Monday, December 13, 2010

Katakana Analysis Final

 Here is my Katakana Analysis:





1. ソフトサラダ
Source: Rice cracker wrapper
Category: Loan word
Meaning: soft, with salad flavor.

Apparently, "salad" flavor is pretty common in Japan; it's basically a combination of sweet and salty, not unlike the taste of ranch dressing. "Soft" refers to the fact that the cracker isn't too hard (here, the manufacturer displays concern for the teeth of elderly consumers). Reasons for Katakana use in this case include loan words and advertising emphasis.







2. チャックべりSource: Old concert poster/advertisement, found on the internet
Category: Loan word
Meaning: Chuck Berry

This particular use of Katakana is not only for a loan word (the artist's name) but also for advertising emphasis. Also found on the poster is the term "rock n' roll," translated into katakana as ロックンロール!

As for the differences in textbook explanations, I can't say I found much of a difference.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Composition 3

二十ねんごのわたしはかいしゃいんです。ニューヨークにいます。たくさんおかねがあります。わたしのせいかつはいそがしいですが、とてもたのしいです。わたしはかぞくが四にんいます。つまとこどもがふたりいます。わたしのうちはちいさいですが、とてもきれいです。毎日九時から五時まではたらきます。わたしの休みは土曜日と日曜日です。

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

わたしのせんりゅう

これはわたしのせんりゅうです。

バドミントン
とてもおもしろい
スポーツだ。


ペルーの木
きれいくないだ
とてもたかい

このねこは
かわくないです
ニャニャニャ

ダニエルムルシア
十一月十日

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Composition 2: Letter to やまださん!


やまださんへ、

おげんきですか。わたしはムルシアです。アメリカのマイアミからきました。コロンビアだいがくのがくせいです。いちねんせいです。じゅうはっさいです。

コロンビアだいがくのキャンパスはちいさいですが、たのしいです。ニューヨークのせいかつはにぎやかです。そしてとてもおいしいです。わたしのせいかつはおもしろいです。

6がつついたちににほんへいきます。ひこうきでいきます。

よろしくおねがいします。


ダニエルムルシア
十一月十日

Friday, October 29, 2010

カタカナ analysis draft 1

Here is my Katakana Analysis Draft:

1. ソフトサラダ
Source: Rice cracker wrapper
Category: Loan word
Meaning: soft, with salad flavor.

Apparently, "salad" flavor is pretty common in Japan; it's basically a combination of sweet and salty, not unlike the taste of ranch dressing. "Soft" refers to the fact that the cracker isn't too hard (here, the manufacturer displays concern for the teeth of elderly consumers). Reasons for Katakana use in this case include loan words and advertising emphasis.

2. チャックべり
Source: Old concert poster/advertisement, found on the internet
Category: Loan word
Meaning: Chuck Berry

This particular use of Katakana is not only for a loan word (the artist's name) but also for advertising emphasis.

As for the differences in textbook explanations, I can't say I found much of a difference.

Monday, October 11, 2010

In the Language Lab!

こんにちわ。きのうゆびんきょくえちかてつでひとりでいきます。きょうじゅうじにおきました。こんばんじゅうにじにねます。あしたごじからはちじまでべんきょします。あさってじゅうにじにひるごはんおたべます。じゃあ、またらいしゅう。

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

ひらがな improvements and the second lab

I'm happy to report that I finally feel like I have a good grip on ひらがな。Both my reading and writing are slowly but surely improving in speed, and I'm ready to start learning Katakana. Yesterday I had my second language lab of the semester and it was a lot more entertaining than the previous lab because it actually had a conversational section in which the TA practiced with each of us, ensuring that our pronunciation and intonation sounded natural. I look forward both to becoming more comfortable with Japanese grammar and to learning more vocabulary!