katakana

[appleraja]

i was reading the katakanas lesson, i already know hiragana. i was just wondering, for katakana, do you just make letters untill it sounds like the foreign word or is their like already a dictionary for katakana?
example : ea - means ear
i didnt hear the ear at first until i read the answer. so bascially my question is for katakana do you just sound out the word or is their a word already for it.

[skrhgh3b]

getting the hang of spelling english words in katakana is a little tricky if you're not a native japanese speaker, i'll have to admit. some experience will begin to teach you how the japanese butcher our language, but i remember being a little lost when i was a beginner too. what i recommend, and what i still do, is to do a search for a word on http://www.alc.co.jp for its katakana spelling.

[mandolin]

There are a lot of words in japanese that have been imported and given an 'official' spelling in katakana. When this happens, they are actually japanese words (and may have different connotations than their english origins).

So, what I am trying to say is... there's a difference between japanese katakana words, and spelling out english words in katakana. As odd as that may be.

In another thread, the kamikaze pilots of WWII were being discussed, and someone commented on how American media applied the term "kamikaze" to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

While in Japan, the kamikaze pilots where military heroes using military targets, the 9/11 attacks were just terrorists targetting civillians.

What's the difference? In japan, it's a big one, because kamikaze means one thing. In the US, kamikaze just means "a suicidal attack".

So when our words go overseas, they may get a slight makeover, too.

------

Side note, my dictionary lists エア "ea" defined as 'air' and not 'ear'.

[appleraja]

ah i see now, so there are "official spellings" of katakana

[Sachi]

I was wondering about that, too ^^

[Harisenbon]

There are indeed "official" spellings of katakana words, just as there are "official" spellings of foreign words in english. If you spelled karaoke kahrahokay, then you would know it was spelled wrong, even though the same sounds are produced. Same in Japanese. For example:
ハムバグル -- wrong
ハムバガ -- wrong
ハムバーガー -- wrong
ハンバーガー -- right

[Mukade]

Harisenbon wrote:
If you spelled karaoke kahrahokay, then you would know it was spelled wrong, even though the same sounds are produced.

Actually, wouldn't it be:

care-ee-oh-key

[Harisenbon]

Well, if you want to pronounce it the AMERICAN way. *grin*

As a weird fact, people who live in Hawaii tease people who say care-ee-okey. I think that's a practice we should all join in on. Like people who say Sakii...

[lomagu]

Harisenbon wrote:
Like people who say Sakii...

wow, it took me a few minutes to figure out what you meant. I think I've been in Japan too long..

[Harisenbon]

*grin* My father still says Saki. It drives me batty every time I hear it.