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Lesson 1


Before we begin, a few basic explanations about the different Japanese character sets and the Japanese phonetical system.

The Japanese phonetical system


Japanese people have a somewhat "limited" phonetical system as compared to the large variety of sounds we Westerners are used to.

1. The most important thing to keep in mind is that syllables in Japanese always have vocalic endings. Japanese people are not used to consonants in syllable-final positions. The only exception from this rule is the nasal "n" (which can also be an "m"). As a result, they tend to pronounce a word such as "post" as "posuto", though Japanese people who have more exposure to Western people and the way they speak try to contract the second and third syllable in order to "imitate" the Western sounding of "post".

2. As you might have most probably already heard before, Japanese people don't know the sound "l" and substitute it with an "r" (although some people might debate whether the Japanese sound in question is closer to the Western "r" or to the "l"). This is one of the primary reasons for the phenomenon known as "Engrish" (example: "Sony Praystation").

3. Likewise, Japanese people originally don't know the sound "v". The closest thing they know in their phonetical system is the sound "b", therefore it has become an established practice to pronounce the "v" in Western words and names as "b". An example, which also further illustrates the previous point, would be the Japanese pronunciation of the name "Oliver": Oriba.
It should be noted, though, that the "v" has recently been "invented" for Katakana, though it's still pronounced rather like a "b". I'll cover the Katakana "v" later.

4. Japanese know two syllables beginning with the sound "w": "Wa" and "wo". The Japanese "w" sound is different from the English "w", which is closer to the Japanese "o" or "u". For that reason, syllables beginning with "w" which don't exist in Japanese anyways (e.g. "wi") often have the "w" substituted either with a "ho" or with a "u". Example: "Wheel" becomes either "Hoiiru" or "Uiiru".

5. In Western languages, we sometimes tend to use a post-vocalic "r" after extended vowels (e.g. "card"). The Japanese often completely omit the "r" and simply use the extended vowel. Example: "Hard" becomes "haado", "word" becomes "waado". The latter because the pronunciation of the "wo" in the English word "word" is closer to the Japanese "wa" than to the Japanese "wo".

Which brings us to...

Pronunciation


Note that several of the sounds in the Japanese language are not pronounced as one might expect based on how English words are pronounced.

Here's how to pronounce them (roughly):
  • "A" - as in "father".
  • "I" - as in "machine".
  • "U" - as in "flu", but more clipped.
  • "E" - as "pet".
  • "O" - as in "tone", but more clipped.

  • "K" - as in "kind".
  • "S" - as in "snake".
  • "Sh" - as in "shame".
  • "T" - as in "time".
  • "Ch" - as in "change".
  • "N" - as in "now".
  • "H" - as in "hate".
  • "F" - a cross between the English "f" and "h"; lip position is the same, but the upper teeth don't touch the lower lip - something close to the "ph" in "phase".
  • "M" - as in "mother".
  • "Y" - as in "yes".
  • "R" - between the Western "r" and "l," close to a Spanish "r-flap" or "rolled r". Not everyone can roll their "r"s, though, which is why not everyone will be able to pronounce this properly.
  • "W" - as in "water" - however, the English-type "w" sound is only used in Japanese before the vowels "a" and "o"; otherwise, it's appoximated with vowel dipthongs like "ue" or "hoi".
  • "G" - as in "get".
  • "Z" - as in "zoom".
  • "J" - as in "Japan".
  • "D" - as in "doctor".
  • "B" - as in "bill".
  • "P" - as in "pet".
Japanese also has a couple of phonic units not often used in English: "ts" and its vocalized equivalent, "dz".

Now you should hopefully understand why Japanese people pronounce things the way they do, and you will understand why a Japanese asks you where he can find the next "Posuto-ofisu".


We now move on to written Japanese.

Click here for lesson 2.

- Nevermore

 
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