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Columbine (Offline)
Busier Than Shinjuku Station
 
Posts: 1,466
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: United Kingdom
07-19-2010, 09:58 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by kakaislegend View Post

So.....do I have to say

たなかさんは とても しんせつ な 先生 です。

OR

たなか 先生 は とても しんせつ です。

??
They both mean roughly the same thing, but the stress is wholly different.

1) Tanaka-san is a kind teacher. Implies Tanaka-san is a) not a teacher by profession and b) compared to other teachers, he is particularly kind. it could even mean that Mr. Tanaka generally comes across as a mean person, but when he acts as a teacher, he is kind.

2) Tanaka sensei is kind. Implies he is kind by nature, and that his kindness is not necessarily related to his role as a teacher. He's also a teacher by profession.
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