lyrics

[themonk]

In the Horse-Ouma song we learned this week, what do these mean: yasashii, nakayoshi.

[Hyperworm]

yasashii: this is a very common word that I'm sure will be in any dictionary; you must have missed it somehow?
nakayoshi: "getting along well with each other". Good friends.
minagara: miru (to watch/look at) + nagara verb ending.

"nakayoshi koyoshi" is the difficult part.
It seems to be used instead of just "nakayoshi" purely for rhythm and mood purposes.
It falls in line with the 7~8 mora count of the other parts, and it sounds more pleasant and childish.
"koyoshi" is never used on its own.
Some websites say it evokes imagery of a pair, one large and one small ("ko"yoshi).

Sources:
http://q.hatena.ne.jp/1063965340
http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa ... q129560952
http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/163477/m0u/

[themonk]

Dear Teacher Hyperworm ~
Thank you so much for your swift reply, especially the details concerning 'nakayoshi koyoshi.'

As for 'yasashii,' i had thought it meant 'easy.' However, i could not extrapolate from that to the "caring" translation offered by the book.

yasashii: this is a very common word that I'm sure will be in any dictionary; you must have missed it somehow?
nakayoshi: "getting along well with each other". Good friends.
minagara: miru (to watch/look at) + nagara verb ending.

"nakayoshi koyoshi" is the difficult part.
It seems to be used instead of just "nakayoshi" purely for rhythm and mood purposes.
It falls in line with the 7~8 mora count of the other parts, and it sounds more pleasant and childish.
"koyoshi" is never used on its own.
Some websites say it evokes imagery of a pair, one large and one small ("ko"yoshi).

Sources:
http://q.hatena.ne.jp/1063965340
http://detail.chiebukuro.yahoo.co.jp/qa ... q129560952
http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/163477/m0u/

[phreadom]

As for 'yasashii,' i had thought it meant 'easy.' However, i could not extrapolate from that to the "caring" translation offered by the book.

From WWWJDIC ;

優しい 【やさしい】 (adj-i) tender; kind; gentle; graceful; affectionate; amiable; suave;

I learned that word from my favorite J-drama...

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Yasashii_Jikan

"優しい時間 " sometimes known as "Gentle time" or "Affectionate time" etc.

[themonk]

Teacher Phreadom~
Thank you for the help on "yasashii.'
Wagalimashita.

[phreadom]

Teacher Phreadom~
Thank you for the help on "yasashii.'
Wagalimashita.

I'm guessing you mean "wakarimashita" ?

From "wakaru";

分かる(P); 解る(P); 判る(P); 分る 【わかる】 (v5r,vi) (1) to be understood; to be comprehended; to be grasped; (2) to become clear; to be known; to be discovered; to be realized; to be realised; to be found out;

Oddly when I try looking up 分かりました in WWWJDIC, it only shows 分かりません, which is the opposite conjugation than what I'm looking for. But if I try looking up わかりました in hiragana only, then it says to see 分かる, which leads to the correct root meaning.

Thankfully Rikaichan is a little more forgiving and gives the meaning I'm looking for even with the kanji version.

(And I'm only a beginner myself... so... Maix on the chat said that Tae Kim explains how we shouldn't use that, but use 知る and its conjugations etc... but I'll let her explain if she chooses... it's a bit beyond me for now unless I go read up on it first.)

[Maix]

.

[becki_kanou]

I think perhaps you have it backward. In this case わかりました is polite and appropriate and indicates "(Now that you explained it to me) I understand" whereas 知っている on the other hand would indicate "I (already) knew that." and might well come off as rude. (わかっている would have the same problem however.)

[Maix]

.

[micahcowan]

Um, so you mean that the Tae Kim guide is wrong? Now I´m confused...

Well, the guide seems to be discussing 分かっている versus 知っている, not 分かる or 分かった versus 知っている (despite a confusing heading). I think the guide overstates the case by saying that 分かっている can be rude or pompous - it all depends on context, and as Becky says, in many of the same cases, 知っている would also be rude or pompous (for instance, as a response to instruction). The guide says that 分かっている means you're already in a state of understanding, while 知っている just means "I know"; but how does that "I know" differ from "I'm already in a state of knowing that?" It doesn't, actually, and that's exactly what it means. Neither one is appropriate for conveying that you've received the instruction you were just given.

The standard response to information is 「はい、　分かりました」 (or 分かった).