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Janne's Japanese Jamboree!


janne-da-arc24

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http://www.fastdecals.com/shop/images/detailed/14/japan04_flag.jpg

 

Welcome everyone :) I was thinking about what I could do to give back to the community as I have benefited immensely from everyone here. Some people open graphic threads, and some people make guides. As I am not good at either of them I have decided to give back with the only thing I am good at it, Japanese.

 

Let me explain further. I am opening this thread to help anyone with anything Japanese related. Some examples would be if you needed help understanding a song in Japanese, if you ran into a Japanese phrase you have no idea what it means, or if you need help translating a trophy list for a guide for this site.

 

My areas of expertise are not limited to these fields so feel free to ask me anything Japanese language related and I will help you out. If for some reason I don't know the answer, I will find someone who does.

 

A little about me and my qualifications along with some of my work:

 

-Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) N1 acquisition (Highest possible level)

-Over 9 years of Japanese study

-Over 5 years of living in Japan

-2 years of translation experience

 

In the spoiler tag is a song I have translated into English from my favorite Japanese band Sid. I have first wrote the kanji for everything, then wrote it in English romaji, then translated line by line. I hope you enjoy.

 

[spoiler=23] 遠く なぞる 記憶 汗ばんだ 蝉の声

肌と肌で 交わした永遠 幼く もろく

 

きめ細かな ふたりの距離を 測れない 無力を嘆いても

失くした後は 眩しすぎて

 

願いは届かずに 日々は止まらずに 何度目かの今日が来て

今年もまた想う 君の不幸せ 帰る部屋と 僕が待つ

どうか 傷ついたなら 寄り道でもいい 日陰でもいいから

 

街は 浮かれ 弾む 足音と 恋の歌

地下鉄から 吹雪く灼熱 冷たく焦がす

 

偶然など おこがましくて 捜しては 何度も捕まえた

君に似た花 隙間 埋める

 

もしもが叶うなら この汚れた手で どこか遠く 連れ去って

帰り道に迷う 複雑な愛で 強く焼いて 離さない

どうか 君の隣が それに気付く前に 手放しますように

 

早すぎた出会いと 遅すぎた別れ 悪戯だと 諦めて

目を逸らせば終わる 僕の長い夏 今ならまだ 美しく

 

願いは届かずに 日々は止まらずに 何度目かの今日が来て

今年もまた想う 君の不幸せ 帰る部屋と 僕が待つ

どうか 傷ついたなら 寄り道でもいい 日陰でもいいから それでもいい

 

Tooku nazoru kioku asebanda semi no koe

Hada to hada de kawashita eien osanaku moroku

 

Kimekomakana futari no kyori wo hakarenai muryoku wo nageitemo

Nakushita ato ha mabushigsugite

Negai wa todokazu ni hibi wa tomarazuni nan do me ka no kyou ga kite

Kotoshi mo mata omou kimi no fushiawase kaeru heya to boku ga matsu

Douka kizuduita nara yorimichi demo ii hikage demo ii kara

 

Machi wa ukare hazumu ashioto to koi no uta

Chikatetsu kara fubuku shakunetsu tsumetaku kogasu

 

Guuzen nado okogamashikute sagashite ha nando mo tsukamaeta

Kimi ni nita hana sukima umeru

 

Moshimo ga kanau nara kono yogoreta te de doko ka tooku tsuresatte

Kaerimichi ni mayou fukuzatsu na ai de tsuyoku yaite hanasanai

Douka kimi no tonari wa sore ni kiduku mae ni tebanashimasu you ni

 

Hayasugita deai to ososugita wakare itazura da to akiramete

Me wo sorasereba owaru boku no nagai natsu ima nara mada utsukushiku

 

Negai wa todokazu ni hibi wa tomarazuni nan do me ka no kyou ga kite

Kotoshi mo mata omou kimi no fushiawase kaeru heya to boku ga matsu

Douka kizuduita nara yorimichi demo ii hikage demo ii kara sore demo ii

 

遠く なぞる 記憶 汗ばんだ 蝉の声

肌と肌で 交わした永遠 幼く もろく

A memory that reaches far back. A warm day where one could hear the cicada’s chirping

The promise of forever the two of us young ones exchanged was broken so easily

きめ細かな ふたりの距離を 測れない 無力を嘆いても

失くした後は 眩しすぎて

Even if I lament my lack of power at being able to measure the meticulous distance between us

After losing you, everything is so bright

 

(Note: The man here is talking about the fantasy world he made in order to cope with the sadness of losing his girlfriend. Hence everything is bright and pretty there)

 

願いは届かずに 日々は止まらずに 何度目かの今日が来て

今年もまた想う 君の不幸せ 帰る部屋と 僕が待つ

どうか 傷ついたなら 寄り道でもいい 日陰でもいいから

My wish didn’t reach you. The days didn’t stop. Today comes again for the countless time

I wish for your unhappiness again this year. I wait for you in the room I return to

If you ever become hurt please come back to me. Even if it is just a break from your journey, even if it is just a place to hide from the sun, I don’t mind.

 

(Note: For the first line the man’s wish was for his ex-girlfriend to break up with her current boyfriend and come back to him. That’s why when he says today comes again for the countless time he is referring to the fact that she still has not broken up with her current boyfriend. The part about if she ever gets hurt to come back to him is referring to that if she ever finds herself hurt from breaking up with her boyfriend, that even if it is just a break for her between relationships or just a break from the hardships of life, that he would like for her to come back to him)

 

街は 浮かれ 弾む 足音と 恋の歌

地下鉄から 吹雪く灼熱 冷たく焦がす

The town is in high spirits with lively footsteps and songs of love

Scorching snow blows from the subway that burns me coolly

 

偶然など おこがましくて 捜しては 何度も捕まえた

君に似た花 隙間 埋める

Coincidence? How absurd. The flowers that look like you

Fill in the holes in my soul

 

(Note: Flowers here refer to the women he finds that look like her and stave off loneliness)

 

もしもが叶うなら この汚れた手で どこか遠く 連れ去って

帰り道に迷う 複雑な愛で 強く焼いて 離さない

どうか 君の隣が それに気付く前に 手放しますように

If my impossible wish could be granted, I would take you away somewhere far away with this impure hand

We would get lost on the way home and I would scorch you with my complex love and never let you go

Before the person next to you realizes, I will try and let you go

 

(Note: It is worth noting here that he is realizing his feelings towards her are becoming more and more violent and before her new boyfriend realizes what is going on he decided to let her go)

 

早すぎた出会いと 遅すぎた別れ 悪戯だと 諦めて

目を逸らせば終わる 僕の長い夏 今ならまだ 美しく

Our meeting was too early, our break up was too late. I will give up and resign it as a cruel trick of fate

If I turn my eyes away my long summer will end. Right now though it’s still so beautiful

 

(Note: The beautiful thing that will end he is referring to the delusional world he has entered that I referred to at the beginning of the song)

 

願いは届かずに 日々は止まらずに 何度目かの今日が来て

今年もまた想う 君の不幸せ 帰る部屋と 僕が待つ

どうか 傷ついたなら 寄り道でもいい 日陰でもいいから それでもいい

 

My wish didn’t reach you. The days didn’t stop. Today comes again for the countless time

I wish for your unhappiness again this year. I wait for you in the room I return to

If you ever become hurt please come back to me. Even if it is just a break from your journey, even if it is just a place to hide from the sun, I don’t mind. Even if it’s just that, I don’t mind….

 

(Note: At the end here we can see the speaker of the song relapses into his delusional world and was unable to get past the memory of his ex-girlfriend)

 

*This is my own interpretation of the song. There may be other ways of translating this depending on the person

 

 

I hope you enjoyed my translation! :)

 

So like I said, this thread is my way of giving back to the community. Anything Japanese is fair game. Help with Japanese homework, translation of part of a game, translation of a Japanese trophy list for a guide, or even help understanding a Japanese song, I do it all :D I ask that if you want me to translate a song that you provide a link with lyrics as it will allow me to fulfill your request MUCH easier.

 

Remember if I for some reason don't know the answer, I will find someone (like someone I work with) who does know the answer so rest assured! Please keep in mind that while fluent in the language, Japanese IS my second language so I can never compete with a native Japanese person (not could any non-native Japanese person for that matter). What I CAN offer though is a unique perspective into the Japanese language that even natives might not understand completely. Also please give me a bit of time to fulfill your request. While I will do my best to fulfill it in a timely matter, as I do have other responsibilities in life, sometimes it might take a little while, so please understand.

 

Anyways, I don't know if this thread will be popular or not but I figured I would at least try and give back to this community which has given so much to me. Thank you everyone!

 

http://cdn2.mkimg.carview.co.jp/carlife/storage/713615/plus/ac9d743502.jpg

Edited by janne-da-arc24
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Very interesting. This could come in handy if I ever decide to write a guide for a Japanese game!

 

Thank you for the compliment :) I'm just trying to help out and give back to the community in any way I can. Also, leave it to me if you need help with translating a trophy list or a phrase for a Japanese guide :) I have helped Hasegawa-san and gamer with things for their Japanese guides before so I already have some experience :D

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Great idea man. :) This will be helpful for any other people like me who want to do stuff for Japanese games but don't know a lick of the language themself. ;)

 

Thanks for the vote of confidence :) I hope I can give back even a little to everyone. Feel free to ask for help again if you do another Japanese guide :D

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Wow, this thread is such a neat idea. As someone who's learning the language I'll definitely pop by for random questions, game-related or otherwise.

 

Thank you, Janne! :hug:

 

Aww thanks for the kind words Furuba-chan! :hug: If I can be of any help don't be afraid to ask okay? :)

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Ok I think I'll be the one to pop the first question:

When learning Japanese, the book said the Japanese language doesn't know the word "love" like there's no phrase to say "I love you". So I'm wondering if that's true or if the book was lying :whistle:

 

Hi Buttercup! I'm glad you made the first request :) Thank you!

 

Now to your question: The answer is yes and no. Japanese DOES have a word that means "I love you" it is read 愛している or aishiteiru. This is the word that means "I love you". However Japanese don't really use this word as its too strong and corny. The only time you will really hear these words is in anime or in music.

 

Now Japanese say I like you/I love you in 2 different ways. They have the word 好き which means to like. So basically 好きだよ (suki da yo) means "I like you" Now, if someone really likes you, they might say 大好きだよ (daisuki dayo) which literally means "I like you a lot" This 大好きだよ is basically the equivalent to "I love you" though the literal language meaning is different. So 大好きだよ is the way to say "I like you alot/I love you in Japanese" and this is the way pretty much 99% of the people say it.

 

So in conclusion your book was half wrong half right. There is a word for I love you in Japanese but its never used unless in anime/music.

 

I hope this helps you Buttercup :) Thanks again for the request and let me know if you have any questions regarding my explanation!

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Hi Buttercup! I'm glad you made the first request :) Thank you!

 

Now to your question: The answer is yes and no. Japanese DOES have a word that means "I love you" it is read 愛している or aishiteiru. This is the word that means "I love you". However Japanese don't really use this word as its too strong and corny. The only time you will really hear these words is in anime or in music.

 

Now Japanese say I like you/I love you in 2 different ways. They have the word 好き which means to like. So basically 好きだよ (suki da yo) means "I like you" Now, if someone really likes you, they might say 大好きだよ (daisuki dayo) which literally means "I like you a lot" This 大好きだよ is basically the equivalent to "I love you" though the literal language meaning is different. So 大好きだよ is the way to say "I like you alot/I love you in Japanese" and this is the way pretty much 99% of the people say it.

 

So in conclusion your book was half wrong half right. There is a word for I love you in Japanese but its never used unless in anime/music.

 

I hope this helps you Buttercup :) Thanks again for the request and let me know if you have any questions regarding my explanation!

 

That's a really good first question and answer, good job. Looking forward to more. :)

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What's yo sig say, son!? EXPLAIN dat shit. :p

 

Hehe, my sig is from advent children :) [spoiler=23] It is the part when Sephiroth is defeated by Cloud.

 

 

I believe the English translation they gave was "I won't be just a memory"

 

Hope that helps :)

 

As a bonus, I will analyze the sentence.

 

私 means I in Japanese, 思い出 means memory, and ならない is the negative form of the verb なる which means to become. So the negative form is won't become.

 

Put at all together and you have something like "I won't be just a memory" :p

Edited by janne-da-arc24
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And this? 七転び八起き

 

This is a famous Japanese proverb. The English reading of it is Nana korobi ya oki.

 

It literally means, fall seven times, stand up eight.

 

It is a proverb that stresses (as you can imagine) to keep standing back up in life no matter what hardships come.

 

I have made it my life's motto so to say :D

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Thanks Janne! Still a bit weird that I like you and I love you are the same in everyday language!

 

No problem Buttercup! Yeah it's kind of confusing at first and they are usually distinguished by context so you just need a lot of practice :) Let me know if you have any other questions :D I'm always happy to help!

 

Best get credit for any Japanese translations guides here in the future, yo! Had no idea you were fluent in Japanese? Holding info out on my now, huh?

 

Hehe, just trying to help out in any way I can! :) I wasn't hiding it, you just never asked silly :D

Edited by FootballPsycho
Merging. Please use the multi-off/on button. Thanks.:)
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How do I say, "You've been here long enough to know how to use the multi-quote feature by now!" in Japanese. :rofl:

 

Hehe thats actually pretty complicated Japanese but here goes:

 

もう長い間このサイトに携わっているからマルチ引用の機能を使うのは常識だということはもう分かっているだろう?

 

Pretty long Japanese right? :p

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