the long vowel sounds

esra · 7 Jun 2008

I am having trouble understanding this.
extending the vowel sound of a character by adding either 「あ」、「い」、or 「う」

but how I'll pronounce the words like them. I read somewhere to use every vowels' real pronounce like here for example

こうこう koukou

when I read these explanations I thought I should do it like this everytime but doing it I noticed I am doing exercises wrong as the answers of the tests:

きのうのしんぶん

if I read it I would say: kinouno shinbun but the answer is kinoono shimbun

but I also see another site write it in romanji as I do.

I am confused

epigene · 7 Jun 2008

I understand your confusion very well!

First, please note it's not ROMANJI. It's ROMAJI

The fact is that there are several variations of romaji spelling, thus the difference in spelling by website.
There had been efforts at standardization, but it hasn't worked.

Regardless of how it is spelled, the pronunciation is the same in Japanese.
So, I advise you not to pay much attention to how it is spelled in romaji and focus on kana when pronouncing Japanese words.

Just for your reference, here is an interesting article on romaji spelling:
Romaji Conundrum

Elizabeth · 7 Jun 2008

esura said:
I am having trouble understanding this.
extending the vowel sound of a character by adding either 「あ」、「い」、or 「う」
but how I'll pronounce the words like them. I read somewhere to use every vowels' real pronounce like here for example
こうこう koukou

I agree with Epigene-san.

The romaji which follows kana spelling is most standard in texts, sites, etc. easiest to remember and my recommendation. But do whatever you must for the test. And then write it in Japanese !！

Haruspex · 7 Jun 2008

Lol, those chaps advocating kunrei? What the hell's their point? Can't beat Hepburn.

hirashin · 7 Jun 2008

Merhaba、esura san.

esura said:
I am having trouble understanding this.
extending the vowel sound of a character by adding either 「あ」、「い」、or 「う」
but how I'll pronounce the words like them. I read somewhere to use every vowels' real pronounce like here for example
こうこう koukou
when I read these explanations I thought I should do it like this everytime but doing it I noticed I am doing exercises wrong as the answers of the tests:
きのうのしんぶん
if I read it I would say: kinouno shinbun but the answer is kinoono shimbun
but I also see another site write it in romanji as I do.
I am confused

In Japanese, we usually pronounce "ou" as "oo". In writing we have to write as "ou" such as "koukou", "kinou", "shougakkou", etc... But we pronounce them as "kookoo", "kinoo", "shoogakkoo".
And the Japanese "n" can turn into "m" before "b" or "p". We don't
differentiate "n" from "m".
Hope this helps.
Hirashin

Elizabeth · 7 Jun 2008

Derfel said:
Lol, those chaps advocating kunrei? What the hell's their point? Can't beat Hepburn.

Modified Hepburn I believe does double the vowel for all long vowel sounds
(Arigatoo, kinoo, etc). I've never seen this system from a Japanese speaker.
While traditional Hepburn indicated it with a circumflex or macron.

The Ou varient is nothing special or codified but a bow to wapuro romaji.

esra · 8 Jun 2008

thank you everybody.

epigene
First, please note it's not ROMANJI. It's ROMAJI

yeah I am not careful while typing and always do this kind of mistakes; example my name there you see

Regardless of how it is spelled, the pronunciation is the same in Japanese.
So, I advise you not to pay much attention to how it is spelled in romaji and focus on kana when pronouncing Japanese words.

I am new at Japanese language and I add romaji writings beside the words to help to memorize hiragana and katakana (for now). I know I should try to get the words just by looking at kana as I was told by the guide sites but I am slow

Hirashin
In Japanese, we usually pronounce "ou" as "oo". In writing we have to write as "ou" such as "koukou", "kinou", "shougakkou", etc... But we pronounce them as "kookoo", "kinoo", "shoogakkoo".
And the Japanese "n" can turn into "m" before "b" or "p". We don't
differentiate "n" from "m".

☝

Once I read an article about this and it confused me I think. It was telling to not write ou but use ô. Also on some pages they were telling to pronounce the vowels separate as themselves, I mean o as o u as u not oo. But I'll take into consideration what you said after now and don't get confused about this anymore (I hope).

thanks again.

nice gaijin · 8 Jun 2008

Here are a couple threads that touch on similar topics:
pronunciation question | Japan Forum
...su...ending question? | Japan Forum

the long vowel sounds

esra

後輩

epigene

相変わらず不束者です

Elizabeth

先輩

Haruspex

先輩

hirashin

Sempai

Elizabeth

先輩

esra

後輩

nice gaijin

Resident Realist

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