Composition 3

二十ねんごの私はゆめいな大学のプロフェシサーです。私は学生に中国のれいきしとこうがくをおしえます。そちて私はこうこがくのリサーチおします。私のうちはアメのリカのおおきいしにあります。私のかぞくはおっととこどもがいます。なつは私は中国と日本へいきます、そして私はこどもに中国語と日本語をおしえますから、こどもは中国語と日本語がわかります。私のせいかつはいぞがしですが、とてもたのしです！

Katakana Analysis Final

If you look at my previous blog post, you'll see that I have several different examples of katakana usage. However, I have come to understand that they are largely the same type of example in that most are examples of katakana being used to write loanwords (ie: "best seller," "brand," "bacon," etc...). However, I think that it might be useful here to talk about the different ways katakana is used for loanwords because there are some interesting subtleties in how they are employed that bespeak certain deliberate choices made by Japanese people when they write (particularly when they write for display).

1.) Use of katakana to write the word "best sellers:"

I think that in this instance, the katakana is being used for emphasis. Best sellers are a very Western conception, invented by book marketers and used to draw a book browser to make a purchase by telling them that "this is what everyone else is reading, so you should too!" I think that in this case, the use of the katakana is Japan's (or more specifically, Kinokuniya's) way of appropriating that same marketing ploy in order to attract Japanese buyers. After all, they could have said "best sellers" using hiragana or kanji or even English, but they chose not to. Instead, its kind of a way of importing Western marketing schemes. (This is all my speculation, however).

In addition, as some of my helpful commentators have pointed out, using katakana to write "best sellers" here can also be considered emphasis, almost as if they had put the phrase in italics. Another aspect to be pointed out is the presence of the English written underneath: why use both katakana as well as English to display the same things on this sign? One of the comments, Matt's I believe, suggested that this might have been used to draw in English-speakers or bilingual speakers as well so as to make it obvious to them that the books displayed might be currently popular reads in Japan. This brings up another interesting question about this display: is "best sellers" here pointing to Japanese best sellers (as in best selling books currently in Japan?)? Or American bestsellers written by Japanese authors? Something to ponder perhaps (sorry, this edit resulted in more questions than answers I'm afraid).

2.) Use of katakana in titles: I found two examples of this usage of katakana that I think are quite different.

a.

In this first example, katakana is used to write the title of this children's book. ”バルバル”has no English equivalent, and thus I don't think the katakana here can be considered a loanword. However, "バルバル" does make an interesting sound when read or spoken out loud, which would probably get a Japanese child interested in the book. It is also most likely a name (the name of the fellow on the cover), therefore katakana would be an appropriate way to write it in this case.

One of my comments points out also that while "バルバル-san" here is most likely the little boy's name, the sound aspect of the word would surely be a draw from children. In addition, she points out that katakana is one of the first alphabets that young children in Japan learn, thereby confirming that the usage of katakana here is meant to appeal to young readers on many different levels. Finally, she brings up some other examples of the usage of katakana as onomatopoeia that goes beyond "バルバル-san," such as the usage of katakana to express the sound of the butterfly's wings flapping.

b.

In this second example, katakana is being used to write the word "brand" in the title of the magazine Brand Joy. Again, I think the use of katakana here is a deliberate choice because they could have chosen to write the word in hiragana or in Kanji, but they chose to use the loanword form. Looking through the magazine, I noted that it was geared towards selling western merchandise from western companies, so that might be a reason behind this particular usage.

Also, as a final note, why is it that "brand" is in katakana, but "joy" is in English? It is quite possible that this mixing of English and katakana (as seen in the first example, with "best sellers") is another deliberate marketing ploy, geared towards expressing the international aspect of the magazine as well as the magazine's merchandise (according to virtualjapan.com, Brand Joy is a magazine specializing in the display and sale of Japan's most popular luxury merchandise brands, many of which are Western companies such as Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Dior, etc....). In addition, one of the comments brings up a really interesting and important point that I did not originally consider, that of the usage of well-known English phrases that would appeal to Japanese audiences. According to the comment, "joy" is an English word that many Japanese people know, and thus it's appearance in the title of this magazine wouldn't necessarily keep Japanese buyers away, and would in fact be a possible draw.

Sources:

1.) Kinokuniya Bookstore, USA: http://bookweb.kinokuniya.co.jp/indexohb.cgi?AREA=03

2.) Virtual Japan: http://www.virtualjapan.com/wiki/Brand_Joy_Magazine

3.) Brand Joy Magazine: http://brandjoy.sv1.siteclutch.com/

たなかサウルス！

　





THE　END!

ーグレンダ

Composition 2

やまださんえへ、

はじめまして！わたしはグレンダです。アメリカじんです、そちてちゅごくじんです。わたしはコロンビアだいがくのたいがくいんのいちねんせいです。コロンビアだいがくはニューヨークにあります。ゆうめいなだいがくです。コロンビアのせいかつはいそがしいですが、たのしです、そして、ニューヨークはにぎやかですが、あまりずかじゃありません。わたしのせんせいはしんせつです。そしてにほんごはむずがしいですが、おもしろいです。わたしはにほんごのべんきょうがすきです！ことしのろくがつついたちにほんへいきます。

どうもありがとございます！とうぞよろしくおねがいします！

Katakana Analysis Draft

If you look at my previous blog post, you'll see that I have several different examples of katakana usage. However, I have come to understand that they are largely the same type of example in that most are examples of katakana being used to write loanwords (ie: "best seller," "brand," "bacon," etc...). However, I think that it might be useful here to talk about the different ways katakana is used for loanwords because there are some interesting subtleties in how they are employed that bespeak certain deliberate choices made by Japanese people when they write (particularly when they write for display).

1.) Use of katakana to write the word "best sellers:"

I think that in this instance, the katakana is being used for emphasis. Best sellers are a very Western conception, invented by book marketers and used to draw a book browser to make a purchase by telling them that "this is what everyone else is reading, so you should too!" I think that in this case, the use of the katakana is Japan's (or more specifically, Kinokuniya's) way of appropriating that same marketing ploy in order to attract Japanese buyers. After all, they could have said "best sellers" using hiragana or kanji or even English, but they chose not to. Instead, its kind of a way of importing Western marketing schemes. (This is all my speculation, however).

2.) Use of katakana in titles: I found two examples of this usage of katakana that I think are quite different.

a.

In this first example, katakana is used to write the title of this children's book. ”バルバル”has no English equivalent, and thus I don't think the katakana here can be considered a loanword. However, "バルバル" does make an interesting sound when read or spoken out loud, which would probably get a Japanese child interested in the book. It is also most likely a name (the name of the fellow on the cover), therefore katakana would be an appropriate way to write it in this case.

b.

In this second example, katakana is being used to write the word "brand" in the title of the magazine Brand Joy. Again, I think the use of katakana here is a deliberate choice because they could have chosen to write the word in hiragana or in Kanji, but they chose to use the loanword form. Looking through the magazine, I noted that it was geared towards selling western merchandise from western companies, so that might be a reason behind this particular usage.

Also, as a final note, why is it that "brand" is in katakana, but "joy" is in English? Something to think about perhaps.

カタカナUsage：５Examples

今週の土曜日に私は紀伊国屋の本のデパートへ行きました（near Bryant Park)。あそこはおもしろいです！わたしはカタカナのれいは勉強しました。Here are some of the examples of カタカナusage that I saw at 紀伊国屋:


1.)　On signs for certain genres of books:

Here カタカナis used to indicate that this section is devoted to comics (コミック）。

　
In this example, we can see that カタカナis being used to represent the word "best sellers" in Japanese.

In both of these cases, it seems that カタカナis being used to write words that have retained their western pronunciations.

2.) In recipe books, カタカナis most often used to represent ingredients that are not native to Japanese cuisine. For example, in the photo below, it is used to write the word "bacon,"which is very much an ingredient common to Western cuisine.





3.)In the store's extensive Japanese ざっしsection, I found some examples of カタカナused in magazine titles.　A good example of this is this cover for "BRAND JOY" magazine:
　

In this example, it seems that カタカナis being employed to emphasize the magazine's title.

4.) I also noticed that a lot of children's books used カタカナin their titles:　

5.) Finally, I also noted several different uses of カタカナin manual books, for example, in this origami book（see image below)、カタカナis used not only to denote the title of design "Bouquet Present プレゼンとのブケ、”but also within the directions of the design itself, most likely to denote the names of certain types of folds.




Anyways, I hope that these examples can illustrate the plethora of ways in which カタカナcan be used in everyday instances.　If you get a chance, check out 紀伊国屋bookstore, located near Bryant Park at 42nd street in Midtown. It's pretty cool.

Practice practice practice (lessons 5 and 6)

こんばんわ！

コロンビアの大学はたいへんです！せんしゅうわたしはどこへもいきませんでした！としょかんでべんきょうしまた。そして、こんしゅうわたしはどこへもいきません！としょかんでべんきょうします！

まいにちわたしははちじにおきます。たまごとパンをたべます。そしてコーヒーをのみます。わたしはあるいてにほんごのクラスへいきます。わたしはろくじからじゅじまでとしょかんでべんきょうします、じゅうじはんにうちへかえります。じゅうにちじにねます。コロンビアの大学はたいへんです！

らいしゅうのもくよびに、わたしはバスへうちでかえります。そして、わたしはMetropolitanびじゅつかんへいきます。

どうもありがとございます！

Week 4: Lessons 1-4

My goodness! Does anyone else feel like they're drowning?

In just a few weeks, we have learned a great deal of Japanese, and honestly, I'm having a hard time keeping things straight.

I am pretty confident with a lot of basic grammar such as:

わたしはGLENDAです。わたしはアメリカじんです。

わたしはだいがくいんのいちねんせいです。

あのかばんはわたしのかばんです。

etc...I feel like I'm pretty good with knowing when to use "の”　vs　”は”　vs　”も”。。。

And basic questions such as:

すみません！とけいのうりばはどこですか？

すみません！なんさいですか？

そのワインはいくらですか？

etc...

Other more complex forms, however, still require me to scramble around in either my memory banks (usually unsuccessful) or in my class notes in order to recall what order they should go in, or whether I am using the correct particle.

For example:

- Questions of what belongs to who:

ex: "Is this Tanaka-san's pencil?"....let's see (えと。。。）このえんぴつは、たなかさんのえんぴつですか？<-- is that right? I always feel like I'm missing an important verb in the second half of the question...

- Dropping the second subject in phrases where the subject is already stated (see above). Somehow, I always feel that I need the second subject in order to orient myself in the sentence.

ex: so the above question could also be stated: そのえんぴつは、たなかさんのですか？<--is that correct??

- When to use これ、それ、and あれ...

Other topics that are giving me trouble:

-Numbers! Please comment if you are having a dickens of a time remembering how to say, write, or structure Japanese numerals! I need to create a support group or something...

- Telling time. Again... those pesky numbers.

Other than that, I am simply trying to stay afloat.

Also, I don't know if this is what was expected out of this "blog entry" homework assignment, but I figured I'd throw it out there.

Thanks for reading!

どもありがとございます！

EDIT: I also feel that pretty soon, listening comprehension is going to be a problem for me...holla if you're with me on that.

Why Japanese?

My taking this course has, I feel, been somewhat of a long time coming. I began studying Chinese history many years ago, but have never had the opportunity, or desire (to be honest), to learn Japanese until I came to Columbia. While working for my MA degree, I realized, with startling clarity, how much information and knowledge I was missing by limiting myself to only one Asian language. Until then, I had thought that anything and everything I needed to know about my particular field of study (Bronze Age archaeology and history of China) could be found in Chinese sources, either in Classical Chinese or in Modern Chinese. I quickly realized how wrong I was and am now kind of scrambling to make up lost time and to get as proficient in Japanese (especially reading Japanese) as possible in order to be able to utilize the robust corpus of Japanese scholarship on early China that exists. So far however, Japanese has proven to be much more time-consuming than I had originally anticipated, but hopefully, with more work, it will get to be second nature.

Anyways, time fore more vocab review. こんばんわみなさん！じゃまたあした！

はじめまして！

はじめまして！わたしはGlendaです！どうぞよろしく！
わたしはにじうごさいです。わたしはあめりかじんです。
わたしはころんびやだいがくのだいがくいんのいちねんせいです。
にほんごのくらすはおもしろいです！