I received a reply from my acquaintance in Japan and I was hoping for more help:
「ジョナサン、頭痛は治りましたか?
風邪ですか?気をつけてね。
米国史試験はできましたか?忙しいですね。
日本語は難しいけど、勉強して話せるようになれると良いですね!(>∇<)
ジョナサンの日本語は正しいと思いますよ。
でも、分からない時もあります。私も英語を勉強したいと思います。ジョナサンも日本語を勉強してくださいね!」
In rômaji (source:
A亜アあ // Help
"jonasan, zutsū wa naorimashita ka?
kaze desu ka? kiwotsukete ne.
kome kokushi shiken wa dekimashita ka? isogashii desu ne.
nihongo wa muzukashii kedo, benkyōshite hanaseru yō ni nareru to yoi desu ne! (>∇<)
jonasan no nihongo wa tadashii to omoimasu yo.
demo, wakaranai toki mo ari masu. watashi mo eigo o benkyō shitai to omoimasu. jonasan mo nihongo o benkyōshite kudasai ne!"
I tried an Excite translation (to get the gist of things) and I've tried to break apart the text myself. Here's what Excite says:
"Has headache recovered Jonathan?
Is it a cold?Take care of yourself.
Was the United States history able to be examined?It is busy.
It is possible to come it to be being possible to speak by studying is good though Japanese is difficult. (>∇<)
I think that Jonathan's Japanese is correct. However, it doesn't understand. I want also to study English. Jonathan also must study Japanese."
Maybe it's just me, but this seems to be one of Excite's better translations.
I tried to translate the text myself and got this far (note: I try to capture the original sense primarily):
"Jonathan, has your headache healed?
Is it a cold? Take care of yourself, huh!
Was the US history exam able to be done [taken]? It's busy, isn't it? [?]
Japanese is difficult; however, ...
Your Japanese is correct and
[polite present tense of "omou," meaning ...?]!
But I don't understand. I too [benkyōshitai to omoimasu?] English. Jonathan also [benkyōshite?] English, please!"
Might some kind folks help me get this down? I'm unfamiliar with "benkyōshitai/benkyōshite" and with whatever "benkyōshitai to omoimasu" means. I note a high usage of "ne." What's she trying to say with those? I know they are usually softening "isn't it?" or "don't you think?" type of endings, but I'm unsure here. Also, with "nihongo wa muzukashii kedo," I note that they typed a comma after the conjunction "but/however" but not before. Is that normal punctuation use?
Thanks! All in all, I'm confused here.