I'm sorry but I gotta throw my two cents into this one.
Hi folks, and sorry about this. I need some info for a fic-in-progress
and
don't quite know where else to turn.
Have you tried going out to your local book store and picking up a
Japanese/English -English/Japanese dictionary? That is what most people
would do when trying to use words from a language they don't understand.
Q. In Japan, what are some common generic exclamations? I'm looking
for
equivalents to American exclamations such as:
Q. If you do not know the words for these expressions what makes you
think your readers will? If you are looking for English language
equivalents, why the hell don't you just use the ENGLISH!?
- God. ("God only knows where that idiot is now.",
he's sending spam to the FFML
(The commonly accepted word for a deity in the Japanese language is Kami
or Kami-sama, by the way. Also Spirits "Rei" and Ancestors "Sosen" can
be used in the same context. However not only is the entire structure of
the Japanese Language different from English, but their usage and
frequency of explicitives can vary from district to district and by
education level, etc. In other words just getting a Japanese word out
of a book is NOT going to make your fic all that better nor impress your
readers.)
- Hell. ("What the hell happened to him?", "What in the nine hells hit
me?",
etc)
The word for hell is "Jigoku", again this can be taken out of context
and mean nothing to your readers, there is a perfectly usable word in
English that means the same thing. Not to mention the fact that most
Japanese do NOT believe in the concept of a Heaven and Hell like the
Western societies do.
Thank you for your help on this. Again, please reply _privately_ so
Tybalt-sama doesn't have to hit the big red button... ;)
I understand you want private replies to this but this is a subject that
I and many others have addressed on the FFML before. This info is good
for all writers especially newer ones. The FFML is composed of a
majority of ENGLISH speaking writers. Sure some of us study languages
and some of us are even bi or tri lingual. That is not the point.
The premise of the fanfic writer is to take an existing work of fiction
and make it better, (at least make it better to you), on this particular
list we focus on the genre of Anime, or Japanese animation. Please READ
the FAQ if you would like further information on this subject. Now my
question for you Brian, (yes I am aware that I have stated this in times
past,) is why do you want to use Japanese words in your writing?
There are certain phrases and objects that simply work better in
Japanese granted. For example honorific suffixes such
as -chan, -san, -oneesama, -kun etc. Work a lot better than their
English equivalencies. Also words like dojo and kenpo have become
almost as much English as they are Japanese.
What is my point? Well what are you trying to do? If you are writing
your story simply for yourself and do not care to ever post it, or if
you do post it will not care what your readers think. Then you should
write in the style that pleases you. If you are writing for an
audience, and you have chosen the FFML to be your audience. Then not
only have you chosen one of the most picky places to post a fic, but you
have also chosen a group of writers with quite a few brilliant minds
among us. This list is an excellent place to learn how to write.
However one of the things that really annoys myself as well as a lot of
others here, is the over use of partial Japanese phrases in a story.
Thrown into a fic simply to add "flavor" or "realism" as I have heard it
called. And that's great. But up to a point. Let me give you an
example...
"Ohayo Kasumi-oneechan, breakfast was great today... [Ranma enters
room], Ranma no BAKA! [storms off, Ranma sweat drops]...Nan da yo? What
did I do Kasumi? All I did was walk in the room and then she yells at
me! Chikuso! kawaiikune stupid tomboy! [ranma storms off]"
The above example is exaggerated I grant you. But it proves my point.
A
passage of a story written partially in Japanese and partially in
English tends to drive people nuts! Even here where the context clues
are clear. It doesn't necessarily mean your reader really knows what
the heck is going on. Here is that same passage written again in all
english, save a few points.
"Mornin' Kasumi-oneechan, breakfast was great today... [Ranma enters
room], Ranma you idiot! [storms off, Ranma sweat drops]...What the hell?
What did I do Kasumi? All I did was walk in the room and then she yells
at me! Dammit! Stupid uncute tomboy [ranma storms off]"
All of a sudden light bulbs are going off in a few people's minds and
everything is clear with regard to what is going on. Kasumi-oneechan
can be left in there and even if people don't really know what it means
they will learn so sooner or later, and learning is a good thing.
In summary I ask you, do you want your fics read and enjoyed by others?
If you answered yes then I beg of you and all the writers out there to
tone down the usage of your Japanese in your writings. If you
absolutely insist on using as much as you can, at least have the
courtesy to include a glossary for your readers that bother to continue
reading, so they will know what is going on.
And that's my two cents.
===============================================
Sir Asayogure Knight of the True Fianc� #74
Email@ Asayogure@worldnet.att.net (hotmail.com)
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http://move.to/asayogure/
Friendly Ringmaster of the Elite Ranma 1/2 Gold Ring Site
http://home.att.net/~Asayogure/files/ranmaelite.html
Author of the "Ranma Gets A Clue" series:
http://home.att.net/~Asayogure/files/Ranmagetsaclue.html
********************************************************
Asayogure is nineteen, "Akane said. "He is a
'pathological-techno-fetishist-with-social-deficit.'"
"A What?"
"Otaku."
>From Idoru
By William Gibson
********************************************************
"of all the things I lost.....I miss my mind the most...."
Do you think this sigline is long enough yet?
Signing off -Asayogure
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