Basic Japanese For Anime And Manga Todays Topics

Basic Japanese For Anime And Manga

Today’s Topics: • Japanese Writing Systems • Some Basic Phrases • How All This Shows Up In Anime/Manga • Resources (Books, Websites, etc. ) Okay, let’s get started. . .

Japanese Uses FOUR Different Writing Systems Kanji Hiragana Katakana Romaji

Writing System #1 • Kanji – Imported from China – each symbol is a “word” – some based on pictures – Literally thousands!! – At least 2 pronunciations down, under, lower KA/GE/shita, etc. sun JITSU / NICHI / ka / hi mountain SAN/yama (as in Fuji-san)

At least TWO pronunciations? ? On-yomi=“Chinese reading” Kun-yomi=“Japanese reading” When used in combinations: On-yomi (transcribed using upper case letters & katakana) When kanji appear alone: Kun-yomi (transcribed using lower case letter & hiragana) but, of course, there are MANY exceptions!

For example: This kanji stands for “water” in English It’s On-yomi is SUI It’s Kun-yomi is mizu

sun tree, wood JITSU / NICHI / BOKU / MOKU / ki Kanji can also be combined to form new characters ka / hi east TO, higashi This is the first kanji in the name of the Japanese capitol, TO-KYO

Kanji Can Also Be Quite Complex & Similar! read – TOKU/DOKU/yo(mu) language - GO / kata(ru) / kata(rau) “nihon-go” way, path – DOU/michi as in “judo”

Writing Systems #2 & #3 • Kana – sets of syllables – two are used • Hiragana • Katakana

Hiragana • each symbol is a syllable • based on kanji • Japanese grammar • Japanese words

Katakana • each symbol is a syllable • More “angular” than hiragana • foreign words • often used in manga

More kana sounds In addition to the basic kana symbols, more sounds can be made by adding º or ´´ ka + ´´ = ga ho + ´´= bo ho + º = po

Finally, Writing System #4 • Romaji/Romanji – simply the same letters that we use in English – used to “transliterate” Japanese to be spoken by English speakers

KATAKANA: Kya-t(u) “cat” in English KANJI: Tou Nin Den literally “groupsecret-legend. ” Nin is from ninja. HIRAGANA: Te-ya-n-de-e Yattaro's (Speedy's) catch phrase. It doesn't really have an English translation, but it means something like "Watch out!" or "No way!". ROMANJI: EDOROPOLIS hometown of Pizza Cats Kyat-tou Ninden Teyandeh “Cat Ninja Legend – Watch Out!”

Now, for some phrases. . . Let’s practice: KONNICHI WA “HELLO” (Your last name) DES(u). My name is (------). O-NAMAE WA NAN DES(u) KA? What is your name? O-GENKI DES(u) KA? How are you? GENKI DES(u). ANATA WA? I’m fine. And you? HAJIMEMASHITE. Pleased to meet you. (Only used the FIRST time you meet someone)

So, now you can say. . . Nihongo o sukoshi hanashimasu. I speak a little Japanese. . and. . . Wakarimasu. I understand.

How Does All This Work In Anime & Manga?

This is Manta Oyamada from SHAMAN KING: Let’s take it one step at a time: His name is written in both kanji & hiragana. HIRAGANA: MA-N-TA on the right KANJI: O-YAMA-DA on the left So, it actually reads: Oyamada Manta

Again, here’s Amidamaru from SHAMAN KING: His name is also in kanji & hiragana. A-MI-DA- (kanji) -RE (kanji+hiragana) There is NO “ma” in the written Japanese!

Okay, now it’s your turn. . . use the handouts to figure out what noise the monster is making, the spaceship, etc. from this page from RAVE MASTER 7.

GU-SHI-KA pi-ta giyaoooooo. . . zuzuzouso do-go-o-----so FU-GOOOOO!!

Next, the spoken language. . .

YOU isn’t just YOU in Japanese!! omae, onore, kisama, anata, anta, kimi, and onushi Japanese teenagers and young adults are starting to use omae as an allpurpose pronoun analogous to the English "you. “ Omae Teenagers starting to use as all-purpose “you” Romantic connotation Afamiliar form of address (speaker is brash, casual , and doesn't respect convention) Use it with caution. Kisama Masculine form of address which can be openly insulting. The Hero uses omae, his villainous counterpart uses kisama to indicate his distaste for the person. Onore Once formal usage, now considered rude and offensive. Anata Used when speaking with social inferiors Can be made insulting by tone of voice, BUT it also an endearment when a woman uses it to speak with her husband. Anta a variant of anata used by women, not necessarily rude. Kimi male speech, speaking to people you have direct authority over, i. e. a vice-president speaking to the secretary, or a teacher addressing a student. Kimi is also how a boy refers to his girlfriend. Onushi Archaic polite usage sounds quaint when used in modern speech.

. . . and I isn’t just I watashi, watakushi, atashi, boku, ore, sessha, washi, and atai. Watashi Polite without indicating deference or formality Boku Used by young men (and young women actively emulating male behavior). Ore Even more overtly masculine, and implies either that a man is speaking among intimates (at the least that there are no women present) or that he is aggressively macho. Atashi Strictly feminine speech. Watakushi An older form of watashi. Slightly more formal Indicates that the speaker is paying conscious attention to decorum. Watakushi is favored by women, but might also be used by men, especially in the service industry. Sessha An older form, and implies courtliness and modesty. Washi Used by older men in positions of authority. Atai Associated with the lower class.

Opening Song from Urusei Yatsura Ammari sowa shinaide. Anata wa itsudemo kyoro. Yosomi o suru no wa yamete yo! Watashi ga dare yori ichiban Suki yo. . . suki yo! suki yo. . . suki yo! Don't get so fidgety! You're always looking all over the place! Stop looking away from me! More than anyone else, I love you, love you the best! love you, love you! love you, love you! Hoshitachi ga kagayaku yofuke Yumemiru no anata no subete. Aishite mo anata wa shiramburi de. Imagoro wa dare ka ni muchuu. On nights when the stars are twinkling I dream all about you. I love you, but you act like you don't know. I bet you're crazy for someone else by now! Aa otoko no hitotte Ikutsu mo ai o motteiru no ne. Aa achikochi ni baramaite Watashi o nayamaseru wa. Ah! Men all have so many loves. Ah! You're spreading them all over, and making me worry! Ammari sowa shinaide. Anata wa itsudemo kyoro. Yosomi o suru no wa yamete yo! Watashi ga dare yori ichiban. Don't get so fidgety! You're always looking all over the place! Stop looking away from me! More than anyone else, I love you the best! Aa otoko no hitotte nannin suki na hito ga hoshii no. Aa watashi dake aishite yo Itsudemo hitori dake o. Ah! How many lovers does a man want? Ah! Love only me, and me alone, always. Ammari sowa shinaide. Anata wa itsudemo kyoro. Yosomi o suru no wa yamete yo! Watashi ga dare yori ichiban. Watashi ga itsudemo ichiban. Anata no subete ga Suki yo. . . suki yo. . . Ichiban suki yo! Don't get so fidgety! You're always looking all over the place! Stop looking away from me! More than anyone else, I love you the best! Always the best! Everything about you, I love, love, I love you the best! Contributed by Anim. Eigo http: //www. animeigo. com

Selected Internet Resources 100 Most Essential Words In Anime Kanji: Japanese Characters www. yale. edu/anime/glossary. html www. harapan. co. jp/english/japan/kanji. htm About. com's Japanese Language site The Kanji Site japanese. about. com www. kanjisite. com Japan Central's Beginner Level Japanese Classes Nihongo de anata no namae! home. threeweb. ad. jp/english/jpncntrl/bgnr_s_g. html (Your Name In Japanese) Learn Japanese with the Pizza Cats www. e. kth. se/~e 96_dsa/www/nihongo/eng_onamae. html members. aol. com/Prncss. Vi/lessons Tsunami Channel Script Site: Japanese Reiko-chan's Japanese for Anime Lovers www. fstream. net/~akira/project/japanese/index. html physics. uwyo. edu/~brent/jal-home. htm Anime Cafe Japanese Kanji Calligraphy www. abcb. com http: //www 5. big. or. jp/~otake/hey/fude 00. htm Anime Lyrics Kana for Anime Fans www. animelyrics. com web. cs. mun. ca/~anime/afs/kana. html

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