Monday, December 13, 2010

Katakana Analysis Final

マツモトキヨシ = “マツキヨ”
Matsumoto Kiyoshi Ltd., Co.
Largest ­Drug chain store in Japan
Founder: 松本清(まつもときよし)
·         Name after its founder

Effects katakana has:
·         Brings image of “modern” because Katakana is often used for cultural adaptation of characters which is because Katakana could reflect their modern images well (reflect changes with its usage and meaning) and because it is developed later and is used to describe foreign language
o   Drug store sells modern consumer goods
·         Transfer a name of an individual to a name of brand
o   Famous brands are in Katakana since most of them are from foreign country
o   People easily recognize it as a name of brand when the name is written in Katakana
o   By getting rid of the original Kanji of the founder’s name, the name became closer to everyone, not only as a different person
·         Cool
o   Katakana is just somehow “cooler” to young people.
o   Because Katakana is used to translate foreign language to Japanese
o   Fashionable
·         Easy for graphic design
o   It is easier to make a good looking trademark with Katakana since it is not as complex as Kanji; it has more straight lines and edges compared to Hiragana which has more rounded corners.
·         More focused on the sound
o   Katakana is more about the sound, Hiragana and Kanji are more about the meaning
o   Sound part is more important to a brand name

Why not Hiragana:
·         Looks childish or old
o   Hiragana is the first thing that children learn
o   Has an image of lack of knowledge or seriousness
o   Only some stores which have long history(over hundred years) and want to use it as their appeal point, would use Hiragana for their brand name

Why not Kanji
·         Too formal
o   Make an distance between the brand and customer
o   Drug store sells handy items, so Kanji doesn’t fit
·         Reminds people of the individual
o   Reminds people of the founder himself. In this case, not necessary

Conclusion:
Katagana is better than Hiragana and Kanji in this case, since it is modern, looks good and more easily accepted by young people.



ドキドキ
Doki-doki
Onomatopoeia (a word for describing sound)
The sound of heart beating

Also, ドキドキする
As a verb, means heart is beating (because of being nervous or in love)

Why Katakana:
·         Describe sound rather than meaning.
·         Make people picture the image rather than understanding because Katakana could multiply dramatic moment by repetition of simpler form than Hiragana and Kanji. The usage of Katakana "sound" result in more powerful than Hiragana because Katakana has edgeness, which means the character is sharper than Hiragana. Also Katakana is more lively than Kanji because Kanji is more formal than Katakana as foreign language learner's perspective.  

      Why each textbook is different in explaining Katakana and why the textbooks explained Katakana in the manners that they did: 
      The explanations are different in each textbook. The main reasons can be what everyone has different point of view.  
      Katakana is used to express loan words. But the language is changed and even created everyday with changing world, so the reflection of Katakana can be changed and created everyday. So the explanation cannot be restricted. 
      Katakana is used to express onomatopoeia. I feel that Katakana is cooler (easily accepted or noticeable), powerful, or lively. However, expression of language is very subjective so everyone has different feeling of the language. Hence, the explanation could be different. 
      Katakana is also used to emphasize words. My Japanese friend said, "Katakana is the most simple character among Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji." I asked him why is that? But he cannot easily explain. Katakana is the most simple one is so ideal to emphasize words. However, the explanation cannot be simple as my Japanese friend cannot answer. That's why each textbook could explain in different ways.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Composition 3_updated version

にじゅうねんごのわたし
にじゅうねんご、わたしはウォールストリートでしごとをしています。わたしはおおきいかいしゃのしゃちょうです。ひるはオフィスでかいぎをして、よるはうちにかえります。うちはトライベッカにあります。トライベッカにバーがたくさんありますから、ともだちとよくおさけをのみます。つまはとてもきれいで、かわいいこどもがふたりいます。こどもはコロンビアだいがくにはいりたいです。しごとはとてもいそがしいのですが、しゅうまつはかぞくといっしょにしゅみのスポーツをみにいきます。スポーツのなかで、やきゅうがいちばんすきです。りょうしんはかんこくのソウルにいます。わたしはまいとしいっかい、つまとこどもといっしょにあいにいきます。わたしはしごとがすきで、かぞくもげんきで、しあわせです。

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Composition 3_にじゅうねんごのわたし

にじゅうねんごのわたし
にじゅうねんご、ウォールストリートではたらいているわたしは、おかねもちになっているとおもいます。ひるはこうそうビルのなかにあるオフィスではたらいて、よるはいえがあるトライベッカでともだちとおさけをのんでいるか、かぞくといっしょにいるとおもいます。だいがくであったかのじょとけっこんして、こどもがふたりいます。ふだんはしごとでいそがしいのですが、しゅうまつはかぞくといっしょにしゅみのスポーツをみにいきます。くるまはにだいもっています。しごとにいくときのちいさいくるまと、かぞくとでかけるときのおおきいくるまがいちだいずつあります。かんこくにいるおやには、まいとしいっかいはつまとこどもといっしょにあいにいきます。しごともじゅんちょうで、かぞくをたいせつにするわたしは、しあわせです。

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Michael Jordan Top 40 Moments

わたしはバスケットボールがとてもすきです。Michael Jordan さんから。

Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time in NBA history.
He is my hero ever and ever.

このvideoをみませんか。
みんなさんはMichael Jordanさんがとてもすきです。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbq8Lv5frwQ&feature=related

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Katakana Literary Work

1.
しんごうは                               traffic light is
きいろてんめつ                      flashing yellow
アクセルだ                             "accel pedal!"

2.
しゅくだいは                           (turning in)homework
しめきりまぢか                       on deadline
ギリギリだ                              the very last moment

3.
つぎこそは                             next time (finally)
ブロンドかのじょ                    BLOND girl friend
ゲットするぜ                          I will GET one!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Composition 2

やまださんへ。

やまださん、おげんきですか。
にほんは いま さむいですか。ニューヨークは あまり さむいないです。
はじめまして。 わたしは Wookです。 かんこくの Seoul からきました。
にじゆうきゆうさいです。
わたしの かぞくは よにんです。 ちち、はは、あね、それから わたしです。
スポーツが とても すきです。 そして スポーツを たくさん しますから わたしは げんきです。
コロンビアだいがくの がくせいです。 さんねんせいです。
せんこは Economics-Statisticsです。
わたしは げつようびから もくようびまで クラスが あります。
きんようびに Korean Embassy のKorean Cultural Serviceで はたらきます。
コロンビアだいがくの せいかつは とても いそがしいですが、とても たのしいです。
わたしは らいねん ろくがつ ついたちに にほんへ ひこうけで ひとりで いきます。
じゃ、また。 
よろしく おねがいします。

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Katakana Analysis Draft


マツモトキヨシ = “マツキヨ”
Matsumoto Kiyoshi Ltd., Co.
Largest ­Drug chain store in Japan
Founder: 松本清(まつもときよし)
·         Name after its founder

Effects katakana has:
·         Brings image of “modern”
o   Drug store sells modern consumer goods.
·         Transfer a name of an individual to a name of brand
o   Famous brands are in Katakana since most of them are from foreign country
o   People easily recognize it as a name of brand when the name is written in Katakana
o   By getting rid of the original Kanji of the founder’s name, the name became closer to everyone, not only as a different person
·         Cool
o   Katakana is just somehow “cooler” to young people.
o   Because Katakana is used to translate foreign language to Japanese
o   Fashionable
·         Easy for graphic design
o   It is easier to make a good looking trademark with Katakana since it is not as complex as Kanji; it has more straight lines and edges compared to Hiragana which has more rounded corners.
·         More focused on the sound
o   Katakana is more about the sound, Hiragana and Kanji are more about the meaning
o   Sound part is more important to a brand name

Why not Hiragana:
·         Looks childish or old
o   Hiragana is the first thing that children learn
o   Has an image of lack of knowledge or seriousness
o   Only some stores which have long history(over hundred years) and want to use it as their appeal point, would use Hiragana for their brand name

Why not Kanji
·         Too formal
o   Make an distance between the brand and customer
o   Drug store sells handy items, so Kanji doesn’t fit
·         Reminds people of the individual
o   Reminds people of the founder himself. In this case, not necessary

Conclusion:
Katagana is better than Hiragana and Kanji in this case, since it is modern, looks good and more easily accepted by young people.



ドキドキ
Doki-doki
Onomatopoeia (a word for describing sound)
The sound of heart beating

Also, ドキドキする
As a verb, means heart is beating (because of being nervous or in love)

Why Katakana:
·         Describe sound rather than meaning.
·         Make people picture the image rather than understanding

Monday, October 11, 2010

すばらし!!!

わたしの favorite baseball team is "New York Yankees" 。
Their baseball is just すばらし。
わたしは Yankees Stadiumへ せしゅうどようびに ともだちと いきました。
At the stadium, わたしは ばんごはんをたべました。
そらから しゃしんを とりました。
らいしゅう Yankees Stadiumへ いきます。  

The defending champion, the Yankees swept the Twins in Division Series again which is きゅうth straight playoff win over the Twins.

Here is the highlight.

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=12796379&topic_id=14873330&query=%26game_pk%3D286320

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

lost my voice because of this..

It is big. It is gigantic. This is New York Yankees.

Miranda worked a bases-loaded walk against Hideki Okajima to force in the winning run in the 10th inning on Sunday as the Yankees clawed back for a much-needed 4-3 victory over the Red Sox.


http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=12500495&c_id=nyy
http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?c_id=mlb&content_id=12500487&query=game_pk%3D266125

Monday, September 20, 2010

About JW

はじめまして 

わたしわ Wook です 
かんこくじんです 
ころんびあ だいがくの かくせいです.