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stupid beyond
all belief
Picture of Deqlyn
posted
I know we have a few that speak Japanese here, kkina and the guy with the cat avatar come to mind.

Current oldest person in the world is

Nabi Tajima

I imagine it is-

Nah-bee Tah jee mah

But would like to make sure thats correct.



What man is a man that does not make the world better. -Balian of Ibelin

Only boring people get bored. - Ruth Burke
 
Posts: 8227 | Registered: September 13, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
half-genius,
half-wit
posted Hide Post
Tajima is shortened, sounds like Taj'ma.

NOT Tajeema.

tac
 
Posts: 11316 | Location: UK, OR, ONT | Registered: July 10, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Oh stewardess,
I speak jive.
Picture of 46and2
posted Hide Post
I can't say for sure, but I'm only familiar with the three syllable pronunciation, like:

Ta-G-Ma, quite fast, no stretched out geeee or anything, very 1-2-3 in cadence, dot dot dot...

Like this company:

http://tajima-motor.com/e/index.html
 
Posts: 25613 | Registered: March 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Administrator
posted Hide Post
Paging kkina...kkina to the white courtesy phone please.
 
Posts: 17733 | Registered: August 12, 2000Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Lost
Picture of kkina
posted Hide Post
The bat-signal! Well, I don't claim to be anything more than a student of the Japanese language. I would myself pronounce that name just like you wrote it.

As far as "shortening" the ji sound. That ji sound is constructed from the basic syllable shi, which is indeed often pronounced in an unvoiced manner. I'm actually unsure if ji is customarily unvoiced. It's not technically incorrect to voice something fully, but may sound strange to a native speaker. I'll have to check around on that one.



ACCU-STRUT FOR MINI-14
"First, Eyes."
 
Posts: 16319 | Location: SF Bay Area | Registered: December 11, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Baroque Bloke
Picture of Pipe Smoker
posted Hide Post
If I had a band, I'd name it "Pink Freud". It'd do well in Japan:

"What?! Pink Froyd coming?! Where we get ticket?!"



Serious about crackers
 
Posts: 8934 | Location: San Diego | Registered: July 26, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Oh stewardess,
I speak jive.
Picture of 46and2
posted Hide Post
ror
 
Posts: 25613 | Registered: March 12, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Baroque Bloke
Picture of Pipe Smoker
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by 46and2:
ror

LOL



Serious about crackers
 
Posts: 8934 | Location: San Diego | Registered: July 26, 2014Reply With QuoteReport This Post
"Member"
Picture of cas
posted Hide Post
Plenty of video of her on Youtube, but I didn't catch anyone saying her name.


_____________________________________________________
Sliced bread, the greatest thing since the 1911.

 
Posts: 21097 | Location: 18th & Fairfax  | Registered: May 17, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of ersatzknarf
posted Hide Post
Writing Japanese in "Romaji" is always a challenge. I am in agreement with 46and2 and my friend, kkina, as to the pronunciation. The "ji" in the family name is short "gee" sound. To the OP, please feel free to email me and we can do a brief call and will be more than glad to pronounce the name for you Smile




 
Posts: 4917 | Registered: June 06, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of 4MUL8R
posted Hide Post
I found the name in characters and had google speak those characters. Tajima was three syllables.


-------
Trying to simplify my life...
 
Posts: 5050 | Location: Commonwealth of Virginia | Registered: January 15, 2007Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of ersatzknarf
posted Hide Post
Agreed.




 
Posts: 4917 | Registered: June 06, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
stupid beyond
all belief
Picture of Deqlyn
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by kkina:
The bat-signal! Well, I don't claim to be anything more than a student of the Japanese language. I would myself pronounce that name just like you wrote it.

As far as "shortening" the ji sound. That ji sound is constructed from the basic syllable shi, which is indeed often pronounced in an unvoiced manner. I'm actually unsure if ji is customarily unvoiced. It's not technically incorrect to voice something fully, but may sound strange to a native speaker. I'll have to check around on that one.


Thanks all! My limited knowledge from reading your posts paid off! I didnt realize i should have indicated cadence. And my assumotion was much like other japenese names I am familair with like Yamamoto, katsumoto so much like you indicated 46n2.



What man is a man that does not make the world better. -Balian of Ibelin

Only boring people get bored. - Ruth Burke
 
Posts: 8227 | Registered: September 13, 2012Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Lost
Picture of kkina
posted Hide Post
This anime character pronounces it without unvoicing, pretty much how I would say it. [Just confirmed on a J-forum, JI is usually fully-voiced.]

As far as cadence, that's an easy one- it's always a perfectly even cadence in Japanese, even when pronouncing "silent" syllables. Each syllable gets its own beat, no more, no less. Just like you wrote it, Tah-jee-mah, same as 1-2-3. The main thing is to avoid saying it like Tah-JEE-mah. Placing stress on any one syllable is an instant non-native speaker alert.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,



ACCU-STRUT FOR MINI-14
"First, Eyes."
 
Posts: 16319 | Location: SF Bay Area | Registered: December 11, 2003Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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