Has anyone else taken any Japanese? I'm finding the grammar really interesting -- you seem to use the same word for "I eat" and "you eat" and "you are going to eat" and "I am going to eat"; and the same words for "What are you going to eat" and "What would you like to eat", which seems like it'd make learning it very simple -- but then it turns out it makes up for simple verbs by using complicated nouns.
Mal: You tell me right now, little Kaylee, you really think you can do this? Kaylee: Sure. Yeah. I think so. 'Sides, if I mess up, not like you'll be able to yell at me.
'Bushwhacked'
Natter 60: Gone In 60 Seconds
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Emily - Sep 16, 2008 11:07:02 am PDT #8967 of 10003
"In the equation E = mc⬧, c⬧ is a pretty big honking number." - Scola
Shir - Sep 16, 2008 11:12:26 am PDT #8968 of 10003
"And that's why God Almighty gave us fire insurance and the public defender".
"I eat" and "you eat" is the same verb in Hebrew as well (though the "you" changes according to the gender, but it's still the same to the different "you"s).
Ginger - Sep 16, 2008 11:15:08 am PDT #8969 of 10003
"It didn't taste good. It tasted soooo horrible. It tasted like....a vodka martini." - Matilda
then it turns out it makes up for simple verbs by using complicated nouns.
Then there's the challenge of using different words for counting, depending on the type and shape of the thing you're counting.
Tom Scola - Sep 16, 2008 11:17:48 am PDT #8970 of 10003
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500
Woo! Trader Joe's opens in my neighborhood next week!
Gadget_Girl - Sep 16, 2008 11:20:52 am PDT #8971 of 10003
Just call me "Siouxsie Shunshine".
My real name gets me Rifle Panzer Palin. Guess I'd be going after the NRA vote?
sarameg - Sep 16, 2008 11:27:33 am PDT #8972 of 10003
I'm going to go see my brother's PhD defense! Woohoo!
Jesse - Sep 16, 2008 11:28:14 am PDT #8973 of 10003
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
Yay!!
Shir - Sep 16, 2008 11:29:58 am PDT #8974 of 10003
"And that's why God Almighty gave us fire insurance and the public defender".
Yay sarameg!
§ ita § - Sep 16, 2008 11:30:07 am PDT #8975 of 10003
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Then there's the challenge of using different words for counting, depending on the type and shape of the thing you're counting.
And different words for the same actions depending on the relative status of the subject and object, in some cases.
God, Japanese was hard. And after a year we still couldn't read a little kid's book.
Cool, sara!
sarameg - Sep 16, 2008 11:31:55 am PDT #8976 of 10003
It'll be short: I get there thursday early afternoon and fly back sunday night. But I get to see the nephews and all that!
Since I get there Thursday, I won't surprise him by showing up at his defense, but I think I won't tell him I'm coming. May tell SIL, as my parents are staying at hotel, & I may see if I can stay at the house.