Enter the Linguistic Pagan! 参上！言語学の異教徒！

[Simatong]

Blessed be to all! My name is Marcus and I am honored to be a new member on this site. Writing is both as a job (I am a Japanese/Mandarin Chinese>English translator) and a hobby (I write poetry, lyrics, and occasionally, short stories). I have always been interested in languages, ESPECIALLY Mandarin and Japanese. What about any of you? Are there any Linguistic Pagans on this site? If there are, I would love to hear from you! Also, if someone has questions regarding certain translations of Mandarin Chinese, Japanese or Spanish text, please feel free to ask me!

[Ouranos Ouroboros]

I've always been fascinated by linguistics and took a few classes in the subject in college (where I was introduced to work by Whorf, Chomsky, and Pinker). I don't speak any languages other than English fluently, but I've had some exposure to French, Russian, Biblical Hebrew, koine Greek, and German (as well as the phonology of some other languages when I sang classical music); I'm currently learning modern Greek, but I couldn't speak it any better than the average Greek toddler at this point.

[Jembru]

やっぱり、私にはこんなトピックを堪らないんですよね！＾＾　じゃ、私も何も外国語をペラペラ話せないけど 、日本語で中級です。この間、日本語の力試験二級の模試を試してみたら、思ったより悪くなかったのに、読め る漢字は少なすぎるし、文法をいつも間違っているし、そして、本格的な試験を受ければ合格できるかどうか知 りません。日本語の外には、ドイツ語にも興味があるけど、言語にはまっているのに、語学になんだか弱いんで す。私にとって、二つの言語を習うのは無理だと思います。それにもかかわらず*、言語学がものすごく大好き ですよ！いつか日本語でうまくなったらいいですね！

[Translation] It will come as no surprise that I couldn't resist a topic like this! ^^ Well, I too don't speak any foreign languages fluently either, but I'm an intermediate at Japanese. I recently took a mock exam for the JLPT N2 (upper intermediate level Japanese Language Proficiency Test), and while it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, I can't read enough kanji and I make too many grammar mistakes, so I don't know if I could pass if I took the real exam. Besides Japanese, I also have an interest in German, but despite the fact I am obsessed with languages, I'm not actually very good at learning them. So I think for me, two languages would be impossible. Despite all that*, I absolutely adore linguistics! I hope I become good at Japanese one day!

(Any excuse to make a bilingual post on PF, lol)

*The use of this word was kinda excessive, but I have been waiting for a reason to use it for ages, and it's not generally used in casual conversation. I thought the formal tone of my Japanese here allowed for its use, but I wonder what the OP thinks ^^

EDIT;

Wait.. I only just realised this was first posted way back on my birthday. Really?? I missed a Japanese thread for THAT long? Hmm, I hope the OP comes back then. I wanted to discuss some things, like..

For some reason, I thought the use of 異教徒 was a bit strong so have always avoided it when trying to describe my religion. I just tell them what it is called in English, as it just seems like a more accurate way of referring to it. As a translator, do you find this expression doesn't give off a bad impression to a Japanese reader who might not be familiar with paganism as a religious movement in the West? I started using lang-8 (only one post so far though) and I intend to write a post about paganism there, and compare it to Shinto. I'm hoping to get some feedback on the subject from native speakers, that I can translate and bring to the Shinto thread on PF. I was going to ask then, how best to describe my religion, but as you used the word, I guess it wouldn't hurt to get your thoughts on it. (I'm actually seeing a Japanese friend who works as a translator later today, but she is a church going Christian so I tend avoid the subject with her).

[DanieMarie]

I never really got into linguistics itself, but I have an interest in languages. I'm a professional writer, and I'm bilingual. I'm more bilingual due to situation (I'm a native English speaker living in Germany), but I do have an interest in the German language as well, even if I never formally studied it.

I want to improve my French. I was almost bilingual (I didn't speak German at the time) at the end of high school, but after I moved to Germany, I forgot almost all of it.

[Heka]

I speak Indonesian

[Simatong]

I've always been fascinated by linguistics and took a few classes in the subject in college (where I was introduced to work by Whorf, Chomsky, and Pinker). I don't speak any languages other than English fluently, but I've had some exposure to French, Russian, Biblical Hebrew, koine Greek, and German (as well as the phonology of some other languages when I sang classical music); I'm currently learning modern Greek, but I couldn't speak it any better than the average Greek toddler at this point.

Sorry for the late reply! I mean WAAAAY late...I really need to find ways to get updates about threads. I sincerely apologize. I took five years of French and would have LOVED to learn Russian. I don't want to learn ancient Greek because (and please correct me if I'm wrong) I have heard that much of the pronunciation is theoretical, and it kind of makes me a bit uncomfortable that I might be pronouncing the words in ways the natives never did. I learned a year and a half of German, but it is barely survival level German. Modern Greek is a language I would definitely like to learn, but there are simply no teachers here

- - - Updated - - -

I speak Indonesian

Indonesian seems like a most interesting language.

- - - Updated - - -

I never really got into linguistics itself, but I have an interest in languages. I'm a professional writer, and I'm bilingual. I'm more bilingual due to situation (I'm a native English speaker living in Germany), but I do have an interest in the German language as well, even if I never formally studied it.

I want to improve my French. I was almost bilingual (I didn't speak German at the time) at the end of high school, but after I moved to Germany, I forgot almost all of it.

I envy anyone with proficient German because I would have loved to have had the opportunity to (only a year and a half of German does not a proficient person make).

[Jembru]

I envy anyone with proficient German because I would have loved to have had the opportunity to (only a year and a half of German does not a proficient person make).

You can say that again! That is just about exactly how long I spent on German. The quality of adult language learning in the UK is appauling though. I studied from Deutsche Welle's 'Deutsche: Warum nicht!' series for a few months before I moved out there and then continued while I was there. When I came back to England, I started taking evening classes and was instantly moved from the beginners class to intermediate (yup, apparently by UK standards, you are intermediate if you know the rules for conjugating verbs and adjectives, I mean, what??). Then about 3 months later, because I was still studying from the podcast lessons, I was moved into the advanced class. I have taught English as a second language, so I think I have a rough idea of what characterises the stages of language aquisition and I don't think learning to use subordinate conjunctions is exactly 'advanced' (mid to late beginner at best). We were pushed to use German while doing groupwork, and our teacher (a native speaker) held a regular Stammtish, so I used to try to converse, but I wasn't conversational. I didn't have enough words at my command for a start, never mind the fact I couldn't remember the gender of words I DID know, so coudn't conjugate adjectives correctly and so on...

[Simatong]

やっぱり、私にはこんなトピックを堪らないんですよね！＾＾　じゃ、私も何も外国語をペラペラ話せないけど 、日本語で中級です。この間、日本語の力試験二級の模試を試してみたら、思ったより悪くなかったのに、読め る漢字は少なすぎるし、文法をいつも間違っているし、そして、本格的な試験を受ければ合格できるかどうか知 りません。日本語の外には、ドイツ語にも興味があるけど、言語にはまっているのに、語学になんだか弱いんで す。私にとって、二つの言語を習うのは無理だと思います。それにもかかわらず*、言語学がものすごく大好き ですよ！いつか日本語でうまくなったらいいですね！

[Translation] It will come as no surprise that I couldn't resist a topic like this! ^^ Well, I too don't speak any foreign languages fluently either, but I'm an intermediate at Japanese. I recently took a mock exam for the JLPT N2 (upper intermediate level Japanese Language Proficiency Test), and while it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, I can't read enough kanji and I make too many grammar mistakes, so I don't know if I could pass if I took the real exam. Besides Japanese, I also have an interest in German, but despite the fact I am obsessed with languages, I'm not actually very good at learning them. So I think for me, two languages would be impossible. Despite all that*, I absolutely adore linguistics! I hope I become good at Japanese one day!

(Any excuse to make a bilingual post on PF, lol)

*The use of this word was kinda excessive, but I have been waiting for a reason to use it for ages, and it's not generally used in casual conversation. I thought the formal tone of my Japanese here allowed for its use, but I wonder what the OP thinks ^^

EDIT;

Wait.. I only just realised this was first posted way back on my birthday. Really?? I missed a Japanese thread for THAT long? Hmm, I hope the OP comes back then. I wanted to discuss some things, like..

For some reason, I thought the use of 異教徒 was a bit strong so have always avoided it when trying to describe my religion. I just tell them what it is called in English, as it just seems like a more accurate way of referring to it. As a translator, do you find this expression doesn't give off a bad impression to a Japanese reader who might not be familiar with paganism as a religious movement in the West? I started using lang-8 (only one post so far though) and I intend to write a post about paganism there, and compare it to Shinto. I'm hoping to get some feedback on the subject from native speakers, that I can translate and bring to the Shinto thread on PF. I was going to ask then, how best to describe my religion, but as you used the word, I guess it wouldn't hurt to get your thoughts on it. (I'm actually seeing a Japanese friend who works as a translator later today, but she is a church going Christian so I tend avoid the subject with her).

Jembruみたいな人に会えてよかったですね！ここで日本語が話せる人に会いたいですが、ここのポスト( オリジナル）を書いていたときに、「日本語が好きな人がいないだろう」と思っていた。けれど、 別のポスト (魔法に与える言語の影響についてのポスト）を読んだ後で「ここに日本語が好きな人がいる！」って思った。 すごくうれしいですね。私もLang-8でブログしている。（最近は英語を学んでいる人の文章を直しているけど, すぐに自分のブルグを書く！
I am so happy that I was able to meet someone like you, Jembra! I want to meet who can speak Japanese on here, but as I was writing this post (the original one), I thought to myself "Nah, probably won't be anyone". But, after reading the other post (the influence of language on magic), I was like "There ARE other people on here who like Japanese!". I am really happy. I also blog on Lang-8 (Recently, I have been correcting the sentences of those learning English, but will soon be writing blogs of my own!

[Jembru]

Damn, I WISH cloud was working so I could reply in Japanese.. boo..

I too (as many will tell you) have waited ages for someone to speak to in Japanese on PF. We have had Japanese threads in the past, but I just get too enthusiastic and make the OP's rage quit. I don't mean it, I am just really passionate about the language so want any excuse to talk about it.

When you start blogging, if you wish, I'll add you on lang-8. I have a post waiting to go up but I'm nervous. I typo so much when I write Japanese, because I'm not used to seeing it like I am English. I face-palmed so much when I read the corrections on my first post, for mistakes I really should have picked up myself when I proof-read. So, I'm kinda putting off posting this latest one. I just want to read it another 30 times first. ^^

Oh I was recently made moderator on a Japanese forum. I'm kinda nervous about telling you this, because there are some videos of my appauling speaking ability (I use the term ability lightly) on there as well as.. oh countless sloppy, hastily written posts in Japanese, but I think we'd love to have someone who knows the language well on there. I erm... I moan and winge a lot on their too though. It's at japanese.freeforums.org and my username is the same!

[Jembru]

ね、Simatongさん,　外の日本語に関しているトピックをもう見ましたか？申しよかったら、これを復 活させましょう！

http://www.paganforum.com/showthread...uestions/page4

久しぶりなのに、また文法について話し合いたいんです！私は質問を聞いた以来自分でほとんどの答えを見つけ たけど、Simatongさんの感想も知りたいんですが。

ところで、貴方の名前は中国語だから、日本語で出てこない漢字は使われますね。そう言う訳でこれまでローマ 字で書いてますが、カタカナで「シマトン」になるかも知れませんね。そして、シマトンを呼んだらよろしいで しょうか？


Hey, Simatong, have you seen the other Japanese threads yet? If you wouldn't mind, maybe we could revive this one.. (I don't need to repeat the link, right?).

It's been a while, but I'd love to discuss grammar once again! Since I asked them, I've found most of the answers to my questions, but I'd like to hear your take on them too.

Btw, as your name is Chinese, it's written with kanji that aren't found in Japanese right? As such, I've been writing your name in romaji until now, but it would probably be 'Shimaton' in katakana, right? So, would you mind if I called you Shimaton?