Japanese Help Questions/Translations

[julyegudt]

thanks for the practice.

[julyegudt]

Originally Posted by Decimus

Questions:　
1)
「として」 and　「とする」 seem to have various different meanings depending on context. Are there any tips to understand them quickly? I often have to reread a sentence with those 'conjugations'　multiple times before I can make sense of what is being said.

I can sort of get that it's a combination of the particle 「と」 and the "to do" 「する」, with the 「して」　conjugation being used to indicate that it is an auxiliary verb with respect to what comes next, but I often see constructions like 「<名詞(noun)/形容動詞(adjectival verb)＞として知られる」, which usually means "known as < 名詞(noun)>" or "known for being <adjective>". Eg: 「富豪として知られる」－＞"Known for being rich."

2)
Are 「兎に角(とにかく）」, 「沢山（たくさん）」, and 「流石（さすが）」 used only for phonetic reasons (ateji), or do they have some meaning behind them? I can sort of see how 兎に角 (Even if rabbits have horns.) could mean "No matter what happens", which is close enough in meaning with とにかく (Regardless). This could be a mere coincidence though.

3)
Does the use of kanji for words more commonly written in kana produce a "formal tone" and/or "archaic style"? I see kanji being sprinkled rather liberally in works with a fantasy setting. Examples include 「全く（まったく）」, 「此処(ここ」,　「何処（どこ）」,　「一寸（ちょっと 」）, and　「何時迄（いつまで)」, in addition to ones stated in (2). If yes, is it due to the heavier use of kanji in formal documents and older Japanese texts in real-life?

"To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering, one must not love. But then, one suffers from not loving. Therefore, to love is to suffer."

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

#4 きむらさんのでんわばんごうはなんですか。

I'm pretty sure that is what they teach outside of Japan because I've seen it said/written many times by Japanese-learners but native speakers DO NOT say it with なん.　We use the word なんばん　＝　何番 instead.　

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

　
and also there's some weirdish stuff about phone numbers that I can't remember off the top of my head and Google is failing me. Some of the numbers are altered slightly I think.

You must elongate the vowels used in pronouncing 2 and 5 as にー and ごー respectively. This is to double the syllable lengths to match those used to pronounce the other numerals. Keeping a good rhythm is very important in verbalizing phone numbers and other numbers in which the numerals are pronounced separately.

In other words, this "rule" does not apply to verbalizing numbers like 35 as in "35 homeruns". It is read さんじゅうご. But a "35" in a phone number is always pronounced さんごー.

[terranearth]

I recently ate at a Japanese restaurant staffed with Japanese (or so I think) waiters, and they had a sign that said:

"あなたの愛を決定するできない”。I was wondering if this was actually correct Japanese, considering that it was stringing together する　and 出来ない　together. Thanks!

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by terranearth

I recently ate at a Japanese restaurant staffed with Japanese (or so I think) waiters, and they had a sign that said:

"あなたの愛を決定するできない”。I was wondering if this was actually correct Japanese, considering that it was stringing together する　and 出来ない　together. Thanks!

That is a horrible sentence.

Are you sure the restaurant is staffed with Japanese?

[Vinnythefox]

I was asked a question
"Was it easy to enter the bar?"
My friend told me I could answer with
"バーは入り安い。" or 　”バーは入り憎い"
but wouldn't I need to answer with
バーは入り安かった。
Or
バーは入り憎かった
because　"was it easy"
is past tense
Or can "バーは入り安い。" or ”バーは入り憎い" be said in this case?

[masaegu]

Originally Posted by Vinnythefox

I was asked a question
"Was it easy to enter the bar?"
My friend told me I could answer with
"バーは入り安い。" or 　”バーは入り憎い"
but wouldn't I need to answer with
バーは入り安かった。
Or
バーは入り憎かった
because　"was it easy"
is past tense
Or can "バーは入り安い。" or ”バーは入り憎い" be said in this case?

Who is this friend you keep talking about? One sees wrong kanji all over.

安い = cheap
易い = easy (to do something)

憎い = to hold grudges against
にくい = hard (to do something)

When in doubt, use the kana or you could end up saying things you never meant to say.

In casual speech among close friends, you can answer the question in question in the present tense unless it was many months ago when you went to the bar.

[Vinnythefox]

Ah ok, It was a friend who sent me the questions, I now know why I was confused.

Thanks for the swift answer as always.

[Darnellrbts]

Hey guys Im practicing verb conjugation , で, and に particles here some sentences I made. I just want to make sure my grammar rights this is from lesson 3 in Genki.
1)うちでさかなたべます。
2)りーさんはきょぅがっこぅにいきます。
3)けにちはあしたにとしょかんにいきます。
4)りーさんはよくテニスをします。
5)わたしはたいていやさいをたべません。

[Supperman]

Ｈｉ．
I would suggest the following.

Originally Posted by Darnellrbts

1)うちでさかなをたべます。
2)りーさんはきょうがっこうにいきます。
3)けにちはあしたとしょかんにいきます。　（not あしたに）
What is けにち？　Is it a human name? ケニチ？
4)りーさんはよくテニスをします。　ＯＫ
5)わたしはたいていやさいをたべません。　ＯＫ