/MANGAJIN BASIC JAPANESE through comicsContents /BX Introduction 7 Translating Japanese Manga Into English 8 A discussion of some of the problems facing Japanese-to-English translators, and some of the methods Mangajin uses to handle those problems. The Manga Market 10 Manga account for over one third of all the books and magazines published in Japan! This is the rich source of the material presented in Mangajin. Politeness Levels, Pronunciation Guide, and Punctuation Notes 13 ‘A word about the dimensions of “politeness” in Japanese, and notes about our style of reconciling Japanese and English punctuation. Yoroshiku o-negai shimasu | £4U< BRULET 14 It’s one of the most useful expressions in the Japanese language, but you need a little cultural background. Sumimasen | $A EtA 20 This versatile expression can be used to express sentiments ranging from “I'm sorry” to “Thank you.” Feminine Speech / %= & It 26 ‘Some specific examples of the distinctive speech of Japanese women, Gaijin Bloopers / 544 7b —18— 32 Potential pitfalls for the non-native speaker of Japanese — laugh and learn. Hiragana, Katakana and Manga / DS#%, 27 ERB 34 A brief introduction to written Japanese at the phonetic level. Ohayo Gozaimasu & Omedetd Gozaimasu 42 BULITEWET EHH TE FZ AWV¥ F — Two idiomatic expressions. Creative Kanji Readings / 4CF (HFORABVSUS) 48 A device known as furigana makes it possible to be creative in assigning readings to kanji. Manga artists take full advantage of this technique. Domo, the All-Purpose Word / @#J@Z tif [E36] 54 A polite, easy-to-pronounce word that can be used in almost any situation. Dozo | E3% 60 It means “please,” but only in certain situations. Baka, the Basic Insult / [if] DUA 66 Even if you never plan to insult anyone, it’s good to know something about the concept of baka. Shitsurei | &4L It means “rudeness” or “impoliteness,” and it’s used especially by people with im- peccable manners.126 13° We 15° 16° 7s 18° 19° ae 22° 2° 24° Ui, the “Good” Word / [vu] DUYAWS 78 A handy word, but it can sometimes cause confusion, even among native speakers. Yattal the Exclamation / [2% ! | 84 This spontaneous expression of joy can make your Japanese sound better than it really is. Saying Goodbye / HP HOEK 90 Saydnara is only the beginning. There are a number of ways to say goodbye in Japanese; we show you the easiest and most widely used. The Concept of Komaru / (HS) EvdzZE 96 If you're troubled, distressed, or caught in a tight spot, we have a word for you. Counters and Classifiers / S)2i84 102 The straight scoop on counting in Japanese. Baby Talk / “0% 108 ‘An introduction to Japanese Toddler-ese; words used only by small children, how babies tend to mispronounce some sounds, and how adults tend to talk to babies Informal Politeness / & 3 UE DOT BUEE 114 The word “politeness” is a convenient simplification; there are actually several dimensions involved Introductions / #@7 118 In practice, introductions use an almost random mix of a few basic elements. We take a look at the elements, and show a few variations “sama"words / [1%] D&ESE 124 Essentially untranslatable, these expressions are part of the unique flavor of the Japanese language. Hesitating with and / [D2 ...) 130 A little like “Uhh in English, but possibly more polite, you can get a lot of mileage out of and. The Wide World of Desu / [CF] DitR 136 Tt means “is,” but it's much more than that. Mangajin looks at some Japanese ex- pressions that non-native speakers probably wouldn’t come up with on their own, Hai (Part!) / itv (01) 142 “Yes, this isn’t a pen” sounds perfectly logical in Japanese. Hai (Part 2) / dv (402) 148 In addition to “Yes” (and sometimes “No"), Hai can be used as “I hear you,” or as an indication that you intend to answer a question. Vocabulary Index 156