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The following are additional procedures to help identify loanwords that occur in this lesson.
1.
Is there an occurence of b in the romanized version of the loanword? Check it out for representation of English 'v' as well as of 'b'.
Examples:
boruga = 'Volga' babaria = 'Bavaria'
2.
Are there any occurences of syllable to or do? Try eliminating the o.
Is there an occurence of the vowel i ? Try deleting it. Such deletion is particularly common in word-final position and between voiceless consonants.
Examples:
sutoraiki = 'strike'
paazi = 'purge'
tekisasu = 'Texas'
mekisiko = 'Mexico'
5.
The vowel u , when followed by a vowel, often represents English 'w', and ku before a vowel corresponds to 'kw' (= 'qu').
Examples:
kuizu = 'quiz'
sukuizu = 'squeeze'
6.
Are there any occurences of oo + consonant? Check them out for representation of English vowel + 'r' of 'horse' as well as of the vowel sounds alone of 'mode' or 'Maud'.
Examples:
noosu = 'north' or 'Norse'
noomaru = 'normal'
pooku = 'Pork' or 'Polk'
7.
A vowel + syllable a may correspond to a vowel + 'r' sequence in English (note that Japanese aa , discussed in Lesson 1, is an example of this same correspondence).
Examples:
doa = 'door'
hea = 'hair'
SYMBOLS AND EXAMPLES
Katakana symbol:
Romanized syllable:
Calligraphy:
o
Examples:
otawa
'Ottawa'
raosu
'Laos'
osuro
'Oslo'
aiowa
'Iowa'
sutaa
'star'
oorusutaa
'all-star'
to
Examples:
toroi
'Troy'
siatoru
'Seattle'
oosutoria
'Austria'
oosutoraria
'Australia'
raito
'light' or 'right'
teeruraito
'taillight'
Katakana symbol:
Romanized syllable:
Calligraphy:
ha
Examples:
hawai
'Hawaii'
ohaio
'Ohio'
harisu
'Harris'
harii
'Harry'
hairaito
'highlight'
hariiharisu
'Harry Harris'
haikurasu
'high class'
haisukuuru
'high school'
no
Examples:
hanoi
'Hanoi'
irinoi
'Illinois'
honoruru
'Honolulu'
noosu
'North' or 'Norse'
noa
Noah'
nora
'Nora'
misutaanoanoosu
'Mr. Noah North'
misunoranoosu
'Miss Nora North'
Katakana symbol:
Romanized syllable:
Calligraphy:
sa
Examples:
sahara
'Sahara'
samoa
'Samoa'
saa
'Sir'
saaruisumiraa
'Sir Lewis Miller'
ma
Examples:
rima
'Lima'
maiami
'Miami'
okurahoma
'Oklahoma'
toomasu
'Thomas'
toomasunoosu
'Thomas North'
meriiriitoomasu
'Mary Lee Thomas'
kaarumarukusu
'Karl Marx'
samaa
'summer'
samaasukuuru
'summer school'
kurisumasu
'Christmas'
kurisumasukaroru
'Christmas carol'
Katakana symbol:
Romanized syllable:
Calligraphy:
ni
Examples:
manira
'Manila'
niisu
'Nice'
ruumania
'Rumania'
oniiru
'O'Neill'
hariioniiru
'Harry O'Neill'
haamonii
'harmony'
haamonika
'harmonica' (1)
hamonika
'harmonica' (2)
ya
Examples:
maraya
'Malaya'
yaruta
'Yalta'
yaaruu
'Yalu'
Katakana symbol:
Romanized syllable:
Calligraphy:
hi
Examples:
himaraya
'Himalaya'
hiiru
'heel'
haihiiru
'high heel'
roohiiru
'low heel'
re
Examples:
mareesia
'Malaysia'
reesu
'race' or 'lace'
ootoreesu
'auto race'
reeku
'lake'
reekuhoteru
'Lake Hotel'
reeru
'rail'
monoreeru
'monorail'
Katakana symbol:
Romanized syllable:
Calligraphy:
ki
Examples:
tekisasu
'Texas'
kirosaikuru
'kilocycle'
kiromeetoru
'kilometer'
ko
Examples:
mekisiko
'Mexico'
kosutarika
'Costa Rica'
kosuto
'cost'
rookosuto
'low cost'
koosutaa
'coaster'
rooraakoosutaa
'roller coaster'
kooku
'coke'
koora
'cola'
kokakoora
'Coca Cola'
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
noo 'no'
haroo 'hello'
aroha 'aloha'
oorai 'awri[ght]' (i.e., 'all right')
kooto 'coat'
sarami 'salami'
retasu 'lettuce'
tenisu 'tennis'
sukii 'ski[ing]'
resuraa 'wrestler'
haiku 'hike'
saakasu 'circus'
ooto 'auto'
torakutaa 'tractor'
haiyaa '[car for] hire'
hiitaa 'heater'
taoru 'towel'
sararii 'salary'
resiito 'receipt'
tootaru 'total'
nooto 'note'
saakuru 'circle'
sutereo 'stereo'
maiku 'mic[rophone]'
osukaa 'Oscar'
koorasu 'chorus'
kirisuto 'Christ'
hareruya 'halleluja'
hiiroo 'hero'
haato 'heart' (card suit)
suiitohaato 'sweetheart'
kisu 'kiss'
noomaru 'normal'
torasuto 'trust'
sutoraiku '(baseball) strike'
suto or sutoraiki '(protest) strike'
NOTES
1(a) Compare the following pairs of symbols:
and and and
The symbols on the left are already familiar. They are equivalent to the romanized syllables ta , te , and to . The corresponding symbols on the right are equivalent to the romanized syllables da , de , and do . In other words, the addition of (called nigori) to a kana symbol which represents a syllable with an initial t - changes its value to the corresponding syllable beginning with d - (The g represents a nasal pronounciation of g, as in the 'ng' of 'singer', produced by holding the tongue in the g position, but allowing the air to escape through the nostrils. This type of 'g' sound never occurs in the beginning of a word. The g sound is considered an aspect of the 'Tokyo dialect', though many Tokyo residents use the g sound instead, and still others alternate between the two forms. Hence, where g is written, g can always be used, but where g is written, g cannot be used. You must understand both pronounciations).
Compare:
torai 'try'
dorai 'dry'
SYMBOLS AND EXAMPLES
da
de
Examples:
darasu
'Dallas'
derii
'Delhi'
aidaho
'Idaho'
detoroito
'Detroit'
noosudakota
'North Dakota'
do
Examples:
dominika
'Dominica[n Republic]'
kaado
'card'
kurisumasukaado
'Christmas card'
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
daiya 'dia[mond]'
daiarii 'diary'
dairekutomeeru 'direct mail'
demo 'demo[nstration]'
deeta 'data'
deeto 'date'
desuku 'desk'
demokurasii 'democracy'
meedee 'May Day'
doru 'doll[ar]'
doa 'door'
sadoru 'saddle'
dorama 'drama'
dokutaa 'doctor'
doraiyaa 'dryer'
doraiaisu 'dry ice'
saidowaaku 'side work' (side job)
saidosuroo 'side throw' (as in baseball)
NOTES
1(b) The addition of nigori to kana symbols representing syllables with initial k - changes the value to the corresponding syllables beginning with g-/or -g- / (the -g- alternant is comparatively rare in loanwords).
Compare:
koosuto 'coast'
goosuto 'ghost'
SYMBOLS AND EXAMPLES
ga or -ga
gi or -gi
madagasukaru 'Madagascar'
igirisu 'England'
ginia 'Guinea'
gu or -gu
go or -go
guatemara 'Guatemala'
sikago 'Chicago'
nikaragua 'Nicaragua'
gurasugoo 'Glascow'
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
gasu 'gas'
taigaa 'tiger'
gaado 'guard[ing]'
gaido 'guide'
gitaa 'guitar'
guriru 'grill'
niguro 'Negro'
gooru 'goal'
gurotesuku 'grotesque'
daiaroogu 'dialogue'
katarogu 'catalogue'
NOTES
1(c) Nigori added to symbols representing syllables with initial s - changes the value to the corresponding syllables beginning with z -.
Compare:
roosu 'roas[t]'
roozu 'rose'
SYMBOLS AND EXAMPLES
za
zi (ji)
zu
zaaru 'the Saar'
azia 'Asia'
mizuuri 'Missouri'
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
dezaato 'dessert'
iizii 'easy'
ziiai 'G.I.'
aziteetaa 'agitator'
kuizu 'quiz'
sukuizu 'squeeze'
mazaa 'mother'
mazaasudee 'Mother's Day'
siizaa 'Caesar'
NOTES
1(d) Nigori added to symbols representing syllables with initial h- changes the value to the corresponding syllables beginning with b-.
Compare:
hooru 'hole'
booru 'ball' or 'bowl'
SYMBOLS AND EXAMPLES
ba
bi
Examples:
bari
'Bali'
biruma
'Burma'
arabama
'Alabama'
ribia
'Libya'
babaria
'Bavaria'
bikini
'Bikini'
baazinia
'Virginia'
arabia
'Arabia'
bo
Examples:
bogota
'Bogota'
boruga
'Volga'
boribia
'Bolivia'
aiboriikoosuto
'Ivory Coast'
ADDITIONAL PRACTICE
basu 'bus'
baree 'ballet'
tabako 'tobacco'
basudee 'birthday'
biru 'buil[ding]'
biiru 'beer'
hobii 'hobby'
daabii 'derby'
bosu 'boss'
booto 'boat'
boogu 'vogue'
boruto 'bolt' or 'volt'
borero 'bolero'
boirudo 'boiled'
boree 'volley'
bareebooru 'volleyball'
NOTES
2. The addition of a small circle (called maru) to any Kana symbol which represents a syllable with initial h- changes the value to the corresponding syllable with initial p-.
and
and
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