Katakana Post

こんばんわみなさん！

So for this week we were supposed to look up katakana expressions and report our experience. I had a hard time getting inspiration for this assignment at first, but while surfing YouTube I got inspiration. I searched the interwebs for the Japanese versions of beloved Disney movies! Because katakana is used for borrowed words, I figured there would be quite a few interesting translations of big name titles. Sure enough there were. So, I compiled a list of my favorites. I also kept surfing through YouTube and found a bunch of well known songs in Japanese that I compiled into a playlist you're no doubt hearing right now. Enjoy!

Lion King - ライオンキング

This one was a direct, phonetic translation.

Aladdin - アラジン

 

This translation is little different. It reads A-ra-ji-n. 

Tangled - ラプンシェル

In Japan, Tangled was actually "Rapunshel." That one took me a while to figure out.

Frozen - アナと雪の女王 (ana to yuki no joo)

Finally, in Japan, Frozen was "Ana and the Snow Queen."

Pretty neat huh? I thought it was way past cool to see how some of my favorite childhood classics translate to a different culture. 

Bi-Weekly Report

Class: So far so good! I feel like we're all really starting to come together as a class which is awesome! :)

Culture: For all those who missed the Costume Party, shame on you! It was really fun! People were super creative with their costumes, and eating mochi for the first time was... I dunno. Enlightening? Other than that, I haven't been doing too much regarding Japanese culture. Still just watching anime. ;)

Language: Katakan... Why u so hard? Ugh. For whatever reason I have a harder time writing katakana in comparison to hiragana. Whatever. All good things to those who... Practice a lot... I guess.

Comic of the Week:

Homework's Revenge

(not my own work *sad face*)

 

じこしょかい！

はじめましてみなさん！

わたしはワイモンです。どぞおよろしく。　いちねんせいです。　せんこおわせいぶつがくです。　
テキサスのヒュストンからきました。　わたしはにほんじんじゃありません。

Thus ends my Japanese introduction. I know we haven't learned Katakana yet, so here are some translations:

•  ワイモン = Wa-i-mo-n
• テキサス = Te-ki-sa-su (Texas)
• ヒュストン = Hyu-su-to-n (Houston)

So, now I'm supposed to talk about something I like from Japan... I tried really hard to think of something non-Anime or pop culture related... And failed. So rather than rant about the many animes I have watched, I decided to focus on something else that I really like. Vocaloids.

"What are Vocaloids ワイモンさん?" So glad you asked.

Vocaloids are synthetic singers, so to speak. So, imagine Kanye West autotune, but with not obnoxious narcissist behind the mike. They are an entirely computer based singer software. Some of their songs are super cool, and many of them have their own fanbase. In fact, Miku Hatsune (by far the most well known Vocaloid) actually performed at multiple live performances in places like Tokyo (duh), Los Angeles, and New York!

Closing Song at New York Performance

(Haha, that one guy at 0:10)

Vocaloids really interest me because the tech just blew my mind when Miku first came out. I'm also an EDM fan, so their voices really fit the type of music I like. However, I also really like that fact that there are not only a lot of Vocaloids out there with their own unique sounds and personalities (yes, the fanbases gave them personalities) but also a wide variety of artwork based on them. A lot of people even make fan-based Vocaloids.

So... Many

I'll add a Vocaloid playlist so you guys can hear some of the songs. Hope you like it!


Before I close out I have two short things to post. My typical Japanese experience spiel and a fun facts section I told a fellow classmate I'd post. (*cough cough* はなさん *cough cough*) So let's get to it!

Class:
Same old same old. I feel I speak for all our section when I say that I regret that loss of 0.7 points on the しょおてすと. Or was it 0.3? Anyway, class has been great for me. I don't have much to add to what I've said before. What about you guys? What do you think of class?

Culture:
That wonderful, glorious moment when hard work pays off. I was listening to iNSaNiTY sung by Teto Kasane (a Vocaloid song) and at one point she says "Sanity てなんですか。" And I nearly explode out of my seat crying "I KNOW WHAT SHE SAID! OMIGAWD!"　It was such a fulfilling moment. What does this have to do with culture?　Well, I'm starting to actually recognize the language in some of my pass times. I'm also activel attempting to read random hiragana characters I see around the place. I don't know what anything means yet, but it's a start right?

Language:
In general, hiragana practice goes well. I have problems with long vowels and voiced consonants in dictation practice, but I think that will come in time. I also need to work on reading speed and proficiency... I suck at that.

FUN FACTS!

• I've lived in the same house my entire life, and before coming to Notre Dame I'd never been farther from home than Alabama (I have family there).
• I knit... Yay?
• I used to avidly make jewelry when I was about 12.
• I've played viola, which is like an alto violin, for 8-ish years.
• When I was sad in high school I used to think about photosynthesis to cheer me up... I think that fact is more weird than fun.
• God, what else is fun about me.... Uh, I speak Spanish... Sorta

I will try harder to post next Sunday and make this a weekly thing regardless of our assignments.  Tell me how I'm doing, and good luck to us all on the ひらがな test!

Comic of the Week:

I Will Survive