Japanese help :)

Hey guys
I know I probably have like 100 threads (Exaggeration) asking things, mainly because I trust you guys and I rarely get stupid responses or comments. If you will help me at least this one time, I will have faith in the internet yet again (4chan ruined it ).

If I go to Japan and want to say my name, should I say "Johnnie" or "ジョニ" (Jyoni)?
Or even words used in Japanese that are from English (Like "Final Fantasy" instead of "フィナル ファンタシ" (Finaru fantashi) )?

Also, as a bonus question for ya, should I translate my name and use that?
Thanks people

 

Honestly, there's not much phonetic difference between "Johnnie" and "ジョニ". And Final Fantasy is "ファイナルファンタジー" (fainaru fantajii).

The most you can translate a Western name into Japanese is phonetically, anyway. Such as "モデレージャン" (modereejan), "レイダー" (reidaa), or "セフ" (sefu).

It's a different story if you are translating a Chinese name into Japanese. Most Chinese hanzi already exist as Japanese kanji, therefore you just need to read the same characters in another language. However, Chinese names in Japanese are relatively short, as most Chinese names consist of three hanzi/kanji; one for the family name, and two for the given name. Japanese names generally consist of four kanji; two for the family name and two for the given name.

Also, are you Wapanese?

 

Hello... this is my first post on this site (not relevant but just wanted to say it). I'm a Japanese student and studied abroad there last semester. When you want to say a word thats wrote in Katakana always read it like that, not like you would in english... a lot of times even though you can't here a difference the Japanese can and may not know what you are talking about. Hope that helps.

 

I meant to translate the meaning. My name means "God's grace". Would I translate that? (I think it's "Shinkei"? Not 100% on that...)

What's wapanese? lol

 

Wapanese, same as "Wigger". A Caucasian who tries to act like someone of a different ethnicity.

 

That's not nice.
I want to go to Japan; I want to know how I should act, speak, etc.

 

Doesn't matter how you act. You'll always be a Gai-jin.

And as I said in your other post about your name. The only translation is via Katakana, which is where Japanese adopts foreign words, I asked my pal who speaks it fluently and passed the Language tests and got 2. You won't get a foreign name into Japanese as another one of their Alphabets.

 

No. No one does that.

You'd be a tourist; act like one. Speak a mixture of English and obscure sign language. If you want to know where the restroom is, just ask where the toilet is in English. Restroom in Japanese is "トイレ" (toire), and they will catch on. If not, point at your groin and pretend to urinate.

Trust me, you won't get into a conversation with a Japanese otaku about their favorite anime. Not gonna happen.

 

So, according to Modderasian, if I know fluent Japanese I still have to speak English...
If I move there, I will have to speak English and no Japanese?

You make no sense Mr. Modderasian... The Russian boy in my class in school should speak Russian all the time to I supose?
And why wont I get into a conversation with an otaku? Are they racist?

 

He's saying you don't have to ACT Japanese as well as speaking the language if you're a tourist. It's nice if you're fluent, but you're still gaijin. And seriously, Japan is not the land of Pocky, anime and otakus where you can wear and do crazy shit. Otakus keep to themselves for the most part, it's part of the definition of an "otaku" - and not everyone watches anime.

Also, just say your name normally. They'll probably repeat your name as "Jyon-ni" anyway, but this way you won't seem like a pretentious douchedag.

 

Never mind, I figured out what your trying to tell me... Not sure if its bad but...
So, If I go to Japan I will get treated really differently compared to Toshi (Random Japanese boy name)?
If yes, how so?

 

Don't use the word fluent. The most you can probably be is proficient.

If there's a Russian boy in your school, then chances are he's a permanent resident in your country. If you were to go to Japan, you'd be a tourist.

Here's a question. What is so great about Japan?

 

[sarcasm] ANIME! ^^;;;; AZN WOMEN WHO WILL LOVE ME BECAUSE I AM FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE! n....n;!! I read a book about Japanese culture so I know what I am talking about *A*!
I pretend I want to go to Japan because it has a lot of history, when really I only want to go there because of anime and women D___D;;;[/sarcasm]

That is my main hate about people who are Japanophile weeaboos. Go to a country because it's another country to visit. I've been all over Europe (granted I am from the UK), and the history is rich and it's nice to experience another culture. But the japanophiles kid themselves into thinking because they're from somewhere else, the Japanese will bend over backwards, which god knows why, it's the polar opposite. Also people who want to learn the language just on the basis that they can watch animoo~ or they'll get in with the ladies.

Bah.

 

I want to go because it has so many wonderful things. The games, gadgets, history, culture, animé/manga. Many things.
It's like, "why do people want to go to paris?".
I also would like a job in game developing/designing. I thought, "Where better to get a job in the gaming industry than the place it was made?".

I'm unsure if I'm getting E-bullied...

 

What have to read up or learned about their 'culture'. Because by the questions you're asking; I assume none at all. History is ripe throughout Asia, so limiting yourself to Japan is rather silly.

Also, saying it's the same as people wanting to go to Paris... Not really. I didn't go to eat French Bread (I can do that here), or to try Frogs legs (I ate those in a small restaurant in Lyon.. I think it was in Écully? Not to sure, quite a while back.) I think your view on Japan is pretty distorted. Anything you listed as reasons to going to Japan for, were things you can physically do and see, right wherever you are. Having Anime or Manga on your lists of reasons to go is just so wrong. Go because you've read up, looked at every detail for reasons you would not want to go, and if you find yourself still compelled to go; then do it.

Anime and Manga is what a lot of it boils down to (I believe), and a person on a forum that now evades me, who works out there because he married a Japanese women from his home country, said it perfectly. It was on the lines of: "You see all these White Americans coming over here (Wow, I'm starting to sound like them!), expecting it to look like it does in an anime, with cute little Japanese women loving them because they're from America. I speak to some of them, and they can't wait to get home.

Oh and work in Japan is beyond different. If the boss says you're working overtime, thank him for it, and thank him for no extra pay. Expect no time off, ever, because you will rarely get it.

I read up on Japan quite a while ago, because I am planning a backpack photography tour of Asia: Myanmar, Vietnam, Taiwan, S.Korea etc, so my friend and I read up a fair amount about each country. I might be bias in how I see this, but I've seen many people ask the same questions, and it always came down to the same things, of reading some anime or manga or playing a JRPG, rarely does it ever to amount to 'culture' or 'history'.

Don't go there with the distorted view of it being a land of anime characters and love for foreigners, because it really is not. You can live there all your life, and you will still be a foreigner.

You can take what I said, however you want. I still believe you're going there for the things you've read in a manga and the like, though.

Plus, this isn't E-bullying. People are just being honest with you, because, as I've read it, they're thinking the same as I am about your reasons for going, and I am just trying to put through to you, that it isn't as you might first think; do more research, read up lots and lots about the culture as it is today, read personal accounts of people similar to you. Or just take a holiday there and act the tourist, speak as you would in any foreign country, as that is all it is, another country.

 

Disney and Hanna-Barbera are pretty awesome in the animation department too, you know.

And what do you know about Japanese history and culture?

Japan isn't a land of video games and television. Trying to get a job developing a VIDEO GAME in a country whose language you don't understand is even worse. I think your view of the job of "video game development" is also distorted. I'm sure you know how many kids aspire to be "video game makers" or "video game testers" and end up flipping burgers in McDonald's.

It's very hard for a Westerner to understand Eastern culture, and vice versa. Eastern and Western culture is different in so many ways, but of course, all the Wapanese see are the anime, manga, and video games.

And we're not bullying you. We're just trying to reveal the truth about Japan to you. It's not a paradise of anime and video games.

 

Well. If you gona say your name in Japanese... The most accurate would be. Jya-nni(Elongate the A sound). If you do Jyoni you will get the yo sound instead of an a sound from Johnnie. You will need a baby Tsu before ni. Because your name sounds with 2 n's.

So good luck with your Japanese Jya-nnisan. =_= And i end my thoughts... meh.

 

Jyonii's correct. And I'm pretty sure you can't have a ー and a ッ right next to each other. Quite frankly, your spelling is completely incorrect.

 

Americans pronounce things different to us.

 

Exactly. Japanese do not pronounce O's in English as A's. My Japanese teacher says the word "because" as "bec-O-se", and my Japanese friend pronounces "not" with a "British" accent, rather than Borat's "NAAAAHHHHT".