Needing some help on grammar

[SceptileMaster]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Not nearly to the same degree. はい interrupts speech, and without something like that, the speaker might assume you're not listening.

In English, interrupting with "yes" is rude.

Not in England it's not. I hear people using yes all the time in that way. Although I'm not trying at all to take away from the fact that the words はい and いいえ don't always directly translate to a solid English equivalent. Although it's like that with most languages. A lot of words don't have direct equivalents in other languages which is why I think it's important to practice vocabulary in context.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by SceptileMaster

Not in England it's not. I hear people using yes all the time in that way. Although I'm not trying at all to take away from the fact that the words はい and いいえ don't always directly translate to a solid English equivalent. Although it's like that with most languages. A lot of words don't have direct equivalents in other languages which is why I think it's important to practice vocabulary in context.

I wonder why I've never seen anything on British TV or with my British friends that compares to the はい usage, then. Interesting.

[Gizorz]

Originally Posted by Sashimister

This is a good question, one that many learners will tell you they know all about but aren't able to use correctly in actual speaking/writing.

The form "Verb + みる" describes two different actions, not just one. This is the bottom line and this is exactly what too many "teachers" fail to explain or even understand for that matter.

あのアイスクリームを食べたい。
あのアイスクリームを食べてみたい。

To us native speakers, these two sentences mean VERY different things from each other. (And they should to you, too, after today.)

あのアイスクリームを食べたい。
I want to eat that icecream. (It's my favorite flavor in this shop. I love the funky taste and the crazy colors. Can you believe none of my friends like it?)

あのアイスクリームを食べてみたい。
I want to eat that icecream and find out what it tastes like. (I noticed they had this new flavor a few weeks ago but just never had a chance to try it.)

Do you see what I meant by one action vs. two actions?
_________

You stated that someone's explanation didn't apply to the first of your example sentences. It actually does.

もう一度考えてみます。
Depending on the context, it can mean:
1. I will think about it again and see what happens. or
2. I will think about it again and as a result, I might change my mind.
In either case, the sentence is describing two separate actions.

Thank you! It's clear now I hadn't looked at it that way, and it makes a lot more sense now ^^

And indeed, I am just a beginner at Japanese. I'm currently almost done with my first year at university :3 However, we do have some Japanese teachers for some courses like Kanji (excuse my romaji, I can't write Japanese on this computer) and they quite often give us practical information, like on the saying no thing. Too bad our group didn't get a Japanese teacher for our most important translation course...
I didn't know もう一度考えてみます was used like that too though, so thanks for the information, I'll remember it :3

About the discussion on yes. I can't say anything for America or England, but here in the Netherlands it's exactly as KyleGoetz described. Interupting with yes (Ja) is like saying "Yeah, I got it, you can stop talking now" and seen as rude. Unless you are actually agreeing on a statement made by the other person, but in that case I guess it's not interupting...

Excuse my English btw, it's past midnight and Japanese fried my brain. And thanks again for the help ^^

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Gizorz

Kanji (excuse my romaji

It's OK, "kanji" is an English word, too.

[Gizorz]

Oh is it? I never knew that.

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Gizorz

Oh is it? I never knew that.

You spoke English and used it, didn't you? Just like sushi, casbah, smorgasbord, algebra, and croissant are English words despite coming from Japanese, Northern African Arabic, Swedish, Arabic, and French.

[Gizorz]

Using a non-English word in an English sentance does not make the word an actual English word.
I knew about most of those, since it's the same in Dutch with these words. I don't know if it goes for Kanji though. Most people usually call Kanji Chineese characters where I'm from.
Edit: I looked it up, Kanji is not a Dutch word, we translate it. Hence my confusion.
I'm not a native English speaker, so I don't know which foreign words actually became English

And totally unrelated, but what is casbah?

[KyleGoetz]

Originally Posted by Gizorz

Using a non-English word in an English sentance does not make the word an actual English word.
I knew about most of those, since it's the same in Dutch with these words. I don't know if it goes for Kanji though. Most people usually call Kanji Chineese characters where I'm from.
Edit: I looked it up, Kanji is not a Dutch word, we translate it. Hence my confusion.
I'm not a native English speaker, so I don't know which foreign words actually became English

And totally unrelated, but what is casbah?

Once a word is used enough in a language, it is considered a word in that language. See my examples of "algebra," "sushi," "casbah," "croissant," etc.

Kanji | Define Kanji at Dictionary.com
"Kanji" is in the English dictionary. Therefore it is an English word.

[sakaeyellow]

Originally Posted by KyleGoetz

Once a word is used enough in a language, it is considered a word in that language. See my examples of "algebra," "sushi," "casbah," "croissant," etc.

Kanji | Define Kanji at Dictionary.com
"Kanji" is in the English dictionary. Therefore it is an English word.

I also agree that Kanji is an English word. It generally has two definition:

1. the whole set of Kanji characters
2. individual Kanji character or characters (singular and plural)

But I think the word Kanji is somehow like a jargon that is used only among Japanese teachers and learners.