basicsofthejapaneselanguagesession1v4animated-120315062621-phpapp02

7/28/2019 basicsofthejapaneselanguagesession1v4animated-120315062621-phpapp02

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Basics of theJapanese Language

Lunch-time sessions at PCC

By Peter Missen

Session 1

Introduction


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Objectives for this course

This is a 6 week taster of the Japanese

language to cover the basics of the

language and the following topics:

1. Introduction (today)

2. Greetings

3. Numbers

4. Time

5. Transport

6. Food


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Objectives for this session

Introductions

Expectations

The Japanese language

Grammar

Verbs

Alphabets

Sounds Pronunciation

Kanji

Basic sentence structure

Example sentences


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Introduction

Me Peter Missen

Took early retirement from IBM in March 2010

Joined PCC in April 2010

My role is IT Auditor for the Internal Audit group

Started to learn Japanese in 1993 while at IBM

I teach Japanese part-time in the evenings at the University

of Portsmouth on their Institution Wide Language Program

(IWLP). A scheme that allows any student at the University

to learn a language for interest or 10 degree credits.


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Class introductions

Around the class please

Name

Department

Something interesting about yourself,

related to Japanese if possible


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Expectations

You have my permission to:

Make mistakes

Ask dumb questions

Please ask questions when you are stuck

Please be interactive


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The Japanese language

Japanese is a picture based language

Pictures borrowed from China

Particles glue the pictures together examples of particles

wa

ka

node

e

kara

made


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Grammar

Compared with European languages,

Japanese grammar has some differences.

For example:

No gender

No articles

Japanese people struggle with our articles - the/a/an

No plurals

No future tense

No spaces

No capital letters!


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Verbs

Verbs are doing words ACTION

In the Japanese language verbs come at theend of a sentence, for example:

English: Tomorrow I am going to London.

Japanese: me tomorrow london direction go.


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Alphabets

There are 3 Japanese alphabets: Kanji (pictures from China)

Hiragana (sounds for all things Japanese)

Katakana (sounds for all things foreign any language!)

We can use Latin characters to express Japanese

The Japanese call this ro-maji ro-ma = Rome

ji = written character

All 3 alphabets can be used in 1 sentence


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The 5 vowel sounds

A

I

U

E

O

The same 5 vowels as English!

But in a different order


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The 5 vowel sounds - examples

A as in CAT

I as in FEET

U as in SHOOT

E as in REST

O as in OVER


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The 46 basic sounds

Ro-maji:

A I U E O

Ka Ki Ku Ke Ko

Sa Shi Su Se So

Ta Chi Tsu Te ToNa Ni Nu Ne No

Ha Hi Fu He Ho

Ma Mi Mu Me Mo

Ya Yu YoRa Ri Ru Re Ro

Wa Wo

N/M

Hiragana:


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Pronunciation

Japanese pronunciation is mostly uncomplicated

Pronounce words as they are written in ro-maji Though some U and I sounds are silent

And a U following an O makes a double O sound!

Kanji characters can have several readings

depending on context


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Kanji

The Japanese write top down and right to left

The Kanji for Japan is nihon:

The pictures mean: Sun and origin

Land of the Rising Sun

Add language to mean Japanese:


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Basic sentence structure

~ wa ~ desu.

wa = topic marker the topic of the sentence

desu = is/are/am

no plurals in Japanese

Usage:

word(s) wa word(s) desu.


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~ wa ~ desu example

watashi wa Peter desu.

watashi = me

wa = topic markerdesu = is

All say name (Substitute your name for Peter)


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Another~ wa ~ desu example

kore wa pen desu. This is a pen.

kore = this (thing speaker has possession of)

wa = topic marker (first annoyance with Japanese is

that the ha symbol is used but pronounced wa)

pen = pen

desu = is/are/am (used at end of a sentence)


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Another ~ wa ~ desu example

kore wa jisho desu. This is a dictionary.

jisho = dictionary

(2 kanji: words + write/compose)


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sore wa hon desu. That is a book.

sore = that (thing the listener has possession of)

hon = book

(same kanji as origin and same pronunciation!)


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are wa densha desu. That is a train.

are = that (thing over there that neither thespeaker nor the listener has possession of)

densha = train (2 kanji: electricity + vehicle)


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kore wa nan desu ka. What is this?

nan = what

ka = ?


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Homework

Nothing compulsory

Suggestions Can bring an object to class next week

Be able to say what it is in Japanese

Great if you can practice with a colleague


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Any questions

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