高かったビル

paryn · 19 Mar 2010

みなさんこにちわ

I have just a quick question about the pronunciation of a simple phrase. I know that 高い is pronounced takai, and it means tall. So does that mean 高かったビル is it pronounced
takakattabiru? The reason I ask is that takakattabiru sounds a little awkward, or it could just be my ears are not accustomed yet.

Glenn · 19 Mar 2010

Yes, it's takakatta biru. Generally a kanji's reading will be set, and what changes is the part written in hiragana after it. So 高 followed by hiragana is going to be read taka, and then the hiragana add the tense and whatnot.

Elizabeth · 19 Mar 2010

There's also a slight accent on the "ka" (syllable preceding a double consonant) -- at least there is for me.

Is that the way you are saying it, paryn ?

paryn · 20 Mar 2010

ありがとうございました.

I do add a little accent to the second "ka" because of the little tsu preceding "ta." More specifically, I pause briefly while holding the pronunciation.

So I pronounce it like, taka ka...ta biru.

nhk9 · 25 Mar 2010

The usage of 高かったビル might sound strange as more people would say 高いビルだった

undrentide · 25 Mar 2010

nhk9 said:
The usage of 高かったビル might sound strange as more people would say 高いビルだった

I second this.

高かったビル implies that the building is no longer high (like "the building which used to be high"), maybe new building which is higher than the building in question has been built, or more likely the building crumbled down or something and became lower than it used to be.

Elizabeth · 25 Mar 2010

The Building that was expensive I think is a more likely possibility....

undrentide · 26 Mar 2010

Elizabeth said:
The Building that was expensive I think is a more likely possibility....

Wow, that's what never occurred to me...
It makes perfect sense!

高かったビル

paryn

先輩

Glenn

一切皆苦

Elizabeth

先輩

paryn

先輩

nhk9

先輩

undrentide

Japa'n vagyok

Elizabeth

先輩

undrentide

Japa'n vagyok

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