Entry: The Language Wednesday, May 18, 2005



 Yes/No  Hai/Iie
 Please  Onegai shimass
 Do you speak English ?  Eigo o hanasemass-ka ?
 Excuse me/sorry   Sumimasen (*1)
 My name is X   Watashi no namae wa X desu (*2)
 I've reserved a room   Yoyaku shitemasu
 Kuidaore   The civilised practice of bankrupting oneself through sheer gluttony
 Hello   Konnichiwa
 Don't give up  Gambatte kudassai
 Master/Beginner  Sempai/Kohai
 Death through overwork  Karooshi
 Thank you    (Domo) Arigato (gozaimass) (*3)
 Good bye  Sayonara
 Enough  Jubun desu
 How do you do ?  Hajimemashite
 My name is X  Watashi no namae wa X desu
 Mahlzeit   Itadakimasu
 Where is X  X wa doko desuka ?
 Toilet   Otearai/Keshoshitsu
 Taxi  Takushi
 Train  Densha
 Left/Right/Straight on  Migi/Hidari/Massugu
 Arnold Schwarzenegger

 Arnodu Schwa


*1 note that the "u" is sometimes pronounced
*2 and sometimes it isn't

*3 three of dozens of levels of politeness. In an otherwise wonderfully simple language (no genders, no declinations, not even plurals !) they have added enourmous complexity by distinguishing linguistically whether a man or a woman is speaking, whether the person spoken to is a man or a woman, a superiour to an inferiour, an old person to a young one etc.. That and the amazing writing (3 alphabets in parallel !) make sure any simplicity is entirely removed.

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