Katakana Analysis Final

The words I chose to more specifically look into for my analysis are:

ガン, Cancer (Japanese article)

トヨタ, Toyota, car company

バーガー, Burger, Every Burger sweets package

I can understand why the medical community in Japan would choose to use katakana so as to better proximate conditions that perhaps first been named in English, and therein better proximate an international standard or language with regard to medicine. That being the case, I might think cancer to be something more like カンサー, although ガン pretty closely approximates the first syllable. Maybe the word has more punch when it's monosyllabic, it certainly feels to have more gravity to me as such. I also understand from what Miyamoto sensei told me there is a kanji for 'gan'.

トヨタ I understand a little better. It would make sense that a company with international aspirations would want to have their name written in katakana, not only for the reasons of standardization mentioned above but also because katakana is aesthetically simpler than hiragana or kanji and could therefore be easier to copy and write as well as being easier on the eyes of Westerners. I also think having it written in a language for foreign words gives it an air of internationality the brand probably sought when it made the decision.

バーガー is an obvious one, it sounds like 'burger' in english and is taken from english (well originally german) and as such is written in katakana.

I think the book's explanations of katakana were all good, although the last for me was by the far best. I think they probably explain katakana the way they do to ease the beginning Japanese students of the notoriously complicated 'three writing systems' in making the main focus of their summary "don't worry, once you can read it you'll understand what it's saying!"

Composition 3

二十ねんごのわたしはブラジルのリオにいます。わたしのうちはおおきいです。そしてとてもにぎやかです。わたしは会社員です。毎日九時におきます。十時から五時までかたらきます。十二時半にうちえかえります。かぞくはつまとおとこのこがふたりいます。みんなポルトガルごと日本ごがわかります。

かたかな Work Final

おともだち

りょうしんですね

スキンシプ

朝ですよ

パンとぎゅうにゅう

おいしいね

みずはいい

なかにバンバン

なつですよ

For my first poem, I used 'スキンシプ' as my katakana word. I read it meant a close personal connection and so I sought to convey that in my first senryu. I liked how it sounds odd when translated directly into English, but really means something quite sweet and endearing. I wanted to understand it better through using it.

For the second work I used ’パン’, a simple cognate because I've always liked how it comes from Portuguese, as I also study it on top of Japanese. I wanted to convey a morning routine and in the States at least toast can be a big part of that.

For my third work I wanted to use an onomatopoeic word, and chose バンバン because I found it unique and interesting. I think onomatopoeia is good to convey an idea in senryu as it takes the reader directly to that sound as opposed to trying to describe the sensation. I think it packs a greater punch when one only has limited もらえ.

かたかなせんりゅう

おともだち

りょうしんですね

スキンシプ

朝ですよ

パンとぎゅうにゅう

おいしいね

みずはいい

なかにバンバン

なつですよ

Composition 2

わたなべさんへ、

こにちは！わたしのなまえはジャムスロドリゲスです。コロンビアだいがくのがくせいです。コロンビアはとてもにぎやかですがむずかしいです。せいがつはとてもたのしいです。そしておもしろいです。わたしはじゅうきゅうさいです。サーカーとにほんりょうりがすきです。わたしのへやはちいさいですがすてきです。まちのせいがつはたかいですがいいです。わたしわしちがつにじゅうににちににほんへいきます。

よろしくおねがいします。

ジャムス

Katakana Analysis Draft

The words I chose to more specifically look into for my analysis are:

ガン, Cancer (Japanese article)

トヨタ, Toyota, car company

バーガー, Burger, Every Burger sweets package

I can understand why the medical community in Japan would choose to use katakana so as to better proximate conditions that perhaps first been named in English, and therein better proximate an international standard or language with regard to medicine. That being the case, I might think cancer to be something more like カンサー, although ガン pretty closely approximates the first syllable. Maybe the word has more punch when it's monosyllabic, it certainly feels to have more gravity to me as such.

トヨタ I understand a little better. It would make sense that a company with international aspirations would want to have their name written in katakana, not only for the reasons of standardization mentioned above but also because katakana is aesthetically simpler than hiragana or kanji and could therefore be easier to copy and easier on the eyes of Westerners. I also think having it written in a language for foreign words gives it an air of internationality the brand probably sought when it made the decision.

バーガー is an obvious one, it sounds like 'burger' in english and is taken from english (well originally german) and as such is written in katakana.

I think the book's explanations of katakana were all good, although the last for me was by the far best. I think they probably explain katakana the way they do to ease the beginning Japanese students of the notoriously complicated 'three writing systems' in making the main focus of their summary "don't worry, once you can read it you'll understand what it's saying!"

まいにち

まいにちわたしはごぜんじゅうじにおきます。ときどきあさごはんもたべません。ごぜんじゅういちにあるいてきょうしついきます。いちじにひろごはんをたべます。ごごごじはんにうちへかえります。ろくじはんにばんごはんをたべます。ごごしちじからごぜんいちじまでべんきょします。まいばごぜんいちはんにねます。

So Far...

I've been really pleased with how Japanese has been going so far. I feel we've been advancing at a pace that matches my strong desire to familiarize myself with and eventually master the language. I've really enjoyed having a language lab section where we can practice the pronunciation of Japanese, especially since so many sounds in Japanese can be difficult for a Western tongue. I'm excited to learn the intricacies of Japanese in the coming months, starting with katakana.

Why

Ever since I can remember I've been interested in East Asian cultures. As a kid, anime, manga and monster movies saw my interest shift more specifically to Japan. I first visited Japan when I was 15 and it was everything I had ever hoped it to be. I've been back two more times since then in the last 4 years. I've come to be interested in all elements of Japanese culture: food, films, tradition, history, art and of course, language. I'm happy to finally be taking Japanese formally and am excited for the year to come.

はじめまして

はじめまして。わたしはじゃメスです。これはわたしのにほんごのblogです。 だいがくせいです。にねんせです。アメリカのニューヨークからきました。じゅきゅさいです。どうぞよろしくおにがいします。