties, so in general, it's hard to (a) practice and (b) pick up usages.

In my opinion, Japan is a case study waiting to happen re: JSL learners in a JFL environment. One of the main problems EFL learners face is not having the opportunity to be situated in a native English language environment. ESL learners, though, tend to pick up the language much more quickly because they have opportunity. In Japan, however, and even though I am situated in a native Japanese language environment, I feel like an JFL learner because the opportunity to use Japanese is limited to greetings, speak when spoken to, do not offend: do not ask questions the answers to which the listener does not know (hahaha, which is kind of funny in a way because a conversation has to be about what the other person knows. That is, you need to know if the person will know the answer before you even ask the question. Given that limitation on topics, a conversation is usually about the weather or something insanely odd like, what's your favorite ____?. I tell ya, I am fluent in that area! If you do happen to ask a question the answer to which the listener does not know, you'll be standing there waiting for a reply that won't be forthcoming, because if one answers what one doesn't know it may get one in trouble. You see, silence is golden.

Originally Posted by blacknomi

One Japanese friend finds my name, Sabrina, difficult to pornounce. So she called me sha-ba-sha-bu.

That's the coolest pronunciation! Where I live, in Shizuoka, the Mt Fuji prefecture, your name would be pronounced Sha-bu-ri-na.

I love Japanese.

[blacknomi]

genki desu ga... (Psst. The above question is asked when someone has (a) been in the hospital and is now out or (b) has or had a cold or an illness. So my response, genki desu ga... means, Yes, I'm feeling energetic/better/up to par, but....

Really?! I don't think so and I could be wrong. It should be a catchy phrase because I see it on TV all the time. Isn't it a greeting?

Originally Posted by Casiopea

Quote:
Originally Posted by blacknomi
Dou-mo! ( I'm a man!)

You are, really? or are you just pretending to be by using Men's speech?

Hehe, trust your extra-sensory perception.

xenophobia ('xeno' stranger, 'phobia' fear) and 'silence is golden' being a cultural norm!

How long have you been staying there? If you have lived a long time, you wouldn't have a feeling of xenophobia? Or you mean they have a feeling of xenophobia? It's interesting that you have to know how to ask them a question that you know they know how to answer! ( What a tongue twister I'm writing. Does that make sense at all? I doubt ) Hm, if silence is golden is true, I assume they must be filthy rich. hehe


I know a pretty cool friend who lives in TN, Nashville. He loves Chinese SO much because of religion factor. He has a lot of chances to practise his Chinese. He knows quite a lot Chinese characters, simplified or traditional. I would like to know the reason you love Japanese. You like to be a Ninja or raw fish? Take your time replying. UE has busy business now. Thank you very much for your contributions here.



Luv ya!





Yours,
Sha-bu-ri-na

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by blacknomi

How long have you been staying there? If you have lived a long time, you wouldn't have a feeling of xenophobia? Or you mean they have a feeling of xenophobia?

It's been 5 years now.
I am not xenophobic.
I am Canadian. Canada is housed with odds and ends, as is America. That's what makes us multi-cultural. I dare say two Canadians look alike. I am no more afraid of difference than I am of wearing two different socks to work. They're comfortable, even if they don't match.